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GB.274/PFA/10/1
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Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee |
PFA |
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TENTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Other financial and general questions
Financial arrangements for a Commission of Inquiry concerning
the observance of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the
Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to
Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)
by the Government of Colombia
1. At its present session (March 1999), the Governing Body will have before it a report of its Committee on Freedom of Association on a complaint presented under article 26.4 of the Constitution against the Government of Colombia, as well as on a number of cases concerning Colombia. Should the Governing Body decide to exercise its powers under article 26.4 of the Constitution to appoint a Commission of Inquiry, financial arrangements will need to be made to enable such a Commission to proceed with its work.
2. The Programme and Budget for 1998-99 contains no provision for inquiries under article 26 of the Constitution. The past practice of the Governing Body has been to authorize supplementary expenditure whenever it has decided to establish a Commission of Inquiry under this article.
3. The procedures of such a Commission normally involve initial sessions to settle procedural matters, such travel as is necessary to gather further information, and a final session for the adoption of the Commission's report. Resources thus need to be provided for travel, for the production and publication of the report of the Commission, and for supporting staff. It is also proposed to make provision for the payment to members of the Commission of an honorarium of $300 per day. Based on this pattern of work, it is estimated that the cost of the Commission will amount to some $545,000. Of this amount, some $365,000 would be charged in the current biennium and could be financed from savings in Part I of the budget. It is proposed that the costs of $180,000 expected to be incurred in 2000-01 be financed by an appropriate provision in Part I of the Programme and Budget for 2000-01.
4. The Committee may wish to recommend to the Governing Body that, should it decide to establish a Commission of Inquiry concerning Colombia --
(a) an honorarium at the rate of $300 per day be paid to each member of the Commission of Inquiry;
(b) the cost of the Commission in 1999, estimated at $365,000, be financed by savings in Part I of the budget; and that the cost in 2000-01, estimated at $180,000, be financed by a provision to be made for this purpose in Part I of the Programme and Budget for 2000-01.
Geneva, 9 February 1999.
Point for decision: Paragraph 4.