The Honiara City Council has given a 28 days notice for the Kukum Market to close down.
A reliable insider of HCC told Solomon Times that the Kukum market area has been issued a letter of eviction on 16th January 2009."The Kukum market is expected to close by the 12th of February," the source revealed.
The letter was addressed to John Harold and Walen Hite who signed a lease agreement on the 21st of October 2003 for the Kukum parcel 191-035-32.
It was revealed that the Kukum market lease owners were $38,500 in arrears with the rent payable under the agreement.
"Rent has been in arrears for more than thirty days. Even with [the] most recent payment of $5,000 made on 15th January 2009, you remain more than one year in arrears," the letter state.
With a copy of the letter to the Commissioner of Lands, HCC requested a formal removing of the lease from the register.
The source told Solomon Times that the HCC intends to claim the leased premises on the 12th of next month.
"We are planning to fence the area and build a proper market".
Solomon Times was informed that there has been illegal building of houses in the area with betel nut vendors going over the boundary closer to the nearby soccer pitch.
The source adds that the illegal settling has also attracted black marketing of alcohol within the area.
"HCC will definitely remove and clear the market as from the 12th of February, whether the owners agree or not, we have all the right to remove them and re-claim the area," the source said.