By Luana Paniu

The Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Lease (SPABL) Inquiry scheduled to be heard in Popondetta has been deferred. This is due to bridges washed away by last week’s floods damage.

The Girua bridge, which links Oro Bay to Popondetta town was washed away in 2007 by flood waters of Cyclone Guba disaster and since then, people had resorted to using the Girua crossing into Popondetta.

The hearing had been scheduled to begin on Monday with the advance team of lawyers and officials expected to travel yesterday to locate an appropriate venue for the Inquiry before Commissioner Nicholas Mirou was to travel to the area to preside over the matter.

It is reported that they were also unable to take the trip because of cancellation of all Air Niugini flights into the area.

The Popondetta hearings are in the limelight because of alleged police brutality and abuse of women and children’s rights when foreign logging companies entered into the area under the guise of SABL. This Inquiry will be a significant relief for the landowners because it had been reported earlier that they had threatened anarchy as their rule of law had the Government not intervened to stop what they described as exploitation of their forests. It has not been confirmed as yet, but the Inquiry could make a decision to call over the cases for Port Moresby once discussions are finalised over appropriate venue.

Counsels presiding over the matter are Messrs Wemin Boi and Jimmy Bokomi with Commissioner Nicholas Mirou.

Meanwhile, all SABL cases in the Central Province were called over to Port Moresby and are being held at the Sir Buri Kidu Conference Room in Port Moresby.

The Gulf cases were also called over back to Port Moresby and are currently underway at the Commission of Inquiry Headquarters in Port Moresby.