Inquiry wants Customs offices reopened

THE Commission of Inquiry into the Union Bank of Switzerland K3 billion loan will write to the Treasury Department to settle the rental arrears of K6 million for the PNG Customs Services offices.
Commission chairman Sir Salamo Injia directed secretary Mathew Yuangu to write the letter after the Commission was informed yesterday that PNG Customs was unable to provide the information it needed because staff had been locked out of the offices.
Sir Salamo had directed Customs Services Chief Commissioner Ray Paul to provide the electronic copies of the PNG LNG project exports.
Paul told the inquiry yesterday they could not access the electronic copies of the documents which were inside the office.
“We are still (locked) out and I’m not able to provide you the full details,” he said.
“I have half of the information but it’s not complete because we do not have access to the office.”
Paul told the commission that they were locked out two weeks ago.
The PNG Customs Services offices are at 6-Mile and Gordon.
“Treasury assisted us to settle K3m but the property management (wants) full payment,” Paul said.
Sir Salamo said the commission would require details of the documents and offered to write to Treasury and the landlord Pacific Palms Property to allow the customs staff into the office.
Meanwhile, Sir Salamo told the commission that 18 witnesses who were supposed to appear yesterday would be summoned on Monday Nov 2.