I was misled: Sir Leo

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
INTER-Governmental Relations Minister Sir Leo Dion (pictured) has accused Secretary Dickson Guina of misleading him in approving a second board for the Hiri Special Purpose Authority.
Sir Leo, the deputy prime minister, said in a letter dated July 20 to Guina, the acting Secretary of the Provincial Affairs and Local Level Government Department, that he feared facing a possible contempt of court proceeding for approving the second board.
When approached for a comment yesterday, Guina denied receiving the letter from Sir Leo.
He said his lawyers were now preparing legal documents to justify the approval of the second board.
Sir Leo said Guina had misled him as the minister responsible to signing a confirmation letter to Jerry Taumaku as the incumbent chairman of the Hiri SPA.
“This has exposed my office to possible contempt of court proceedings.
“It was highly irregular and indeed not proper for me to write directly to Mr Taumaku to confirm his appointment,” Sir Leo said.
“These have brought the credibility of the department into total disrepute.
“It also questions the impartiality of the department in dealing with Special Purposes Authority in Papua New Guinea.”
He said he had no option now but to revoke the election of Taumaku and his members and reappoint Ievirir Ova as the interim chairman with his members.
Sir Leo also accused Guina of compromising the establishment of Hiri LLG SPA by conducting a second election process to override the decision by former secretary Munare Uyassi.