Source: ABC - Liam Fox

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister has blasted his public service over the granting of controversial leases covering more than 10 per cent of the country.

In recent years more than 70 Special Agricultural and Business Leases, or SABLs, have been granted covering more than five million hectares.

Critics say the leases are a back-door way to clear-fell forests and many have been granted without the permission of traditional owners.

Source: The National

ALL special agricultural business leases (SABL) granted prior to the issuance of an environmental permit are illegal, Minister for Environment and Conservation John Pundari said yesterday.

The minister would not approve any more environmental permits on SABLs until the Commission of Inquiry into the issue is made public and cabinet has determined an appropriate course of action.

Source: The National

ILLEGAL land grabbing activities involving foreigners should be properly scrutinised by the government, former MP and minister Andrew Mald says.

“Papua New Guineans are being forced into entering into deals with local landowners in Port Moresby and elsewhere to build their homes because they are unable to buy state land,” he said this week.

The below report from Radio Australia News goes one step further in emphasizing the point that we have been trying to make. If only those that we appointed to represent us in that prime Haus Tambaran over at Waigani really paid attention and really did their research they wouldn't be fooled so easily.

 Special Purpose Agricultural Business Lease or SABL

In case you are in the dark what an SABL is, as the name implies is a special lease that was provisioned for under Section 11 of the Land Act (1996)

 ‘the Minister may lease customary land for the purpose of granting a special agricultural and business lease’

This lease was supposed to give traditional landowners economic benefits from the rent and employment opportunities created by those businesses that leased land from them.

THE controversial Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) and forest clearance will not be captured in the national forest plan undergoing review, the National Forest Service says.

Source: UPI | 21 December 2012