Section 5: Powers of Commission
consolidated text (as amended). juris shows the text as it was consolidated; it does not confirm that this is the law in force today.
5. Powers of Commission
(1) The Commission may make such rules as it thinks fit for the purposes
of this Act and, in particular, for the conduct and management of its inquiries and of any proceedings before it.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), the Commission may—
(a) on giving reasonable notice, visit any establishment or place, enter
on land or premises to gather information or inspect property;
(b) take copies of, or extracts from, any document;
(c) hold any hearing it may deem necessary;
(d) summon any witness and examine him on oath and call for the
production of any document or article; and
(e) with the approval of the Prime Minister, seek assistance from the
relevant authority of a foreign country through diplomatic channels to receive evidence or gather information in that country.
(3) (a) Where the Commission has made a request for the disclosure of a
document which is the subject-matter of a confidentiality provision under an
enactment and the person having the custody of the document does not
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consent to the disclosure thereof, the Commission may, notwithstanding the
provisions of that enactment, make an application to the Judge in Chambers
asking for an order of disclosure of the document.
(b) Where the Judge in Chambers is satisfied that a document is material to the functions of the Commission and any prejudice likely to arise
from its disclosure will be outweighed by the Commission being authorised
to use the document to pursue its functions under this Act, he may order the
disclosure of the document.
(4) The Commission may, subject to the approval of the Secretary to the
Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, engage the services of one or more
researchers to assist it in carrying out its functions.
(5) The Commission may request and receive such police assistance as
may be needed in the enforcement of its powers under this section.
(6) (a) The Commission may appoint a sub-committee on slavery and
one on indentured labour and may appoint such other sub-committees as it
considers necessary to assist it in the discharge of its duties.
(b) A sub-committee appointed under paragraph (a) may include persons who are not members.
(c) Where the Commission decides to appoint a person who is not a
member on a sub-committee, it shall seek the approval of the President.