LANDS COMMISSIONER HESITANT OVER LAND DEALINGS
Commissioner of Lands Nelson Naoapu at a symposium recently. Photo credit: customarylandsolutions.com
The Commissioner of Lands says he is hesitant to put his name down on Government documents for land dealings because there is always the risk he could be subjected to legal proceedings.
Commissioner Nelson Naoapu was referring to possible Court cases against him in relation to land dealings.
He says in his capacity as Lands Commissioner, the Attorney General will appear on his behalf, but there are other cases where he could be sued in his personal capacity.
The Commissioner says he does not have the funds to hire a lawyer if he is named in his personal capacity in legal suits.
He says this could be detrimental.
“So what this means is that if I don’t have a lawyer they might make a decision in default against me, so that’s what I want to say it’s something that could affect my job, not because of fear of corruption though my conscience tells me I am clear, but I feared once any case is filed against me personally, I don’t have funds for a lawyer to represent me in my personal capacity.”