State to comply to order for city landowners

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, March 27, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

THAT was the assurance given by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill regarding grievances of Lae city landowners from Butibam and Kamkumu who presented a petition to their governor with a one month ultimatum.

Morobe Governor Kelly Naru told the prime minister of the traditional landowners of the city had fought a long fight over compensation for the state land for over four decades with a Supreme Court decision in their favour.

“The landowners have petitioned me about three weeks ago giving me about one month to essentially bring this to your attention and also to the minister for lands that they would want a resolution for this outstanding issue of land compensation for the city of Lae,” Governor Naru told the PM.

“They seek from you to get an assurance through you or your minister for lands. If you can kindly come forward to Lae to listen to their positions and how we can package their compensation needs. It is becoming a pressing issue because they petitioned me three weeks ago giving me notice to bring this to your attention, and as I speak I have only 6 days remaining to respond.”

“Can you find some time in your schedule and I am prepared to accommodate and accompany you basically sit with the disgruntled landowners to work towards a solution.”

Responding to the request the prime minister acknowledged the long ongoing issue of the original landowners of Lae City.

“We of course need to comply with the court order. I will direct your petition to the officials. There are processes of which we have established through the lands titles commission. Compensation issues are managed through the lands department.”

“I will direct the minister and his department to give priority and of course the officials will attend the queries that the governor is alluding to.”

“The government is already working with them in some of the services in Lae- like the port in Lae they have a controlling interest in there which is giving them good revenue so that their people can continue to have some income coming through those businesses that are there.”