Source: Radio New Zealand

The National Court in Papua New Guinea has declared two special agriculture and business leases covering 38 thousand hectares of land in Oro Province null and void, ordering the state to cancel the title deeds.

The land is in part of the customary territory of nine indigenous tribes, who argued that they rely on it as the basis for their economy and subsistence livelihoods.

Source: Cook Islands News

Representative Tom Marsters (front left) sits alongside Finance Minister Mark Brown (middle) and Financial Secretary Richard Neves on the opening day of the seabed minerals forum. 14051305

A seabed minerals update meeting held for the public this week was disrupted by certain individuals who “hijacked” the event, says Seabed Minerals Commissioner Paul Lynch.

Source: PNG Loop

Forestry Minister Douglas Tomuriesa says a submission on the recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Special Agriculture Business leases will be presented to the National Executive Council this week.

He says the submission contains two recommendations from the Ministerial Committee on 94 SABLs held by logging companies across the country.

Source: PNG Loop

Landowners of the Collingwood Bay area in Oro Province say the government must act now on recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the handling  of Special Agriculture Business Leases.

Adelbert Gangai told PNG Loop that the order by the courts for land titles to be handed back to customary landowners in Collingwood Bay was a victory for all landowners in Papua New Guinea.

Source: Post Courier

The National Court has declared two special agriculture and business leases (SABL) covering 38,350 hectares of land in the Oro Province null and void and has ordered the Sate to cancel the title deeds.

The orders declaring the two leases null and void were through consent drawn up by the disputing parties and endorsed by the court.

Source: Environmental News

Papua New Guinea's National Court has declared two leases held by Malaysia-based Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK) null and void, and ordered the government to cancel the licenses to convert nearly 40,000 hectares of rainforest and community forest for oil palm plantations, reports the Rainforest Action Network (RAN). 

Source: PNG Industry News

SERIOUS issues such as project slowdowns, exploration downturns and workforce reductions are looming as a threat to the PNG mining industry, companies have been warned.

This year’s Australia Papua New Guinea Business Forum had the theme of Opportunities Beyond the Boom, yet delegates were painted a stark picture prompted by a drop in commodity prices.

PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum executive director Greg Anderson told delegates that serious pressure had been put on PNG-focused mining companies.

Source: Ramu Nickle

The Lutheran General Synod Meeting in Madang 

Source: The National

BASAMUK landowners fear that red mud from the Ramu NiCo refinery is being washed into their fishing zone and affecting marine life.

Mindre villager Terry Kunning, said fishermen found red mud on their fishing hooks near to where the refinery disposed its tailings.

“I have some samples at home for interested people or authority to see,” he said.

He said the red mud had covered the reefs near his house, causing them to lose their colours and turning white as if they were bleached.

Source: The National

THE Northern government and the landowners of the Collingwood Bay area have cancelled two Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) through the National Court in Waigani.

Governor Gary Juffa announced that at a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday.

He did not elaborate on the court’s ruling but said Northern was the first province to be successful through the court of law in the cancellation of its SABLs.