Acting Lands Secretary, Tiri Wanga says 99-year land leases previously owned by an organization or person must be reverted to the state through the public curators office, if the land doesn’t have a next of kin.
“If it has been a state land, it automatically comes back to the state, so it will play a role to come up with the new conditions,” says Wanga.
It comes when land previously under 99-year leases are being claimed by organizations or individuals in Port Moresby and other centers through alleged corrupt deals.
Lands Minister, Benny Allen says any interests in those land must go through the land Boards.
“After 99 years, it expires, it has to be renewed, through the normal process and that’s through the land boards,” says Allan.
Opposition Leader, Don Polye says, these land leases aren’t safeguarded by the system and landowners often lose their land to individuals or organisations.
“But, even to do a decision after the 99 years, the people, Papua New Guinean citizens, mothers and children, the disabled, the disadvantaged, the sick, they are already living on that land, you can’t just get these people out of that land,” says Polye.
The Acting Lands Secretary and the Lands Minister went on FM100 talk back show yesterday to talk to listeners about SABLs and answered a few questions about the 99-year leases.
There are irregularities in the Lands Department causing land grabbing. People and organizations are using loopholes in the system to claim land.
While, some go through the land board, others are in the courts for alleged corruption.
