Lack of Proper Communication on Land Issues Highlighted

BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA - Post Courier

THE lack of proper communication to landowners on opportunities and options that are available has created instances where citizens misunderstand and hold the government to ransom over land issues.

This was highlighted by Finance Minister James Marape at the National Lands Summit Stakeholder meeting yesterday morning.

“There are very few countries all over the world where you will find that every citizen still has right to a piece of land or real estate or whereby majority of land still remains under customary land ownership.

“Our problem over time has been the lack of proper communication to our landowners about the options and opportunities that are available.

“These series of meetings and the summit are a step in the right direction, I commend the Lands Department under Minister Justin Tkatchenko for putting its head in the right place for the benefit of all concerned, and most importantly our landowners,” Mr Marape said.

“Proper databases are also important for our purposes, including the NID program, which will ensure that we deal with the right people, these little things that need tidying up before we go to the finance sector.

“As a Government we are behind our people, and we are committed to ensure that we guide and partner with them through the proper institutions to empower and encourage them to recognise the opportunities and potential to use their land for a formal economy,” he said.

 Go to this link: https://postcourier.com.pg/lack-proper-communication-land-issues-highlighted/

PDL 1 Clan Vetting Done

BY ISAAC NICHOLAS - Post Courier

Petroleum Minister Dr Fabian Pok has announced that clan vetting for PDL 1 (Petroleum Development Licence 1) has been completed and PDL 7 is about end to clear the main hurdles blocking landowners from receiving their rightful benefits.

He said work is halfway through the second PDL 7 and is expected to be completed by the end of this week.

“I am determined to bring that matter to conclusion especially as far as PDL 1 and PDL 7 is concerned because they are two primary contributors to the current existing gas into the PNG LNG project.

“These are two important anchor PDLs and I want to bring that to conclusion so for those of you who belong to PDL 7 or PDL 1 we’re encouraging you to go back because the process of assessing what has been done already and the process of input is not going to be convened at any hotel rooms in Port Moresby,” he said.

Dr Pok said he was very happy with the cooperation by the landowners who have worked closely with the Department of Petroleum officers on the ground for the exercise to be completed.

“This is one of the many legacy issues that will be solved by this government and I am determined to ensure all the processes are completed for landowners to start receiving their long awaited benefits like royalties that is stuck at the Bank of Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“Your benefits are parked in the central bank and I feel very guilty when I see fathers and mothers and elderly dying without receiving benefits and the young ones whether at political level, and landowner leadership level fighting for power and holding back benefits that supposedly flow through to our people so we are encouraging everyone to go back.

“PDL 7 is about to be completed and I encourage all landowners and their leaders to return to Hides for them to agree and I signed the Ministerial Determination that will open the doors for them to access their money.”

Dr Pok said he will be personally on the ground in Hides to put the landowner listing for public display and everyone landowner will be given an opportunity to look through to verify and clear all issues relating to ownership and then the he will sign the Ministerial Determination.

“We do not want people running to the courts again so let us do it properly for the good of everyone,” he said.

He said the government has also decided to rotate the chairmanship of groups to maximum three years so no landowner chairman can claim chairmanship forever.

 Go to this link: https://postcourier.com.pg/pdl-1-clan-vetting-done/