More problems have again surfaced at the new Matautu-tai Marina, this time over allegations that the boat owners and yachties,who use the facility, are being hit for money and drinks, by security officers.
An angry boat owner who was tired of being hassled, eventually reported the situation to senior Port Authority officials.
Disciplinary actions were reportedly taken at the time, but the boat owner alleged that since then he has been getting the backlash from the security officers for his complaints.
“I was at my boat when Tepa (Harbour Master) asked me why I was making things difficult for his boys and I told him that I was getting fed up with being hit at everytime I came to check on my boat,” the owner complained.
‘He wanted to know who hit on me and I pointed out one of the security officers to him, when he left the security officer came up and asked me about it, since then I’ve been having trouble with these guys.”  
The friction with security officers came to a head last Friday, when the owner was barred from driving his car into the Marina.
When the owner asked him about it, he said it was instructions from the main office, so he had to take it up with them.
The owner fronted up to the legal officer of SPA in the absence of the CEO who is off island.
The discussions revealed that the instructions to prevent the owner from driving into the Marina were made after an incident where he had smashed his car through the security rope, damaging the anchoring cements.
The owner was also accused of drinking alcohol inside the premises with his workers.
The owner admitted to having acted irresponsibly, but it was out of frustrations at the way he was being treated.
An amicable understanding was reached between the two, with the SPA representative promising to look into the allegations.
The owner meanwhile was allowed back into the Marina, with his car. He was also given the legal officer’s cell phone number to call if he should again run into any more troubles with the security officers.
The incident is the latest in a series of complaints made public about the operations related to the one month old Marina.
“Well I hope this will put an end to all the hassles for those of us using the facility,” the pacified owner reacted after the successful outcome of discussions with the SPA official.

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