Inquiry urges individuals to follow directives

By CHARLES MOI
CHAIRMAN of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the purchase of land at Motukea and relocation of the Port Moresby wharf, Sike Julian Toulik, has urged all individuals involved in inquiry to follow directions.
Toulik made this known after the COI hearings resumed in Port Moresby yesterday.
“The fundamental thing is that the inquiry is for the benefit of the public and therefore average Papua New Guineans must know that we are doing this so that we can set things right,” he said
Toulik announced that hearings would be conducted at the Apec House after previously being held at the Muruk Haus in Waigani.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Maleva Kipa, said there were 37 summons listed for mention yesterday.
He said half of the summons issued to witnesses were involved in the General Election 2022 (GE22).
“We have managed to serve most of the witnesses. There are some summons that are yet to be served.
“Now that the elections are over, we will be able to service the summons within the next few days,” he said.
Kipa then asked for a week to serve the summons to other witnesses.
Toulik granted the request and adjourned the COI to Thursday for mention.
The objective of the inquiry is to inquire into and establish the facts surrounding the government decision on the relocation of the Port Moresby wharf; the decision on the selection of Motukea as the new site and the K1 billion price of the relocation as well as individuals and entities that were instrumental in the negotiation for the State and all who benefited from the deal.
The Government sanctioned an investigation into the purchase of the Motukea port by the Peter O’Neill government.
The government had signed a purchase agreement to relocate Port Moresby’s main wharf to Motukea in 2014.