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Somalis free NZ caterer
BRISBANE: New Zealand ca
terer David Morris has been
freed by his Somali creditors
after paying them for food
used to feed United Nations
peacekeeping forces.
The UN clinched Mr Mor
ris's release by paying his
firm, Morris Catering, $US6
million ($A8.21 million), part
of the $US20 million ($A27.35
million) which it is said to owe
for food supplied to peacekeep
ers during the two-year opera
tion, which ended this month.
General manager of Bris
bane-based Morris Catering
Graeme Pennycook said yester
day he understood Mr Morris
was on his way to London to
join his wife and family.
Mr Morris was taken captive
in Somalia in early March af
ter offering himself as security
to his creditors to win the re
lease of two Australian em
ployees previously being held.
Another company represent
ative, Robert McVicker, in
New York to negotiate with
the UN, told Radio New Zea
land another $US15 million
(SA20.5 million) was still out
standing from the UN, wliich
has said that its contract with
Morris Catering is in dispute
and could go to litigation.
Mr Morris won the contract
to supply the UN in Somalia
after serving its peacekeeping
force in Cambodia for two
years. In October 1993, his 21
year-old son, Tyson, was shot
dead after firing a Somali
from his job.
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