Commission of Inquiry; New Hanover

What will happen to 5.2 million hectares of SABL land?

On 15 Feb, 2012 By rait man

Martyn Namorong

Commissioner Nicholas Mirou continued o stress through the SABL hearings in Wewak, that the Land Act does not provide for the revocation of SABLs. The Land At 1996 provides at section 102 for the creation of Special Purpose Leases. Section 102 does not even specify where such leases should be owned by Papua New Guineans or Foreigners or both.

Major flaws found in Marrienberg SABL deal

On 10 Feb, 2012 By rait man

Martyn Namorong

Rigula SABL landholders not happy with NBPOL

On 09 Feb, 2012 By rait man

By Luana Paniu

The chairman of a landowner company has pledged that he and other dissatisfied landowners will not cease fighting against agriculture giant New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL) until their terms and conditions are met.

Rigula Landowners Association chairman, David Kura said that he and landowners of the three land groups; Gule, Rikau and Meloks, were not happy with what they described as “standard” terms and conditions set by NBPOL under the Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL).

Lack of consultation for Kerema-Melparo SABL

On 09 Dec, 2011 By rait man

By John Pangkatana

LANDOWNERS say there has been no meaningful consultation or engagement with them by the proponents of the Kerema/Meporo Agro Forestry Project.

This was highlighted as part of the people’s objection to Koaru Resource Owners Company Limited’s application for a Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) for Portion 323C in the Gulf Province, during the Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

Receipts show island sold off

On 15 Nov, 2011 By rait man With 1 Comments

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.

Sir Julius calls on current Government to fast track and support Inquiry into SABL's

On 02 Nov, 2011 By roderick With 1 Comments

By Roderick Kanama

New Ireland Governor and Former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan has described the Special Agriculture Business Leases ( SABL’s) Commission of Inquiry’s findings that the National Planning Department had “misplaced” documentation for 31 of the 74 total SABL’s granted so far, as convenient with progress as non-existent since the establishment of the COI on May the 6^th2011.

The destruction of livelihoods

On 27 Oct, 2011 By rait man

PNG forest campaigner appeals to the O’Neil-Namah Government to address land grabbing in the country and help put a stop to it . . .

By Sam Moko

CoI to start Provincial hearings

On 14 Oct, 2011 By rait man

By Roderick Kanama

The Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SPABL also referred to as SABL) will commence its provincial visits as part of its preliminary hearings on Monday 24/10/2011. The COI is yet to commence substantive hearings and the time it was allocated to complete and make known its findings is almost over.

Controversy over land sales

On 22 Sep, 2011 By rait man

By Luana Paniu

Three portions of land situated on the island of New Hanover are the subject of controversy with allegations of illegal SABL’s and selling of customary land to foreign investors, reports the Post Courier.

Earlier last week, allegations were made against the Department of Lands and Physical Planning by former Custodian of Trust Land, Manasupe Zurenuoc, that three Special Agriculture and Business Leases were illegally issued for the said portions of Land without reaching his (then) office first. 

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Commission of Inquiry; New Hanover

PNG forest campaigner appeals to the O’Neil-Namah Government to address land grabbing in the country and help put a stop to it . . .