Manus asylum assessment team presents report today

 By CLEMENT KAUPA
THE assessment team sent to Manus last week will present a report to Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister today on the status of the Manus refugee processing centre.
The nine-member team led by deputy chief immigration officer Joseph Nobetau returned yesterday.
Team member Dominic Sengi of the Foreign Affairs said the facilities within the Lombrum naval base was rundown and Australia would be looking at securing a permanent location elsewhere on the island for a new facility to be constructed.
 This is also due to the fact that the previous arrangement between Australia and the PNG Defence Force
had expired after the last refugee left the facilities years ago.
“This will evolve into a whole new arrangement
between the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments,” Sengi said.
He added that the people on the island were fully cooperative.
“Politics and the situation on the Island are right.”
He said the team met Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin who told them he would be submitting a development plan.
“That is understandable,” he said.
The new arrangement will involve the provincial government of Manus.