Sogavare urge government to use reserve power to end telekom strike

The Parliamentary Opposition has called on the Prime Minister, Dr Derek Sikua to use his reserved powers under the country’s Telecommunication Act to end the telecommunication crisis besetting the country.

Leader of the Opposition Group, Manasseh Sogavare said the crisis has now entered another week and this only goes to demonstrate that the government is not taking a bold stand to resolve the dispute between the striking employees of the Our Telekom Company and the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Martyn Robinson.

Mr Sogavare said the Prime Minister, under the Solomon Islands Telecommunication Act is vested with the power to end the crisis by temporarily taking over Our Telekom Company in the occasion of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety.

The Leader of Opposition suggested that a practical step that must be taken by the Government is to immediately launch a Commission of Inquiry to investigate and establish why it has taken the board of NPF, the major shareholder in Our Telekom Company so long to resolve the industrial dispute.

He said, in the meantime the Government should issue an order for the temporary removal of Mr Robinson and another order for the return of the striking workers so as to restore normal telecommunication services to the nation.

Mr Manasseh Sogavare said the situation warranted a bold decision and action by the Government but it now appeared the CNURA Government has drastically failed in this regard.

Source: SIBC