…To take charge of all business operations within the ports area
THE Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) is taking control over all business operations at the ports area as part of its reform.
The reform program will see changes happening at both the international and domestic ports area.
SIPA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Colin Yeo announced this yesterday during a press conference with the local media at his office on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Yeo told local journalists that SIPA for the past 59 years since 1956 had no real change of operations.
“Since then, various interests have gained, profited and benefit from the lack of process cohesiveness at the ports.
“During this period, these interests have built up considerable influence and figuratively have their fingers in the pie at SIPA.
“These includes taking over some of the port’s operations which is rightly belongs to SIPA,” Mr Yeo said.
He explained that SIPA will run all business operations within the ports area and that business operating within ports area will be closed.
“After 6 months, the overhaul of SIPA internally is well underway. The management team at SIPA is now reviewing the processes of port operations conducted by external interests.
“It has been identified that revenue which should belong to SIPA and ultimately Solomon Island Government (SIG), have been in the hands of external businesses.
“SIPA now intends to revert all port’s activities to SIPA. Ultimately it is to benefit the people of Solomon Islands and its government,” Mr Yeo said.
He said, since he was appointed as CEO for SIPA he has been mandated to reform the whole of SIPA and return the ports to sustainable profitability as well as ensuring the management of the Ports returns to the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands Government.
“Since I took up CEO post early this year, I was mandated to reform the whole of SIPA and return Ports to sustainable profitability as well as ensuring that the management of the Ports returns to the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands Government.
“This mandate clearly indicates that an overhaul of the way things are done at the ports have to be implemented and a restructure of responsibilities is necessary.”
He said, some port’s operations undertaken by external businesses other than SIPA, have been returned to SIPA recently.
“This has invoked a huge outcry by these external parties. They are clearly resistant to any changes and their responses have included calls to remove the CEO SIPA but I will still continue on with this reform program for this government,” Mr Yeo said yesterday.
The SIPA boss calls on any business operators who are unhappy with the reform program done by SIPA to consult him for further update about reform program.
By DENVER NEWTER
