Newly-appointed Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) board is reported to have left the country for Singapore on a business trip.
They left Thursday on a trip fully funded by SIPA.
The trip is aimed at giving the new board the opportunity to understand how air service Singapore operates as SIPA eyes venturing into airline business.
Reliable sources confirmed the board members included the Infrastructure Minister Jimmy Lusibaea, Chairman Billy Titiulu, vice chairman and Infrastructure Permanent Secretary, Henry Murray.
Other board members were believed to have left earlier in the week accompanied by SIPA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Colin Yow.
Critics from inside SIPA alleged the trip was used as tactic to defuse opposition against the CEO’s leadership.
They say similar tactics were used in the past to lure favours and shut off any opposition against the CEO by the previous board members.
The critics say while there are many issues of priority at home to deal with, especially the rundown facilities at Ports Authority main operation area, it holds no logic to spend so much money on a luxurious trip to Singapore.
Sources told the Sunday Star that in actual fact the trip was merely to witness an air show in Singapore.
“It’s like a tradeshow of displays by aeroplanes of all types and has no relevance to the nature of SIPA’s business as facilitator trades through shipping,” the source pointed out.
A source warned members of SIPA board to guard themselves against being trapped into the magical spell of the SIPA’s foreign Chief Executive Officer.
By BRADFORD THEONOMI