POST COURIER, June 20, 2014

A landowner group from Bootless Bay in Central Province has welcomed the decision by the Government to revoke the 77 special agriculture and business leases (SABL). Gorogaha clan elder Victor Nuana said the decision by the government to cancel all the agriculture leases has given the landowners the absolute rights to take back their land which was fraudulently obtain from them without their consent. Mr Nuana said the land title of portion 878 Granville national capital district (NCD) was fraudulently obtained by a company back in 2006 from the Department of Lands without prior consultation with the legitimate customary landowners.

This followed a paid advertorial in the Post-Courier on Monday June 16 this year stating that the company named has a current lease title over portion 878 in Bootless Bay and planned for development by NCD Physical Planning Board.

The advertorial stated that anyone building on this land must cease work immediately and any dealings by traditional land owners are illegal and those involve will be prosecuted. Mr Nuana said that this is land grabbing at its best and therefore applaud the government for their efforts to cancel the 77 agriculture leases so that landowners that have been alienated from their birthright will be rewarded.