By John Pangkatana

UP TO 94,000 hectares of land belonging to the indigenous people of New Hanover was sold to a foreign company for $US 1.6 million (K3.47 million).

Incredible isn’t it, but yes the inconceivable idea that the Post-Courier revealed earlier this year on March 4 under the headline ‘Island sold to foreigners’ was true.

Women from villages in West Pomio affected by the SABL project have called on East New Britain Governor Leo Dion to help them get their land back, reports The National.

The women presented a petition to Dion on Saturday, seeking his help to take their land back. Women’s representative Bailo Enakia said their land was their mother, providing for their needs.

By Grace Tiden

Representatives of a foreign logging company in East New Britain Province have been directed to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into the granting of Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABLs) when the inquiry re-convenes in Port Moresby this Wednesday.

KK Connections, developers of the Toriu Integrated Agriculture Development Project in the Lassul/in land Baining area of ENB, initially appeared before the inquiry on Saturday in Kokopo.

By Grace Tiden 

PRELIMINARY observations have revealed landowner company and developer agreements were largely in favour of Gilford Limited, a subsidiary of logging giant Rimbunan Hijau, with landowners of West Pomio getting less in benefits. Rimbunan Hijau owns The National newspaper

It was also observed that there was no legal representation of the landowners during the signing of the sub lease agreements. 

Women shocked, all agreements defective

By Grace Tiden

POMIO women expressed shock before the SABL inquiry in Kokopo yesterday when told they were signatories to the lease-lease back agreement.

They were in even more shock to learn that some of the signatories were their own children who were so young they would not even hold up an ink pen.

Post Courier editorial

THE evidence now being presented to the Commission of Inquiry into the so-called Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) tell the story of a national shame of gigantic proportions. 

By Julia Daia Bore

Irregularities are rife at the second stages of the Special Agricultural and Business Leases (SABL) where third parties are involved, a commissioner involved in the SABL investigations says.

Speaking on Monday in a special hearing in Port Moresby of the SABL inquiry, Commissioner Alois Jerewai said based on his observations, the irregularities occurred when third parties were involved.

“Third parties here are the developers,” he said.

By Grace Tiden

“We want our land back” was the response of two female landowner representatives when asked to comment during the extended Commission of Inquiry into the acquisition of Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) in Kokopo yesterday. 

Scolar Konpunrea and Sekunda Gwemor from Portion 196c (Pomata Investments Limited) in the Memalo Integrated Project area in West Pomio represented other women landowners and more are expected to give evidence today. 

By Todagia Kelola

A Commissioner to the Commission of Inquiry on the Special Agriculture and Business Lease has expressed concern that from preliminary observation the true loss of customary land occurred when the land was sub-leased to a third party.

Commissioner Alois Jerewai made this observation yesterday when highlighting the need for the inquiry and its support staff to co-operate fully in order for the investigations into the SABLs to fully reveal the defects.