Former Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) employees terminated at the height of controversies when current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Colin Yow took office may be reinstated.
Sources said these are employees with legitimate reasons dismissed unfairly and are supposed to be reinstated.
Tipped to be reinstated also is the former CEO William Barile.
Ministry of Infrastructure Permanent Secretary, Henry Murray told the Sunday Star he is not aware of such immediate information.
“I cannot confirm the story yet and in a position to,” he said.
He said reinstating employees follows a process and with those having powers may do so.
“If someone has done so to reinstating the terminated employees, then it would be the current board that is acting in power to make that decision, this according the SIPA Act,” he explained.
Murray said at the moment he knew nothing of such move, but if it is the current board that is doing that; it will be straight forward.
“However if nothing as such has been done by the current board then it is unlawful of those who did so.
“It will be only appropriate when the new board takes office then a decision be made,” explains the Permanent Secretary.
He said at the moment processes to formally appoint new board member’s is understood at its final stage for gazetting.
“Until a new board is in place, I am not in a position to confirm,” said PS Murray.
Meanwhile, current CEO Colin Yow has in previous statements said those terminated will not be given the chance of returning.
He said they have been dismissed on reasonable grounds thus will not be reinstated.
By BRADFORD THEONOMI
