Bejon Haswell/Stuff
Kunal Gulati of Gulati Brothers Enterprises Ltd at the hearing for an application for a liquor licence at 155B Hilton Highway, Washdyke.
A decision on whether an application for a bottle store in Washdyke will be granted is expected to be released later this week after a public hearing in Timaru on Monday. Gulati Brothers Enterprises Limited’s application to establish a bottle store at 155b Hilton Highway, in Timaru s industrial hub next door to a trampoline centre, was heard by the Timaru District Council District Licence Committee. At the hearing, the character of Gulati Brothers Enterprises director Kunal Galati, of Christchurch, was called into question.
Harjit Singh. (File photo) The Employment Relations Authority released its decision in the case between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Nekita Enterprises, Harjit Singh and Shereeen Vandana Singh in December 2020. The decision references evidence given by Gulati. “Kunal Gulati gave evidence to the effect that he started paying employees under the dual payment system of his own accord and that Mr Singh was not aware of the system. “However, Kunal’s oral evidence was not very credible in terms of explaining how he came to operate the scheme and how he operated it once he started paying cash to employees.
Singh said the sell down was the start of winding up his liquor business, and he would consider his options next year for the six he retained. “You don’t sell everything at the same time,” he said. “I’m getting old as well and so it’s a good time to wind up and consolidate.”
STUFF/Stuff
Harjit Singh on his way to a hearing at the Employment Relations Authority in Christchurch last year. The ERA proceedings, the fines and the negative publicity had “upset the whole thing”, and were part of the reason for the sales, he said.