5 Nov 2003

Solomons union leader says Burns Philp greedy in closing Goodman Fielder

5:32 pm on 5 November 2003

The leader of the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers says the close down of the Goodman Fielder factory there reflects badly on its owner Burns Philp.

Tony Kagovai, who says more than two hundred members of his union will lose their jobs, says there were other options for Burns Philp, including asking the Government for a tax holiday.

He says he now expects duty free Goodman Fielder products to be shipped into the country from Papua New Guinea under the Melanesian Spearhead Group trade deal.

Mr Kagovai says Burns Philp has been greedy and thoughtless.

"while Australia is leading RAMSI to clean up the law and order in the Solomon Islands and to help to recover the economy, one of the major companies in Australia decides to pull out of the country - it gives the wrong signal to all the other investors"