The Gabadi landowners in Kairuku District, Central Province are concerned about the PNG Defence Force barracks relocation in the area.
Gabadi community spokesperson Java Beraro said there are three issues that need to be addressed in this Manumanu land deal including the relocation of the barracks.
Beraro said there has never been any consultation with the locals to find out the effects of having a PNGDF barracks near the village communities.
“The COI needs to investigate and the perpetrators of this land grabbing scheme must be answerable.
“It has to be done today, if it’s not done today, when can it be done?
“We need to set the precedence and this needs to be investigated properly,” Beraro said.
Meantime, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill recently announced the down grade of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) to an Administrative Inquiry.
A significant focus of investigations will be on the sale and purchase of portion 406 in Manumanu at a cost of K46 million by Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH), and also the purchase of portions 422 for K7.2 million and 423 for K9.2 million by Department of Defence.