Source: The National

THE Commissioner of Inquiry (CoI) into the Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) has denied claims that it had not delivered its final report to the government.

CoI chairman John Numapo said a report in The National yesterday was misleading.

He said the final report was completed in June and presented to the Chief Secretary to Government, Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, in early July.

“Your reporter obviously has not checked with the CoI office at Waigani before running the story,” Numapo said in a statement yesterday.

He added that he and commissioner Nicholas Mirou submitted their respective final reports in July while commissioner Alois Jirewai was still working towards finalising his report.

“He may have already done that by now,” he said.

Numapo said it was the prerogative of the prime minister to table the final report in parliament and make it a public report.

“It is also up to the government to either implement the recommendations contained in the report or not.

“We have discharged our duties required of us as commissioners and the matter is now in the government’s court,” he said.

“I further reiterate that the news of the SABL inquiry report being submitted to the government ran as a news item on the same day in early July.”