19 Jan 2007

Solomons Commission of Inqury into April 2006 Honiara riot to start

4:05 pm on 19 January 2007

The proposed Commission of Inquiry into the 2006 April riot and land matters on Guadalcanal should start functioning next month.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the legal instruments for the Commission of Inquiry into the riot in Honiara last year have been drawn up and are now with the Attorney General's office.

Mr Sogavare says he will be signing the necessary documents any time from this month and hopes to have the inquiry underway either towards the end of this month or early in February.

He says the government has received final confirmation that Sir Arnold Amet and Noel Levi of Papua New Guinea had accepted offers of appointment to the Commission.

The Prime Minister said Sir Arnold would chair the three-member Commission that would also include a Solomon Islands former Speaker to Parliament and former Guadalcanal Premier, Waeta Ben Tabusasi.