By Luana Paniu

Landowners crying foul over issues surrounding the 72 SPABLs in question, should be interested to know that the Department of Agriculture and Livestock never gave their approval for 31 of them, says the Post Courier.

These 31 SABL’s are currently in progress along with the others, however on alleged purported approval with no knowledge from the DAL who say they don’t have records.
This piece of information created puzzlement for those present at the Commission of Inquiry because by description, the emphasis of the SABL is largely agriculture.

“How and why?” was the next question posed by Chief Commissioner, John Numapo to Francis Daink the Deputy Secretary responsible for Provincial Agriculture Technical Services.

“We have yet to receive their proposals,” he said.

How are they issued if they have not been through relevant process, because DAL plays a significant role (in the process) and without any knowledge of this,” said Commissioner Alois Jerewai,

“SABLs are for the purpose of agriculture and other related businesses so the focus is taken away from Forestry and Agriculture must evaluate on the outset,” he said.
Mr Daink said that information should be delegated back to the Department of Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP).

“Either they are in the process of approval at the Department of Lands and Physical Planning or the the approvals have yet to be made, but now, we currently don’t have any records and we’ve never seen their files,” he said.

Counsel assisting the CoI, Simon Ketan said it was obvious this was because this was largely due to their lack of consultation with the Department of Lands and Physical Planning.

Mr Daink agreed that this would improve the whole process.

“The process should improve if landowners and consultants would first consult with my department at the beginning before taking it to the Lands Department,” he said. He further stated that there was no presence of any DLPP officers during the Departments hearing carried out with the landowners.

Commissioner Jerewai also raised the issue of land suitability for agriculture development projects because of instances where clear felling of areas for large scale development resulted in land not being suitable for the type of agriculture intended.

He made reference to the case of the rubber plantation in Doa, Kairuku where 115,000 hectares was leased for the plantation and only 26,000 hectares was suitable for it. “If your department was involved to find land suitability converted to the amount of land required, then the amount of land would be suitable for such projects and not to include mountain areas, swamps or grasslands,” said Commissioner Jerewai.

Mr Daink agreed and said that would greatly improve such issues arising and added that consultation with Lands Department was imperative because these issues should be addressed from the beginning when the DLPP outlined land boundaries from the very beginning. DAL has approved 29 agriculture projects while 15 are in evaluation process.

The Commission of Inquiry has been adjourned to tomorrow 9;30am. DLPP’s Registrar of Titles, Henry Wasa will appear to present the reconstruction of eight more files which was advertised on Monday inviting these eight title holders to help with reconstrution of the titles.