The Chinese businesswoman implicated in recent Lae evictions has defended herself, saying she is a victim of the National Housing Corporation as well.
KC2 director, Mei Lin, has distanced herself from the March 23rd Cormorant St eviction at Lae’s Cassowary Road, saying she was not behind it.
Her contractors were accused of forcing out tenants and moving their personal belongings out. They were also standing guard after the evictions and further put up fences to guard the property.
Mei called a press gathering at her head office at Cassowary Road, where she told media that she had paid for properties in 2013 but is yet to occupy one.
After years of following up, a demand letter was sent to the NHC managing director on the 18th of March, 2020.
“We gave a demand letter to NHC, asking for, either you refund the money or give me another property as replacement,” she stated.
“Otherwise we get you to the court and let the court make the decision. (It’s) loss of business. The money was not free. I got a loan from the bank to purchase property for my local Papua New Guinean staff.”
Mei, who is commonly known by her English name, Gigi, estimated that NHC owes her well over K1 million.
Furthermore, while she would not give the names of the officials she had been dealing with since 2013, she said they were from the previous NHC regime.
Mei also would not give the exact number of properties that she has bought from NHC, only saying that the “few properties” purchased are yet to be occupied.
Some of the properties are currently before the court as longtime tenants, who are, or were, public servants, have refused to humbly give away their homes.
(KC2 director, Mei Lin, during the press briefing on Thursday, April 15)