Sandfly Buena Vista member in Central province Patterson Mae had said that SINUW "did not deserve the European Union grant, as recognition of its efforts to protect human rights, because of how it had dealt with the RIPEL plantation."

Mr Mae also said the E-U had only considered one side of the story, portraying SINUW as representing the rights of workers, which is no longer the case.

Mr Mae said the union had in the recent past switched its priority from the interest of workers, to personal and political interests.

But the SINUW general secretary Toni Kagovai says Mr Mae's allegations were misleading.

He says the E-U has strict funding requirements to its recipients, and the approval by E-U indicates the Union has fully complied with all requirements.

Mr Kagovai says E-U is an independent body and the funding to SINUW comes under its independent choice to help toward democracy and human rights in the country.