By Julie Badui Owa
The Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Justin Tkatchenko says the deal between the National Housing Corporation and the owner of KC2 was illegal.
The Minister said if NHC owes KC2 debt, it must be settled in court. He said it is not right for Papua New Guinean families to be affected by such corrupt deals.
He added that officers implicated in such deals would be dealt with.
Last month, tenants from this NHC property at Lae’s Cormorant Street were evicted. According to the NHC office in Lae, they were evicted due to outstanding arrears.
When asked about the eviction, Lae’s NHC Boss, Andrew Augwi said it was an arrangement made by the management in Port Moresby to offer the property to KC2, because they owed the owner, Mei Lin money for a property she bought in 2013, but didn’t move in.
KC2 Limited is a Chinese company that was established in Lae in 2015. It’s currently operating wholesales, retail stores and entertainment businesses.
The owner, Mei Lin claimed that in 2013 she bought a NHC property under the previous management of John Dege and David Kaupa. Lin refused to give the amount she spent and the number of NHC properties that were sold to her.
She now threatens to take NHC to court after the sitting tenants took the matter to court.
Meanwhile, the Special Parliamentary Committee began an inquiry into the NHC issues in Lae, Morobe Province.
