New committee will look at SABLs

The ongoing talks by the government to cancel illegal Special Agriculture and Business Leases will now be a reality with the commissioning and setting up of a Customary Land Advisory Committee.

Lands and Physical Planning Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, announced this recently, stating there are some SABLs that work quite well.

The Minister says this is only the tip of the iceberg and SABL has been a major issue for the people of Papua New Guinea in terms of customary land grabbing.

The newly set up Customary Land Advisory Committee will be responsible for the issuing of licenses to do business on customary land and SABLs given out illegally will be dealt with accordingly and done away with.

The commissioning and setting up of the Customary Land Advisory Committee, headed by the Deputy Secretary of Customary Land of the Lands Department, Lawrence Abe, will start with the 175 SABLs that already exist.

Among the six-member committee is the Secretary for the Law Reform Commission, Dr Eric Kwa, Acting Lands Secretary Tiri Wanga along with the State Solicitor.

There will be a proper schedule for weekly meetings to look at each SABL, which will be assessed to address the numerous customary land issues faced.

(Logging firms in PNG are allegedly using special agricultural leases to clear vast tracts of rainforest timber – Picture: Greenpeace)

Author: 
Sophie Yaruso