Outrage over sacking

The National Main Stories

By LUKE KAMA
THE chairman and a director of Kumul Consolidated Holdings Limited have been sacked – and want to know why the action was taken as their current terms expire next year.
In a paid newspaper advertisement yesterday, chairman Paul Nerau and director Michael Koisen stated that they were no longer directors of the State-owned company effective from Sept 11.
They were both serving a second term which is to expire next year.
Nerau told The National that they received their letter of termination from Public Enterprise and State Investment Minister William Duma on Sept 11.
Duma, when contacted for a comment yesterday, said Nerau and Koisen should explain to the public why they had put out the public statement.
“Ask them why they put out such a statement in the media,” Duma said.
But Nerau said Duma should explain why he sacked them.
“He went ahead to Cabinet and wrote to us that we are no longer required. So we were terminated on Sept11,” Nerau said.
“That’s why we are telling the public that we are no longer on the KCH board.
“We are just advising the people that we are no longer involved. He has to tell the people why he removed us.”
Nerau said they had to put out the public statement to protect their integrity and also to thank the people and the Government for the opportunity to serve them.
“We put out the statement for transparency and to tell the people, the country, and all development partners and stakeholders of KCH that we are no longer on the board of KCH. We are no longer involved in any affairs of KCH after September 11 this year,” he said.
“This is important to protect our integrity and the KCH because we received our letter of termination as board members from Cabinet through the minister responsible for public enterprise and state investments on September 11.”
Nerau said their current term should expire next year.
“He (Duma) is the one who wrote the letter so we are reacting to his letter to protect our own integrity. We basically just want to make it clear to the public,” Nerau said.