SABL Commission of Inquiry Report 2: Pages 867-899
Continental Ventures Limited “failed completely to ensure transparency and good governance in its dealings with the landowners of the SABL project area.” [p875].
Failure to produce and implement a full Commission of Inquiry recommendation over the controversial Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABL’s) is causing distress for innocent landowning communities in rural areas.
The people of West Pomio in the East New Britain Province, are one among those facing the plight of losing their land and suffering ill treatment to their forests by foreign developers under SABL agreements.
Mr Kila-Pat “unlawfully caused a SABL to be created, which he further unlawfully granted to an entity not even agreed upon by the landowners” [p 59]
“…Romily Kila-Pat deliberately decided to ignore and by-pass the existing protocols and practices… when [he] decided to grant three separate SABLs … over Portions 2456C, 2466C and 2485C”. [p153]
there was “misrepresentation and fraud involved in the whole process”… “His conduct was ‘highly suspicious” [p164]
“The DLPP file contains three different versions of the Land Investigation report (LIR) by two different investigators, all of them incomplete and defective.” [p54]
The LIR “fraudulently contrived and concocted to legitimize a prohibited activity, was deceptive and dangerous…” [p62]
THE Gilford Palm Oil project in the Sigite-Mukus area of West Pomio is described by developer Rimbunan Hijau (RH) as a nation-building project that will contribute significantly to the people and country.
In a statement from RH, the 30-year cycle project is said to cost K750 million – one of the company’s biggest investments in PNG.
Failure to produce and implement a full Commission of Inquiry recommendation over the controversial Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABL’s) is causing distress for innocent landowning communities in rural areas.
