I emailed the following to Runanga on 4 April. While my last post was an analysis about what I think has been going in the last month or so I expressed an idea that whanui might wish to take up
"Kia ora
By now you will have received a statement from Donald Couch, Deputy Kaiwhakahaere, saying that Mark Solomon has been stripped of all his power and duties but retains the title of Kaiwhakahaere.
This was the "compromise" deal announced at the end of the Tront meeting on Saturday but the details were only released yesterday afternoon. Donald Couch said on Saturday that a compromise proposal would be put to Mark
This proposal was put to Mark by Donald in a face to face meeting yesterday and Mark declined the compromise
Yet Donald then held a press conference and failed to mention Mark's rejection of the plan saying in "The Press" today:
" Couch, when contacted by The Press last night, said he was not aware Solomon had rejected the proposal, and planned to meet him today."
This apparent attack of amnesia by Donald Couch further tarnishes the already soiled reputation of Tront
Little should be read into the 14 Tront reps who voted for the proposal. This is a group so far removed from the wishes of iwi and desperate for a bandaid fix
The issue is not about Mark and never has been. Its about:
– lack of democracy and transparency
– a flawed democratic system exploited by unaccountable reps and others
– a politically active management
At an informal meeting last Thursday night at Rehua marae attended by approximately 80 beneficiaries I put the following suggestion that was well received. The formation of an Interim Governance Committee (IGC)- for lack of a better name – The purpose of the IGC would be to be to review the Ngai Tahu Charter and the electoral system. The IGC was to be made up of 50% beneficiaries and 50% Tront reps with an independent Chair. My reasoning was twofold
1. The Tront electoral committee of 5 – 4 of whom come from the opposing faction, should have had proposals out at the last Hui-a Tau but are dragging the chain. The four have no real interest in reform.
2. There was an opportunity-an olive branch- for Tront to transparently restore the faith and trust of beneficiaries by allowing beneficiary participation.
I put this proposal to the Tront meeting on Friday and just like all proposals put that day it was ignored."