The National: 5 August 1998

MERCENARIES: SANDLINE REPORT DUE LATE AUGUST

Papua New Guinea's second Sandline Commission of Inquiry into the mercenary affair is due to present its report to Prime Minister Bill Skate at the end of August.

Staff reporter via Pasifik Nius

PORT MORESBY: The Second Sandline Commission of Inquiry into the mercenary affair will present its report to Prime Minister Bill Skate at the end of this month.

The date for submitting the inquiry's report was extended to Aug 28 following a request from the Commission.

Commission secretary Jack Nouairi said the commission needed more time to assess the evidence and submissions properly.

He said the commission was aware of the public interest in the inquiry and the need to complete the report as soon as possible.

The commission is headed by Justice Sir Kubulan Los and Senior Magistrates, Mekeo Gauli and Raphael Apa.

Mr Nouairi said that the Commission needed to study the information gathered in the light of its terms of reference before presenting its final to the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the Government had decided last month that it will not pay lawyers who appeared in cases related to the Sandline inquiry and those who appeared only briefly.

The Government had reviewed the fee structure for the Commission and would only take into account lawyers who had made an appearance before the Commission of Inquiry itself.

Mr Nouairi said the Government was committed to pay a fee of K2,000 a day to the lawyers for their appearances before the commission since the inquiry began on Aug 11 last year.

Copyright © 1998 David Robie and The National. This document is for educational and personal use. Please seek permission for publication.
http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/aspac/2ndsand.html

Return to Asia-Pacific Network index