by Selwyn Manning

Officers of Waipareira Trust are determined to bid farewell to its chief executive, John Tamihere, with a reward.

Mr Tamihere received criticism from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters this week, who said it would be wrong for Mr Tamihere to accept a golden handshake, amounting he said to around $280,000, because the Trust makes profit from governmental contracts.

Mr Tamihere was to receive a golden handshake after he completed his work with Waipareira Trust later this year. He subsequently decided to reject any offer of severance pay from the Trust and said Mr Peters’ criticisms were gutter politicking.

Trust reserves had expanded into the millions of dollars under Mr Tamihere’s management as chief executive. He said any offer of severance pay was recognition by the Trust of his contribution and personal commitment to the job.

But golden handshake criticisms are a non-issue, Mr Tamihere said, because he no longer planned to accept the package.

However, Trust chairperson, June Mariu, reportedly is saying it is nobody’s business where the money is coming from. She says Mr Tamihere has done a great job and that there is no way the Trust will let him go without some kind of recognition.

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