Wednesday 11 March 2009

WATERLOO FOR SOLOMON?

Mark Solomon is facing what may be the most critical meeting of his tribal political career this weekend when steps up to his own people at Kaikoura. The meeting which is being held on Sunday is considered to be the most pivotal in the battle for control of the table is being fought by what has essentially become two factions within the tribe. Issues were bought to a head with the ousting of Wally Stone as Chair of Ngai Tahu Holdings some weeks ago.

We understand from sources throughout the tribe that the call for Solomon to step down are strengthening. While many are divided over the rights and wrongs of the issue of the ousting of Stone and the proposal of the House of Tahu, there is growing concern that for the sake of the future of the tribe that Solomon needs to step down and let a new leader take over to bring cohesion back to the governing body Te Runanga O Ngai Tahu Table.

We agree. The division at the Table does the tribe no favours.

Doing the right thing is often the hardest thing but for the future of the tribe it is time for those at the Table to do the right thing.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

with a $200k salary at stake, and the prospect of returning back to the metal working obscurity that he came from, I doubt the "right" decision will be one made by choice by Solomon.

Is a shame that the decision looks to be one that will have to be made for Solomon rather than by himself.

And as he had the chance to leave with a $300k parachute a couple of years ago then got cold feet, I think it doesnt look promising this time.

Rangi

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could focus on the ISSUES and not on PERSONALITIES.

I suggest we wait for the facts to come out and then look at things objectively with an eye to the future and the best outcomes for the whole iwi.

Incidentally, why is it assumed that Mr Solomon should be the one to step down to "bring cohesion back to the governing body Te Runanga O Ngai Tahu Table"?

The other side of the argument would be that those who don't feel they can work with the status quo (who appear so far to be a minority) should step aside for the good of the iwi and let TRONT get on with working for the future.

Or is democracy only ok if you are on the winning side?

Currently our leaders are being diverted by this damaging public airing of laundry (dirty or deliberately splattered with fake blood - only time will tell which).

Anonymous said...

I wonder why the fixation on the salary? Did we expect Mark to work for nothing for over 10 years?

Apart from the amount being incorrect (proving that the misinformation campaign is working) if you think it is too much then I don't think so.

With the amount of crap that goes with the job I would not do it for twice as much.

Funny that Rangi mentioned the offer made to Mark. Had to come from someone who was not so much a steward of the tribal funds but a distributor of the tribal funds.