SABL probe team hits back at O’Neill

Source: The National, Thursday, March 28,  2013 

 

 THE Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the special agriculture business leases (SABL) was yesterday described as “unfair, unwarranted and premature” the criticism its interim report received from the government and parliament this week.
And commissioners John Numapo, Alois Jerewai and Nicholas Mirou have challenged the government to table its interim report in parliament and let the public judge their work.
The commission expressed its disappointment in a media conference yesterday over criticisms levelled at it by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Attorney-General Kerenga Kua and some MPs in parliament on Tuesday, alleging high cost and inadequate work.
Numapo told the media: “We consider the criticism as premature and unwarranted as we understood the interim report has not been formally tabled in parliament for debate and comments.
“Besides, the report is only an interim report and we think that the criticism at this point in time is unfair, especially when the final report covering the entire inquiry with all our findings and recommendations is yet to be presented.”
He explained that the final report would include a recap of the interim report, individual reports and findings on each of the 77 SABLs and a final recommendation covering the entire inquiry.
He promised the final report would be ready by the end of next month.