MMF TOLD TO STAY OUT OF SIPA ISSUE

Former employees of the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) have warned the Malaita Ma’asina Forum (MMF) not to interfere with the court case between SIPA and its terminated workers.

Mr. John Uate’e, a former SIPA worker made the warning after the MMF President Charles Dausabea cautions the former SIPA In-house Chair Mr. Michael Faitea against contempt of court.

Mr. Dausabea says only the court can decide on the case between SIPA and its terminated workers.

But in today’s response Mr. Uate’e questions why Mr. Dausabea talks about respecting court proceedings when his actions speak otherwise.

Mr. Uate’e says he has an eyewitness account of a number of suspicious meetings involving MMF trying to interfere with the SIPA court case.

He says on February 10th, he had personally talked with Mr. Dausabea outside the Lands office who told him, MMF was trying to negotiate an out of court settlement for their court case.

“On the same day at 12.15pm, I met him again at the Ministry of Lands so I asked him what he’s doing at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and he told me that the MMF wants to negotiate an out of court settlement for you the terminated workers and it’s evident that they would want to involve in this dispute which they know nothing about.”

He says, Mr. Dausabea’s action tantamounts to contempt of court.