Lands and Physical Planning Minister, Lucas Dekena, has confirmed the government has handed out 99-year leases covering more than than 5 million hectares of customary land and revealed that the government intends to double the number of leases so they cover 20% of Papua New Guinea's land mass.

The Minister has rejected the widespread criticism of the Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) and said the state had no choice as it wanted to free up land for development because more than 95% of the land was owned by the customary landowners.


“In order to allow customary landowners to free up the land, the government had to come with policies that created an opportunity for development on customary land. The policy is vital for the progress and development and for greater landowner participation and benefit."

While the Minister claimed the leases "empower the landowners" he failed to respond to criticism that most landowners are totally unaware their land has been taken from them and have not given their free, informed consent to the deals.

The Minister also failed to explain HOW the leases will lead to 'development'; what that development might look like, or how local people would 'participate' and 'benefit'.

The Minister also claimed the media has misled people and that land will not be taken away or sold - which seems a clear case of the Minister himself not understanding what the agricultural leases mean or of he himself trying to mislead the public.