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.

It is alleged to be a conspiracy to the sale, outside the knowledge of the landowners.
While it was technically not the whole island, it is a sizeable chunk situated west of Kavieng town in the New Ireland Province.

The thought that an alleged foreign-owned company made the deal with another foreign company allegedly without the consent of the landowners itself is yet another case of the “land grabbing” disease. 

Contrary to the laws of Papua New Guinea, the sale went ahead allegedly to defraud the state and the people of New Hanover.

As per the Sale and Purchase Agreement that the Post-Courier has a copy of, there are remittance advice of payments made in three installments ($US380,000 (K826.086 million), $US 480,000 (K1.043478 billion) and $US800,000 (K1.739130 billion) from the buyer Palma Hacienda Limited of Singapore to a Regina Lau Yii Kuong.

Regina Lau Yii Kuong is the major shareholder in Tutuman Development Limited that is alleged to have sold the sub-lease of three portions of land in question under the Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) arrangement on New Hanover Island.

The nominated bank account and name on the Sales and Purchase Agreement corresponds with the Singapore Citibank remittance advice.

Regina Lau Yii Kuong and her son Deo Datuk own 61.5 per cent of Tutuman Development Ltd, making it a foreign owned company. The remaining shares are owned by former New Ireland premier Pedi Anis, Janet Raurere and Debon Logo all holding 12.75 per cent each.

Tutuman Development Ltd, is the developer that landowner companies Tabut Limited (11,864 ha), Central New Hanover Limited (56,592 ha) and Umbukul Limited (25,108 ha) sub-leased their land to, under the Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) arrangement. As per the Sales and Purchase agreement, of which indicates Anis was chairman of Tutuman Development Ltd, reluctantly admitted to signing the document dated June 10, 2009 earlier this month.

The former premier confessed under questioning from Commissioner, Mr Nicholas Mirou, during the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into SABLs on New Hanover on Friday, November 4 in Kavieng.

Mr Mirou asked: “Did you sign a paper called the Sale and Purchase Agreement between Tutuman Limited and Palma Hacienda of Singapore on June 30, 2010.”

Mr Anis at first said he could not recollect, but when he was reminded that he was answering under oath he answered “yes”. 

When queried on the amount, Mr Anis said there was no amount.

But when MrMirou gave the figure $US1.6 million dollars, Mr Anis said the money had never been deposited or come to their company’s account. “That is why the deal went bad,” he added.

Mr Anis said there was no sale, to start. You cannot sell a sublease or sell the land, he qualified. He also clarified that he did not know of the payment in relation to the agreement that he had signed.

When asked by the CoI what exactly was the agreement? Was Tutuman selling their interest in plantation lands on New Hanover to Palma Hacienda?

“No, it was for Palma Hacienda to come in and bring the necessary resources for the development of oil palm, which they did not do in that time that we agreed to and, therefore the arrangement was cancelled,” Mr Anis answered.

The CoI also established that Tutuman Development Ltd is incorporated in PNG and is a foreign-owned company. The CoI also established through a company search the shareholding makeup. Anis also confirmed this as well.

The CoI ended on November 4 and will re-convene in January with more people expected to stand.