SIPA boss clarifies latest termination
FOUR officers from the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) terminated on Thursday failed to comply with their job descriptions.
That was according to SIPA’s chief executive officer Colin Yow.
“…yes the four served SIPA for many years, but their failure to comply with simple instructions had cost the authority $347, 000,” Mr Yow told the media yesterday.
He said the four have been instructed during their shifts over the course of two days and nights to unload containers of their contents before sending the empty ones on board the waiting vessel for shipment to the next overseas port.
“They all chose not to do this according to instructions given to them, resulting in SIPA being penalized.”
Mr Yow said these officers do this sort of thing all the time but on this occasion, they did not allow the containers to be unloaded, but instead allowed the containers to be shipped with cargo inside.
“It’s unacceptable to have people who know how to do their job but deliberately chose not to do it on this occasion.
“They have no excuses to offer because the documents and those particular containers were there at the port for two days and nights.
“Obviously, all four of them were on separate shifts and for those two days and nights, they still cannot comply with a simple instruction.
“These are the same people who have been warned and suspended before; but this time I have decided to terminate them for this very serious reason.”
Mr Yow also revealed one of those terminated officers went to one of SIPA’s senior manager’s residence on Thursday night and threatened him and his family, while demanding compensation.
“This officer knocked on the door of the senior manager at 2: 35am and demanded to see him and basically threatened him and his family.
“He came with someone else to do the dirty job. This is again wrong, it is wrong to threaten children and wives of employees.”
He said the terminated employee then demanded money and if not given threaten to do something bad and worse.
“My staff called the police four times; they said they will send a patrol but failed to attend. The police are not doing their job.
“This is again unacceptable; the police have a duty to take care of citizens.
“This is not different to the death threats that I’ve been receiving,” he said.
He said at 6am yesterday, the group returned again to the same house and demanded money, while making threats again.
“This is totally unacceptable and we have to stop this,” Mr Yow said.
Chairman of SIPA’s in-house union Michael Faitea earlier criticized the terminations, it may be related to leakage of information regarding the renewal of contracts of senior managers.
He said the sacking was unfair and not right.
By BRADFORD THEONOMI
