Commission of inquiry needs to progress

THE commission of inquiry into the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) needs to be progressed, chairman Sir Salamo Injia, pictured, says.
He called on government agencies to prioritise the commission’s request to have the full commission sitting next month.
Sir Salamo, who announced the adjournment of the inquiry hearing to Nov 4, said the commission was unable to sit yesterday because the Government had not completed administrative arrangements on time.
He said the delay was due to the slow pace in which Government agencies had been implementing a decision by Prime Minister James Marape on Sept 18.
He said Marape approved the extension to six months, increase the budget and appoint an overseas firm of solicitors to support the council and the commission.
“The legal process to appoint an overseas firm of solicitors is the major contributing factor to the delay,” he said.
“The need for a firm of solicitors to support the work of the overseas council assisting the commission is imperative and has historical significance in the enabling legislation, the pre-independence Commission of Inquiry Act 1951.
“The commission has been of the view that the involvement of overseas commissioners and council and a firm of solicitors to support council was necessary given the international dimension of the subject matter under inquiry.”
Sir Salamo said the commission has been of the view that the Government, having engaged Australian counsel to assist the commission, it was incumbent on the Government to appoint an Australia firm of solicitors to support the counsel and the commission.
The National Procurement Commission has put on publicly tender the engagement of a firm of overseas solicitors.
The commission is continuing to work with government agencies including the National Procurement Commission to expedite the implementation of the decision.