Submitted by Ryu 

By reading some comments made by others, I believe people do not really understand what the underlaying problems are here in Papua New Guinea regarding the issuance of SABL.

• Large-scale investments in agriculture do not necessarily increase food supply, close yield gaps or expand production. Rather, such investments often negatively affect local populations, leading to dispossession and displacement. 

• The terms of the contracts and compensations for local populations are highly questionable.

By Luana Paniu

A massive total of 2 million hectares granted under four but bordering Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL) reportedly for poultry and vegetable farming is not practical according to former Lands Secretary, Pepi Kimas.

The sub-leased areas which are located in the Western Province and extends onto the borders of both the Southern Highlands and West Sepik Provinces, includes one individual SABL totalling a land mass of 790,800 hectares.

THE majority of the people in the Sausso local level government in East Sepik want the Special Business Lease (SABL) granted by the government under portion 144C for development of oil palm on the Sepik plains to stay, claims The National (which is owned by logging giant Rimbunan Hijau).

They said a recent statement by Jimmy Harinagu, from Rofundogum village, claiming that the people of the LLG area were unhappy with the SABL was incorrect.

The Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agriculture and Business Lease will not be stopped, says the government.

Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Lucas Dekena told Parliament last Friday, in response to questions from Maprik MP Gabriel Kapris, that the inquiry was initiated by the former regime and the government had extended it for another three months to allow the commission to complete its work in the selected provinces.

He said the government would not stop the Commission but allow it time to submit its report to Parliament by March.

This short video documents the broken promises of oil plam company Sylvania Limited which has deserted the people of Marova leaving them with only broken promises after logging out their forests; mirroring the experiences of communities in Papua New Guinea who have suffered the loss of their forests under Special Agriculture Purpose Business Leases.  You can view further episodes from this documentary here vimeo.com/album/1806605

By Len Garae

A person has to be so desperate that he is prepared to sell his or someone’s island for a mere Vt38 million or $AU400,000, says the Vanuatu Daily Post.

The amount is the price tag for the beautiful Turtle Island, approximately the size of Iiriki Island, which is located between Aore Island and Malo Island and is known as a popular picnic spot.

The Vanuatu SDA Mission has alerted Daily Post to the "For Sale" Notice for Turtle Island for $400,000.

Sausi village in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, is a community which resisted oil palm monoculture and has instead developed its own forms of co-finance and development. Relying on small-scale cocoa production, rice farming, fish breeding, peanut production and other cash crops, village cooperation is showing how communities can keep control of their land and use their own resources to build a better future.

By Simon Eroro

FORMER PNG Customs Commissioner Gary Juffa is seeking legal advice from his lawyers to stop a rice project promoted by Eliana Tjandra from the Papindo Group of companies, a naturalised citizen, reports the Post Courier.

Kayu Mas (PNG) Ltd, which has a timber concession in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and is being acquired by Takaso Resources Bhd, has projected a net profit of US$72 million over nine years, reports the Sun Daily in Kuala Lumpur.