Kantha refutes claims he removed files from office

OUSTED Chief Migration Officer Solomon Kantha has refuted a claim by Immigration and Border Security Minister Westley Nukundj that he had removed suitcases with sensitive files from his office.
Kantha also accused Nukundj of releasing misleading media statements in relation to the awarding of the security contract to the Tasion Group to provide security for the abandoned Refugee Transit Centre on Manus.
Kantha said yesterday that he went to his office over the weekend at around 8am, not 6am as claimed by Nukundj, to get his jacket and change of clothes.
He said he always kept a suitcase with extra work clothes in the office for duty travel. CCTV footage seen by senior staff showed him with only one suitcase and not three suitcases of files as claimed.
“This is a blatant lie to tarnish my reputation,” Kantha said.
“How can the minister know what was in the suitcase?”
Kantha said he would consider defamatory proceedings in court against Nukundj to explain the revocation of his appointment.
“The process of the revocation of my appointment was against the decision of the Immigration and Citizenship Authority Board and the advice of the Public Service Commission,” he said.
“I served two years of my four-year term and suddenly the State Solicitor writes to the Department of Personnel Management about the process of my appointment.
“What were they doing for the last two years?
“This is prejudicial and very unfair to me as a public servant who has committed so much to change this government agency.”
Kantha also clarified the awarding of the security contract for the Refugee Transit Centre at East Lorengau.
“The decision on the engagement of Tasion Group was based on the direction of the prime minister to terminate arrangements with the company Paladin,” he said.
“Peren Investment has a joint venture arrangement with Paladin.
“Engaging companies that have joint venture arrangements with Paladin would be contrary to the prime minister’s instructions.
“Tasion Group was able to satisfy the requirements as they are a local Manus company, based in Manus and provided a business model that involved all Manus landowners and local companies.”