Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says the Department of Lands is dragging its feet in executing instructions by the executive government to cancel all leases of traditional land obtained through the Special Agriculture Business Lease arrangements.
However, he says it is not entirely the department’s fault as some leaseholders have taken out court orders stopping the cancellations.
“So it is not because the government does not want to do anything, we have given instructions that is yet to carried out. But now we have a new management at Lands Department and those who have been doing the wrong thing have been arrested and we hope to clean up more and protect our people’s land,” O’Neill says.
He assures that his instructions for the cancellation of all SABL stands and that all leases will be returned to the people.
“Only then can companies and landowners renegotiate the rental of the land in a more commercial way. In some cases our people have been taken for a ride and some have lost for land for generations,” says O’Neill.