Dear Editor – The recent exchanges of verbal barrages between terminated acting director of CAASI, George Satu (“Satu”) and the learned Attorney General, James Apaniai (“AG”) can only be described as perplexing.
Also the deafening silence by the respective aviation Minister and Permanent Secretary is equally irritating.
I guess sometimes Silence is Golden yet again sometimes Silence is Rotten.
I will not be dragged into a debate I’m unfamiliar with save that I think it was negligent of past successive governments to retain a law that vests the Special Aviation Fund (“fund”) exclusively under CAASI.
So tempting, it can easily be mismanaged by anybody (even angels), budget or no budget. That is millions of dollars under the watch of a three-man board and their CEO. Unbelievable!
In my humble opinion two things need to be done. Firstly the scope of any proposed criminal probe should be widened and back-dated.
To zero in on Satu alone in respect of only two fiscal years is utterly insane and absolutely unprofessional.
How can you call it a “Special Audit” when that damned fund has been around for many years already?
All present and former board members and directors of CAASI should be rounded up and grilled.
Secondly, from this recent experience the learned AG as chairman should exert more stringent control over the disbursement of the fund and hold the next director truly accountable for his actions.
The AG’s passive stances may have undoubtedly contributed to this sad ending so he must accept some of the blame in my view.
Perhaps the AG might like to start with the wage-like Board allowances he initially questioned Satu about but probably still enjoys.
Also these unnecessary expensive luxury hotel meetings in Brisbane may have to stop. Walk the Talk man.
As late Dr John Roughan would say, “Ting ting blong mi” nomoa ia.
Geoff Ford Samuel I
Honiara
