Forum Solomon Islands International has appointed an interim committee to manage the affairs of the social media group after being rocked by a leadership crisis.
The FSII President Benjamin Afuga and Vice-President Ishmael Nori have both been forced to resign from their positions after the latter accused the former of corrupt dealings.
According to an FSII announcement, the interim committee members are Albert Kabui, Casper Fa’asala, Marisa Pepa, Wilfred Luiramo, Joanne Zoloveke, Garedd Porowai and Joe Faoso.
The Sunday Star understands the appointment of the interim committee was warranted by the resignation of Afuga as FSII President.
According to Nori, an Opposition MP financed a trip Afuga made to Japan last year and the MP had Afuga on his payroll for managing his secular band.
Nori also claimed the Opposition MP also paid for two radio talkback shows by FSII on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation last year.
Nori was asked to resign by members of the FSII Executive after the resignation of Afuga.
But Afuga told the Sunday Star that as he had stated in his resignation letter to the FSII Board, he will only answer to an independent inquiry and not to the current board.
He said now that an interim body has been appointed he is prepared to respond to any allegations formally made against him and not to any allegations made on facebook.
Afuga said so far he has not received any formal complaints against him by Nori or the FSII Board.
“They (allegations) were only posted on his (Mr Nori’s) FB wall and later discussed on FSII.”
Afuga said his involvement with the Gold Ridge reopening is perhaps the paramount reason for his resignation and not the allegations informally raised by Nori.
“It is time that FSII grows with other hands.
“Five years serving FSII as a volunteer is enough. I have groomed many young leaders within FSII thus it’s now time for them to carry on from where I left,” he said.
By LESLEY SANGA
