Lae MP, John Rosso says that officers of the National Housing Corporation in Lae are acting in isolation.
Meantime an internal investigation is looming for this state agency, NHC Acting Managing Director, Kenneth Cooke is traveling to Lae to address it.
On Tuesday, Minister responsible, John Kaupa maintained that the issue of eviction notices on tenants in Lae did not come from his ministerial office, nor headquarters.
The Minister said he has always spoken on humanitarian grounds; that every citizen has a right to decent housing.
He said what transpired in Lae, was unacceptable.
“They should have given the tenants lenient time to move. At least 14 days, 21 days, or even 30 days which is appropriate. They need to show respect.”
“Some tenants took out restraining orders but they were late in preventing the court orders. There are people with vested interest going around and using others to pursue eviction orders.”
In Lae, Local MP John Rosso said his office, with the support of Lae police, have been assisting a number of evicted tenants who face court orders.
Rosso said while some court orders are not justified, others are, and tenants currently feel helpless.
“There is a chance for affected NHC tenants in 3mile and 4mile, faced with court orders because the court orders are from the Village Court, and so these can be fixed, but court orders for those in Eriku and 12 street, are from the District Court, and could prove difficult to work around.”
Picture coutesy of the RPNGC Lae Metropolitan Command Facebook page.