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Salika: Get minister to make probe public
By JULIA DAIA BORE
THE PNG Defence Force Board of Inquiry into
the Moti affair was initially made a public inquiry based on a “wrong
assumption”, panel chairman Justice Gibbs Salika said yesterday.
He said a normal Defence Force inquiry was by law a private inquiry
unless directed (in writing) by the Minister for Defence.
He said when it began,it was treated as a general inquiry which allowed
it to be made public, but when the counsel for witnesses Joshua Kalinoe
and Joseph Assaigo raised the issue of jurisdiction, provisions of the
Act were pointed out and without approval from the minister, the inquiry
had to be closed to the public, including the media.
Justice Salika and his two board members and counsel hastily convened a
press conference yesterday to clarify perceptions that might be created
that the media were “barred” by the inquiry from reporting the
proceedings.
Justice Salika expressed concern that the newspaper headlines gave the
impression that the inquiry banned the media. He said this was not the
case.
“When you say ‘media banned’, it implies that the media had been banned
by the inquiry. This is not the case. The law under the Defence Force
regulations section 7 (1) bans the media.”
Justice Salika said the proceedings were private until such time when
the Minister says it will be public, and urged the media to assist in
locating the Minister for Defence Martin Aini to order the closed door
inquiry to be made public so both the public and the media are allowed
access to the proceedings.
“If you (the media) are able to find him; because you appear to find him
easily than the rest of us … tell him can you give us the authority to
have the inquiry made public?”
Meanwhile, counsel assisting the inquiry John Kawi said the inquiry was
trying to locate the minister, who was away in his province of New
Ireland on holidays.
Mr Kawi said the inquiry office last Friday faxed the legal instruments
for the minister’s signature to the Kavieng office.
He said the office in Kavieng confirmed receipt of the document and said
they were in the process of taking it to his New Hanover home on the
outer islands.
“We were told that the minister is in the village and it is quite
difficult to get in touch with him,” he said.
 
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