The Cook Islands Investment Board, which manages state owned enterprises, won't say why it fired a board said to have done an excellent job in making an outer islands power station more efficient.
The three members of the Aitutaki Power Station Authority board were removed last month by Investment Corporation chairman Mike Henry.
Formally appointed in January 2014, no limit was stated in their warrants of appointment.
In addition, sources say a 2014 Cabinet paper endorsed the appointment of chairman Alan Mills, Mii Makimare and Paul Henry as board directors.
The opposition coalition and the Aitutaki Mayor, Teupo'o Bishop, believe the board was sacked because the directors resisted demands from the corporation for the release of funds held in their reserves.