The Office of the Prime Minister has refuted media reports that seeks to portray the government moves to privatise the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA).
A Government statement today says the decision to temporarily move SIPA’s portfolio from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development to the Prime Minister’s Office is to enable the newly-established Commission of Enquiry (COI) into the SIPA Reform program, to commence its investigations into the affairs of the state-owned enterprise.
The statement describes the media reports as misleading and only attempts to overstate a temporary but significant bureaucratic arrangement that aims to ensure the investigations by the Commission are undertaken under a fairly independent environment.