by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
According to a Nauru government source, 75 per cent of refugee claims processed on the Pacific Island are accepted, potentially leaving 25 percent of the 600 remaining asylum seekers to either return to their home countries or to lodge an appeal.
While Nauru’s Justice Minister David Adeang said the government intends to determine about 600 remaining refugee claims within the next week, Nauru’s Department of Justice and Border Control Deputy Director Shyla Vohra, said the government is now expecting to finalise 400 refugee claims by Sunday.
Despite growing uncertainty and doubt about the move made by the government to finalise 400 refugee claims by Sunday, Vohra said almost all asylum seekers had already been interviewed, detailed assessments had been drawn up as well as recommendations were made.
A Quality control process over each assessment will be done by the senior legal staff to ensure consistency, accuracy and quality before the claims be reviewed by the Secretary for Justice.
Experienced refugee lawyers and protection officers have been recruited over to assist and speed up the claims process so that the quality of determination is not questioned after all and that all is assisted with quality control.
