Source: PNG Loop

A legal adviser to the Prime Minister  has defended the Government’s record in fighting corruption, citing the action against the controversial SABL land deals.

Ms Tiffany Twivey-Nonggorr, law firm partner, said on Facebook today that the Government had “just killed the biggest corrupt dealings of the past 10 years’’.

She responded to critics of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government on corruption after NEC decided to disband the O’Neill-appointed Task Force Sweep.

Mr O’Neill claimed the organisation set up under the control of Justice Department lawyer Sam Koim, had leaked information and had been involved with political figures.

Ms Twivey-Nonggorr, who has been defending Mr O’Neill in his action to stop police arresting him over the Paul Paraka fees allegations, said  if critics wanted to talk about corruption, the crushing of the SABL deals was the killing off of the biggest corrupt dealings of the past decade.

“ During the Somare government,  a heinous scheme of issuing SABL over large forest areas was created under the guise of Agri/forestry leases,’’ she said.

“The Forests Act was amended under the then Forest Minister Belden Namah to allow for large scale clear-felling permits that had never been allowed for over 50 hectares before.

“SABLs were then given over hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest under the pretence that the trees needed to be clear felled so that agricultural projects could start. These 99 year special purpose agricultural business leases were given over 5 million hectares of land in PNG amounting to the alienation of 10% of all of the land in PNG.

“The leases meant that the peoples customary rights to the land were suspended for 99 years. Up until these leases were issued, only 3% of the land in PNG had been alienated (taken away) since Independence from the customary landowners and 97% was still held customarily by landowners but  in a few years 10% went.

“That was the food and social security of 100s of thousands of people just taken from them. Literally 100s of thousands of hectares of old growth forest were cleared with clearance permits obtained for shonky ‘agricultural projects’.

“A commission of inquiry into these SABLs was started – yes there were issues with the reports as only two of the three commissioners submitted their reports – so a ministerial committee was established to pool the findings of the commissioners – and that work is done – and NEC yesterday declared all of these 77 disgraceful SABL leases cancelled !

“They are gone!  These represents billions of kina worth of land and trees returned to the people – not to mention food security.

“This is the biggest decision in the history of this country. I spent years working as a lawyer representing the great organisation that is the PNG Eco Forestry Forum with people like Kenn Mondiai, Almah Tararia, Effrey Dademo, Thomas Paka, Mary – John Chitoa and Rosa Koian and everyone at the Bismark Ramu Group – and so many others – and they fought and fought and fought against this evil scheme and we actually had the issue of one SABL being over the 800,000 hectares of Kamula Doso restrained by the courts.

“But that wasn’t enough – they all had to go. This is a great day for the people
of PNG ! This is your day to celebrate, you people past and present of the PNG Eco Forestry Forum and Bismark Ramu Group. Paul Barker it’s done ! Finally ! This is real change Sarah R Todd, Nancy Sullivan, Susan Merrell, Dane-Michael Starwood, Anthony Morant