Jack Pidik Saga

Believed to be hired policemen and security guards on 16^th of August, were evicted after a verbal warning was given on 15^th of August and on 17^th of August the entire area was fenced off. Everything happened within 48 hours.

The Port Moresby Vendors Association has more than five thousand men and women that used the potion of land for their business. The land is understood to be owned by the TST group.

The use of the land was an agreement with the National Capital District Commission, to sell secondhand clothes there, since 2008.

“Today, we assert NCDC power as the municipal government for our capital city to plan and manage our city for the benefit of all our people - individuals, corporations, churches and NGOs. Under the NCDC Act and vested with powers delegated to us by the Physical Planning Act and exercised through the NCD Physical Planning Board, we alone decide the type of development in the City.

He was responding to concerns raised by east Sepik Governor Allan Bird, who queried whether it was possible to overturn decision made in the past to award a business license to a company for the area of land in Boroko, used for recreational purposes.

“This issue is the result of the actions of past governments that we are trying to rectify today. This issue was done in 1991. This happened 30 years ago and there are many parts to the issue.”

He stated this during Questions Without Notice session of Parliament today in response to concerns raised by Allan Bird, Governor for East Sepik Province of the possession of public recreational land in Port Moresby, that was fenced last week.

“Identify your recreational oval, identify your market, liaise with the Lands Department, so we can vest those public recreational facilities to your respective towns and city management. So people cannot misuse these portions of land and apply and undermine rules and obtain titles to parks that belong to our children to abuse.

The stop work order is being taken against Capital Centre Limited, a subsidiary of the TST Group.

Governor Parkop said on Friday, 13^th August, a stop work order was issued to the company to cease fencing of the park. The order was ignored and the NCDC issued a demolition order the next day for the demolition of the constructed fencing.

The land in question has been in the courts for the past 30 years, and was formerly under the Boy Consultancy Services Limited, now known as Capital Center Limited.

Capital Center Limited is claiming that it is legally correct in putting up a fence around the area of land, something that the NCD Governor is fighting to prevent.

Representing Capital Center Limited, Renee Siaguru of Jema Lawyers presented all documents pertaining to the land, formerly known to Port Moresby residents as the Jack Pidik Park. She explained the need for fencing to be put up around the park, stating that it was a requirement of the court order obtained by the company.