12 Sep 2002

Solomons nurses call off strike amid hope of pay settlement

4:13 pm on 12 September 2002

Nurses in Solomon Islands have called off their strike after the government promised to pay outstanding salaries owed to its public sector workforce today.

Moffat Marita, from the Solomon Islands Nurses Association or SINA, says the goverment promised that 2 million US dollars would be made available today after a series of negotiations it held with the public sector unions.

Mr Marita says however further talks will need to be held to address other outstanding amounts such as the government's contribution to the Credit Union and SINA.

He says the nurses promised to give the government time to find the money for outstanding salaries because of the economic and financial problems it faces.

"I'm not in the position to say where the government should find money but this is the commitment that the govenrment has to meet. Whether it will pay today, I don't know. This is one thing that the association will consider but we would like to give the govenrment time to fulfill its promises"

Moffat Marita in Solomon Islands