Source:The National

SPECIAL Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) which are not genuine will be cancelled, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says.

He said Cabinet had set up a ministerial committee to look into the recommendations in the SABL inquiry report.

He said the committee would recommend to the Government what actions to take.

“We are now going as far as trying to cancel many of the leases,” he said.

“I want to assure the nation that most of the leases that

are not genuine have taken

land away from people who rightfully deserve to have ownership.”

“Every lease will be cancelled and then (owners)  reapply. We know that there are some instances where under the disguise of agricultural development, they’ve been doing forestry at an accelerated pace. I can assure you that it will be cancelled.”

O’Neill said the Government would ensure that people got back their land.

He also claimed that some leaders were also benefiting from the SABL.

“These are our own leaders who are fooling our innocent people for their own benefit,” he said.

“We will cancel those leases and they can take me to court. In fact, they can refer me to the fraud squad as well.”