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Government lying: It is NOT dealing decisively with SABL land grab

On 29 Nov, 2013 By Tim

The government is misleading the people with claims in todays newspapers it is decisively dealing with the recommendations of the SABL land grab [see below].

The TRUTH is the Prime Minister has IGNORED the Commission of Inquiry recommendation that 38 of 42 leases be REVOKED and the land returned to customary landowners.

The Commission found the SABL leases were unlawful and void but the government is leaving the land in the hands of foreign logging companies who have colluded with government officials to defraud customary landowners.

This is what the Commission of Inquiry said and what the Prime Minister is deliberately choosing to ignore:

"With corrupt government officials from implementing agencies riding shotgun for them, opportunistic loggers masquerading as agro-forestry developers are prowling our countryside, scoping opportunities to take advantage of gullible landowners and desperate for cash clan leaders." 

 "The Commission of Inquiry found widespread abuse, fraud, lack of coordination between agencies of government, failures and incompetence of government officials to ensure compliance, accountability and transparency within the SABL process from application stage to registration, processing, approval and granting of the SABL" 

"We found numerous examples of incompetence, failure, inaction and lack of commitment by officers of government agencies to properly and diligently carrying out their statutory functions. Legal requirements were deliberately breached and proper processes and procedures were either by-passed or simply ignored… agencies were reckless, careless and negligent" 

It is SIMPLY UNTRUE for the government to claim it 'will do all it can to take back land that is illegally taken away from Papua New Guineans'  - the truth is the government is IGNORING the illegal SABL land grab.

This is the misleading nonsense from the government in todays newspapers:

O’Neill Govt dealing decisively with land issue

Post Courier

As a result of widespread illegal land grab in the country, former acting Prime Minister Sam Abal instituted a Commission of Inquiry in July 2011 into the granting of Special Agriculture and Business Leases in the country, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office says.

This inquiry was extended by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, and on June 24, 2013 a final report was presented to the government by the Commission, the statement said.

Mr O’Neill tabled this report in Parliament in August. The Commission was asked to examine 75 leases. They only examined 42.

Of the 42, only four leases appeared to be proper and commercially viable, with bona fide landowner consent. The rest of the leases were illegal or seriously compromised.

Despite these flaws, the Commission had recommended in the final report that the leases (SABLs) be continued, and made general recommendations to improve the integrity of the process.

In his statement to Parliament, the Prime Minister announced that the freeze on the SABLs would continue.

He also directed the Minister for Lands and Physical Planning to appoint a Task Force to identify a new legislative framework to;

  • provide for the conversion of customary land into lease hold land for the benefit of landowners;
  • protect the interests of landowners:
  • ensure sustainable land use.

This process will take some time, but it shows a decisive action by the O’Neill/Dion Government to protect the interests of landowners and the environment.

For too long, landowners have been taken advantage of and had their land stolen, in some instances with the help of people in positions of power and responsibility. The Task Force will be consulting widely so that everyone has an opportunity to contribute. The use of customary land is a sensitive issue and the government is committed to getting it right.

The Post Courier front page article yesterday titled "Land Grab Shock" failed to make reference to this decisive action by the government to deal with and end illegal land grab in the country, the statement said.

Whether it is customer land, or prime land in the city, the government will do all it can to take back land that is illegally taken away from Papua New Guineans.