Source: Radio New Zealand

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has indicated he is about to table the long-awaited report by the Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agricultural Business Leases.

The government ordered the Inquiry in 2011 to investigate the SABL system which civil society groups claim has been used for a huge ’land grab’ that has seen over 5 million hectares of land swallowed up in 99 year leases, often for unsustainable logging projects.

However, Peter O’Neill has described the efforts of the Commission as sub-standard for the type of inquiry required.

The Governor of Oro Province, Gary Juffa, says that Mr O’Neill confirmed in parliament that he is in receipt of the report and that he will table it in parliament on Friday.

“And now that it has been completed, he’s said the outcome - on his own assessment - is quite disappointing. I don’t doubt him. It’s taken three lawyers, 15 million kina later and so much time to deliver this report.” Gary Juffa