Legal expert Polys Polyviou said he respected the views of people like Archbishop Chrysostomos, main opposition DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades and others who cast doubt over the ability of a “one-member committee” to look into the matter and his impartiality, adding that they “should not judge me before doing the job. They can judge me later.”
Polyviou had been named last Thursday by President Demetris Christofias to look into the explosion and its causes and apportion responsibility at any level it may lay.
His investigation will run parallel to a criminal investigation carried out by the police under the supervision of the attorney-general
Polyviou spoke to state radio CyBC yesterday as reports surfaced that he was ready to resign if more people were appointed to the committee.
Polyviou said he accepted the appointment to do his country a service.
“I did not ask for any position in a party or otherwise,” he said.
Polyviou said having a one-member committee was positive as a larger body could mean a delay in procedures.
And “sometimes when a multi-member committee is appointed it is often the case that the issue is not resolved,” he said.
“A one-member composition guarantees speed and less bureaucracy,” he said and it does not preclude bringing in experts to assist the probe.
“I believe this can be combined with the presence of experts and help from other lawyers,” Polyviou said.
But up until yesterday, Polyviou had not been officially appointed through the necessary official publication of his appointment in the Government Gazette.
Despite this, Polyviou said he has already started working the case by meeting various people and studying the huge amount of documents received from the attorney-general
“What I did was a bit irregular because I have not been legitimised yet,” Polyviou said.
The legal expert said he wants to get on with the investigation and will query the government on why his official appointment has been delayed.
Asked about the delay issue, government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said President Demetris Christofias has decided to explore the matter further in an effort to achieve consensus, after certain views were heard in the national council on Monday.
“Without this meaning that any decision has been taken,” Stefanou said.
By George Psyllides Published on July 20, 2011
