The Grassroots Association of Solomon Islands says the call by MMF President Charles Dausabea to remove Director Johnny Sy from the SIPA Board has no grounds.
“There absolutely are no grounds at all,” Association President Henry Maniasi said in an interview on Sunday.
Mr Maniasi was responding to a call by Mr Dausabea for the removal of Mr Sy as Director on the Board of SIPA.
“There are a number of outstanding issues which Mr Dausabea should be addressing instead of picking on people who are doing their work.
“For example, he should be telling the nation what he did with the $100, 000 given for establishing the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce. What has he done with it? We need to know because it was public money given in the most unprocedural way,” Mr Maniasi said.
He claimed many regarded the money as stolen property, given that former CEO Colin Yow never got the approval of the SIPA Board to give it away.
“The second outstanding issue Mr Dausabea should be addressing is the membership fees he collected from people in Honiara for the setting up of a Trade Union at the time he was a Member of Parliament for East Honiara.
“Individuals paid up to $1, 000 membership fee. East Honiara voters were promised project money when they paid in their membership, but no one seems to know what is happening,” Mr Maniasi further alleged.
The Grassroots President said Mr Sy is a businessman and he is entitled to buy rice from anywhere as long as the arrangement is done within the purview of the law.
Mr Maniasi said as far as he knew, the rice Mr Dausabea is talking about was imported by a company called JQY.
“I know my brother Dausabea is under a lot of pressure. He should seriously consider stepping down as President of the MMF, which is run by a bunch of self-interested individuals.
“MMF does not represent Malaita or Malaitan interests. The MMF is a forum to promote personal and individual interests, nothing more, nothing less. It is time the current MMF executive steps down to make way for people with Malaitan interests at heart, not people with Malaitan interests on their lips.”
