There is great confusion in Papua New Guinea over whether a Commission of Inquiry has been appointed to investigate the issuing of Special Agriculture and Business Leases over more than 5 million hectares of customary land.

The Acting Prime Minister, Sam Abal, announced on May 6 that he would be setting up a Commission of Inquiry, but no instruments appointing the Commissioners or any further details were released.

But last Wednesday, June 29, the Prime Minister's media department issued a media release. The media release announced the Terms of Reference for the Commission of Inquiry, a start date, budget and the names of the Commissioners, lawyers and other key personnel. 

But less than two hours after the media release was circulated by email a second message was distributed withdrawing the announcement:

URGENT RECALL OF MEDIA RELEASE!!

Dear all,

THIS IS TO RECALL A MEDIA STATEMENT THAT WAS SENT OUT FROM THIS OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE SETTING UP OF A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO SPECIAL AGRICULTURE BUSINESS LEASES & URBAN DEVELOPMENT LEASES.

THE STATEMENT WILL BE RE-ISSUED AT A LATER DATE.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

THANK YOU.

Since then there has been no explanation of why the original media release was withdrawn and no fresh statement.

But in the meantime The National newspaper has published the original media release as if it were fact - Numapo to Chair SABL probe - and, more mysteriously, someone has paid for the content of original media release to be published in the Sunday Chronicle newspaper as an advert in the name of the Acting PM (see below).

So what is going on - has a Commission been appointed or not?