Acting clerk of parliament submits documents for UBS loan inquiry

National

ACTING Clerk of Parliament Kala Aufa has complied with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) loan deal by submitting the required information and documents, chairman Sir Salamo Injia says.
Sir Salamo confirmed that Aufa, who made a brief appearance before the inquiry, had complied with the directions issued by the commission.
Aufa was represented by his lawyer Robin Kawat, who told the commission that his client had submitted the documents and information as required.
Kawat told the commission that the documents that Aufa submitted included ministerial statements and papers in parliament, questions without notice, debates, grievance debates, Acts and laws passed by Parliament in relation to the UBS loan, Organic Law on Sovereign Wealth Fund Loans Bill (2010) and Supplementary Appropriation Bill (2011), documents containing the reply from the Opposition and National and Supplementary Budget policy statement and statement on the state of the economy.
Sir Salamo said upon admission by the National Court and certification by the PNG Law Society of overseas counsel assisting the commission and overseas solicitors assisting the counsel and the commissioners’ practice in PNG, Aufa would confer with them to prepare his evidence.
He explained that due to the Covid-19, the inquiry had been delayed and that the revised schedule would be released by the first week of next month.
“Hopefully, by that time, the admissions of the overseas counsel and solicitors would have been completed,” he said.
Aufa told The National after the hearing that most of the documents had been submitted, however the commission had directed Parliament to provide the information on the leadership tribunal appointed at that time.
“We have to seek clarification on the information on leadership tribunal before we report back to the commission,” he said.
The matter was adjourned to July 7.