Usino-Bandi MP, Anton Yagama, saysthe government must start taking stock of existing legislation and remover what he called “suppressive laws” that govern resource and land ownership.
He said more ownership rights must be allowed for landowners so thatthey have a greater ability to make decisions.
Anton Yagama isn’tthe first MP to call for more control over land and resources, Western Province MP Beka Kondra also proposed changes to laws that will give landowners greater control.
Anton Yagama saysthe laws that govern land ownership and resources are ‘Suppressive’ and should be changed.
Yagama comes from an area where two mines have been develop;the Ramu Nickel Mine operated bythe Chinese, and Marengo – a Canadian Australian operation in Yandera inthe highlands of Madang.
He has argued that landowners have not been getting benefitsthey should be getting because existing laws restricts adequate negotiations betweenthe state,the developer andthe people.
Yagama’s comments come as parliament prepares to deliberate on recommendations of greater ownership and control proposed atthe SME’summit in Madang last week.
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