Wednesday 25 November 2015

Land valuation exercise to take place


Caption: Valuer General Gabriel Michael.




By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 7, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)





THE Valuer General Gabriel Michael, through the Department of Lands and Physical Planning announced that the Valuer General’s Office will be conducting an update of the valuation rolls for the National Capital District.

Valuation roll will determine the current value of all declared state land in comparison with the current market trends, covering both residential and business interests under the scope.

“I would like to inform all property owners within National Capital District, that the Department of lands Under the Valuer General’s Office will be conducting a valuation rolls exercise within NCD,” Michael said.

“We hereby would like to inform them that my staff will be coming out to each property where they are going to asses values within each property within the city.”

“The government through the lands department carries out assessments like this every 5 years to determine the value of land in various designated areas, which NCD is a part of.”

Mr Michael said that the update was long overdue, with the last update done 15 years ago in 1995.

Due to the lack of funding- the rolls were never updated and revenue payment made to the state and city in the form of land rent and land rates, which will mean an expected increase in current rates charged to land title owners.

“The government through the lands department collects land rent and then NCDC collects land tax to provide services to the city residents,” Michael explained.

“The State collects 5 percent annually of the value of the land, where as the city authority collects 2% from the total values we assess.”

“Our officers are entrusted under the Valuation Act, the old valuation roll has expired, we need to update to the changing market and demands and the changing world.”

He thanked the Minister for National Planning Charles Abel and NCD City Manager Leslie Alu for the allocation of K300,000 and K500,000 respectively for the exercise.

The exercise it expected to take three months to conduct with the finalized rolls handed over to the city authority.

Mr Michael encouraged residents to clarify with his officers on their role if they were not clear about the process, adding that it was only to determine land value.

“When my officers come please ask them questions if you are not really clear of their presence and they will explain to you so we ask for your cooperation,” he appealed.

The exercise is set to begin at the suburb Gerehu this week, with settlements within state land areas to also fall under the exercise.



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