Source: The National

By SHIRLYN BELDEN 
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has assured parliament that investigations into the special agriculture and business leases (SABL) will be completed and a report made available.  O’Neill said there were limitations to the progress of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), which was delaying the completion and preparation of a report.  He did not specify the limitations of the inquiry but said he would instruct the chief secretary to liaise with the commissioners on the investigations to get the report out as soon as possible.  He would ask the Office of Attorney-General to look at options available to get the inquiry going.

“It is understood there were abuses involved in the leasing of large hectares of land,” O’Neill said.

“These leases were given without proper checks and balances. These lands were leased out to investors and developers.
“This CoI has been sitting for far too long and it is time it has to complete and a report prepared. 
“It has cost the government more than K11 million so it must complete a report,” O’Neill said.

He was responding to questions by Nuku MP Joe Sungi, who asked O’Neill and relevant ministers about the delay, saying it had cost the affected people lack of services and they had a right to know the outcome of the inquiry.  Sungi said many of them had taken the onus to help themselves through the hard way because the delay was hindering development in those areas. He said the government was responsible for providing these services and implementing the inquiry recommendations.

The inquiry was ordered last year to investigate the Department of Lands for fraudulent customary land leases, which had seen millions of hectares of land being leased out in 99-year leases.