PROTEST TO CONTINUE
By LESLEY SANGA
STUDENTS of Solomon Islands National University (SINU) say their sit-in protest, which started on Wednesday, will continue today.
The students staged the protest to demand the SINU Council to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (SINU) that will address issues they’ve raised with the university’s management.
They claimed the SINU Council is refusing to sign the MOU.
“We will continue our sit-in protest tomorrow,” Solomon Islands National University Student Association (SINUSA) president Reginald Ngati told the Solomon Star yesterday.
“Tomorrow, we’ll stage the protest at Kukum campus,” Mr Ngati added.
He said they met the SINU Council, which is chaired by local academic Dr Jack Maebuta, on Tuesday.
“All we want is for them to sign the MOU so that the issues we raised with the management can be addressed.
“So tomorrow (today), we are going to stage the sit-in protest in front of the office of the vice chancellor.
“We want the SINU management to address the welfare of the students.”
Mr Ngati said during their Tuesday meeting, they demanded the SINU Council to reinstate and recognize SINUSA as the body representing the students.
“We also question why a SINUSA student rep in the SINU Council turned around and attack the students instead of standing for them.
“We also wanted the SINU Council to look into the conduct of the returning officer who oversaw the recent election of the SINUSA executive.
“To ensure these issues are addressed, we need to sign a MOU,” he said.
He assured authorities that the protest will be peaceful and conducted in an orderly fashion.
It’s understood the SINU Council met yesterday over the protest.
No authorities within SINU were available to speak to the Solomon Star.
Mr Ngati said that SINU council met on Wednesday.
The sit-in protest on Wednesday started at around 8am and dismissed at 3pm under the watch of the police.
