WALE ATTACKS STAY OF EVICTION ORDER

Deputy Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale

Editor's Desk.

The Opposition has denounced what it claims to be a high-level collusion not to execute a High Court eviction order against the Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mr Lusibaea from the National Provident Fund-owned land at Ranadi.

Deputy Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale said the Opposition had established that the NPF Board in a meeting resolved to uphold a verbal directive by the Finance Minister, Mr Gordon Darcy Lilo to stay the eviction order against Mr Lusibaea and to offer him the property.

Mr. Wale claims that the Management of the NPF are opposing the NPF Board decision.
Mr Wale said this turnabout in the NPF Board after pursuing this matter through the courts over the past 12 months at substantial cost to Members is unacceptable and is a clear demonstration that the interests of Members are not at all a priority to the NPF Board.

“Initially the Chairman and Board were pushing hard for the case to be pursued and Mr Lusibaea evicted so the fund can proceed with its plans for the land but collusion at the political level and the extremely close links between the Finance Minister, Mr Lilo and the Earth Movers Logging Company of which the NPF Chairman is the General Manager has placed Mr Holmes in an awkward position to act in the interest of the Fund and its Members.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said when the Opposition took up the matter directly with the NPF Chairman, he denied the Board receiving any directive or pressure from the Finance Minister to pass the resolution.

Mr. Wale however claims that the Opposition been informed by that the verbal directive was given during q dinner meeting between Mr Lusibaea, Mr Lilo and Mr Holmes.

He said Mr Holmes justified Board’s decision based on the fact that the fund acquired and is holding on to too many non-performing assets and that the management was too weak to implement the plans for the Ranadi property.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said for Mr Holmes’ argument to hold water, a policy paper should be submitted to the Board to cover all so-called non-performing assets but this was not done.

Mr. Wale also claims that the justification was not raised during the Board meeting that dealt with the matter and that the way the matter was dealt with was not procedural.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said NPF is owned by its Members and the Board exercises its functions as trustee on behalf of members and therefore it (board) is obliged to always act in the interest of members but the Chairman and Board have failed their fiduciary duties in this matter.

“The interest of Members must always take precedence over any interest or direction by the government. To act otherwise would amount to gross negligence on the part of the Board.”

Mr Wale also implicated the Prime Minister on the issue and said the Leadership Code Commission must look into the matter.

Mr Wale said the Opposition will mount a public interest legal case in the courts on the validity of the Board’s resolution and the Chairman’s actions.
He calls on the NPF Board to do the right thing to rescind the decision and resolve to evict the Fisheries Minister from the Ranadi land.