Call to reinstate SINA

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

GOVERNMENT is being called on to reinstate the nurses’ association SINA since there is no other body to address and promote nurses’ welfare in the country.

General Secretary for the suspended Solomon Islands Nuses Association (SINA) Mr Steven Maitani makes this call following prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s decision to invoke absolute powers given to him under the state of emergency to suspend SINA.

Maitani said during this covid-19 pandemic health workers no longer have a body or platform that will protect and watch for their welfare, since prime minister Sogavare has taken that away from them.

“I call on the National government to quickly looking in the matter of recalling SINA because it is the only body that looks after and fights for all nurses before and during this pandemic.

“Now SINA is on suspension and nurses now live in confusion as their no other organisation focusing on nurses they will ran too to seek support from,” he said.

Maitani said the suspension of this association shows no respect to the initial service Act the nurses have.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his national address yesterday said SINA was suspended because as a trade union, SINA did not prioritise national interest and security of this country at a time when we needed all hands on deck.

“It instead went ahead and broke our laws and asked their members to desert their patients. The suspension of SINA was a decision the government did not take lightly. It was taken after all the options open to government were explored and exhausted. SINA has put its own interest as a Trade Union ahead of this nation’s interest. The rationale for the suspension is very well covered in today’s newspapers,” said Sogavare.

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