TriMarine Should “Eradicate Cancerous Self-Serving Practices At Soltai”ff

In the Solomon Islands’ newspaper, the Solomon Star, the following letter to the editor has been published relating to the management of the local tuna cannery:

Dear Editor - Thank you for giving us a space in your paper to voice out our concerns on the above subject matter. 

First of all, can someone in Soltai management confirm if the current Honiara manager is still employed by the company?

The reason for this is that the person in charge has been spending more time attending to his private businesses. He is hardly in his office.

The only company vehicle has been frequently seen with the boss at the road ends around Gualdalcanal buying timbers and God knows what else even during official hours. Honiara office is then stuck without vehicle for operational duties.

There were instances whereby employees and company goods were not been picked up at the airport and wharves at all.

This caused delays and frustration in doing company duties. These private trips could also be the only reason why this vehicle has been to workshop for repairs more frequently in the recent months.

A few years ago the rule on the use of company vehicles was very strict. It appears now that the rule has not been enforced at all, just like many other rules in Soltai nowadays.

Some months ago our only operational vehicle was sent down to Noro and he was responsible for the transfer. 

How can then a big company like Soltai has no operational vehicle in Honiara? We are now using hired transports at very expensive rates for transporting canned tuna and orders.

One of his other ventures is importing of goods overseas using company paid for freighted containers.  A few years ago, all of the goods he ordered were confiscated by Noro Customs and were later auctioned to the public.

Many families, including ours, lost our only hard-earned savings in this particular incident.

He is still doing this business and we hope that such a activity is not in anyway putting Soltai’s reputation in disrepute. We often heard of allegations of him receiving commissions in forms of goods from certain oversea suppliers of Soltai. 

We request that there be an investigation into this as a matter of priority as this rumor has been going on for years.

On the last note we are fed up of seeing a particular board director and certain managers always helping themselves to company stocks and properties.

We hope that with TriMarine coming in now, they will eradicate this cancerous practice of self serving in Soltai for once and for all.

J. Rockson and  A.T. Poloma

Noro Base

Published by Solomon Star