Hides landowners start their presentations

Talks are underway at the Para Primary School at Hides, Hela, as landowners have started presenting their concerns to the government delegation.

Spokesperson Andy Hamaga, in highlighting some of the main points included in the petition, has called for the 4.27 percent equity to be given to the landowners free of charge.

They have opposed the idea of a beneficiary group – that includes the five provincial governments – to seek and buy those shares on behalf of them.

They claim the National Executive Council has charged them one billion US dollars to buy back those shares and this is too expensive for them to meet.

They therefore want that equity, now being held by Kumul Petroleum, to be given to them free.

They say this is because they have been marginalised for 6 years since the signing of the agreement.

They also claim that the clan vetting process has been completed with 177 clans identified for PDL 7 and there was no need for Alternative Dispute Resolution to further delay the payments.

They also asked why the government was questioning the number of clans identified through clan vetting.

Different landowner leaders are now presenting their concerns before the state team, which is being given the opportunity to respond.

From presentations so far, they want the government team to address their petitions satisfactorily before the conditioning plant can be allowed to reopen.

(Hides landowners' spokesperson Andy Hamaga)

Author: 
Ruth Rungula