Sea and transport union up in arms over K125mil

THE Papua New Guinea Maritime and Transport Workers Union with sister unions plan to strike against the Nasfund management and board members for alleged illegal use of K125 million through National Capital Ltd for Kokopo project.
Union president John Mahuk said acting Prime Minister Sam Abal had confirmed with transport sector workers union representatives that the transaction made was illegal.
Mahuk said Abal had given his undertaking to revisit the process and make it legal for the government to honour this transaction.
“However, there are some legislative changes to be made to relevant laws to protect workers savings.”
Mahuk said during a lunch hour meeting on Monday, the PNG Maritime Union demanded the removal of Nasfund executive officers, board members who supported the investment and removal of the investment manager licensed by the central bank.
“The union calls on the central bank to act swiftly and appoint an interim board and an acting CEO to oversee the normal function of the fund.
“The union members have lost trust and confidence in the executive management and some board members.”
He said the union would be consulting other union and workers organisation to stage a one-day national stop-work to demand the government reimburse K125 million as three senior ministers from the government took part in disbursing the funds to Kokopo illegally.
Mahuk said the date and time of the stop work “will be made known to workers around the country when confirmed by concern trade unions and organisations.”