2 Feb 2012

Workers from Solomons palm oil plant fear youths will retaliate

4:28 pm on 2 February 2012

The Premier of Guadalcanal province in Solomon Islands says workers from the local Palm Oil plant fear a backlash from youths with whom they clashed in the new year.

About 250 employees at Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil have been repatriated to Temotu Province after a shooting incident took place when the group of youths approached them on site.

The Premier Anthony Veke says police intervened, and the company and a group of MPs facilitated a reconciliation process.

But he says the workers fear the group will retaliate.

"They don't believe that the youths will keep their promise that they will not go back there and intimidate them. So they would have to decide what to do. They fear that they will come back again and initimdate them. That's why the need to leave the company."

Anthony Veke says he does not believe the youths targeted the workers because they were from Temotu.