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^th  2011.

Sir Julius was speaking onboard the visiting Greenpeace MV  Esperanza during a VIP Reception which saw the attendance of one cabinet Minister and Member for Sumkar, Ken Fairweather, amongst various concerned Papua New Guineans, Greenpeace campaigners, Environmental Lawyers and Non Governmental Organisations who share the same vision as Greenpeace in protecting the forests and land in Papua New Guinea.

Sir Julius called on the new O'Neill/Namah Government to immediately investigate the failure of the Departments of National Planning Department and Lands to provide full documentation of the SABLS that have already been granted, as this “misplacing” hiccup had forced the inquiry to now report its finding in March 2012, when it should have done so on the 21^st of October 2011.

“I stand in front of you embarrassed, ashamed of my country, ashamed of the bureaucracy, of a government that has let this disgusting practise proceed, that has let and conspired in the rape of the resources of our country,” says Sir Julius.

He said that the National Planning Department’s incompetence in providing these documents is unacceptable and those responsible must be held to account and urged the current Government to provide the COI with the resources, expertise and support necessary to complete its work as soon as possible.

The Governor also emphasised that the way we deal with the question of SABL’s is a litmus test of the commitment of this Government to returning control of resources, control landowners to the people of this country.

He gave an example of his own Province, where six major SABL leases were granted by the Lands Department over the past five years, without any proper consultation with landowners or the New Ireland Provincial Government. 

“So far, the six leases granted in New Ireland account for a total of over 141,000 hectares, the total area of the Province of New Ireland is just over 900,000 hectares, so this SABL’s represents over 15 percent of the total land area of New Ireland, simply handed over to foreign companies to do as they wish, this is stunning", said the frustrated Governor.  

He went on to say that on New Hanover, the situation is even worse, where the total area of New Hanover is about 125,000 hectares and to date, 3 SABL’s have been granted on New Hanover representing over 93,000 hectares, which is three quarters of the total area of the island.

Meanwhile, the Governor described the arrival of Greenpeace MV Esperanza as not accidental and is a sign of hope for better things to come and he believes that if there are good people seeking to do the right thing, there is always hope.  

ACT NOW! PNG understands that Green Peace is hoping that their plea to the O'Neill/Namah Government to stop all Forest Clearing Authority and await recommendations from the COI will be further deliberated when cabinet meets this week.