Page 19 - IB OCT 2017

Resources PInktober Scourge of the islands and Why he did it Tuivakano’s long list
against Pohiva P24
their people P27

Above:Lanowners stage a roadblock to protest against
illegal logging. Below: a deforested area in PNG.
Photos: Sam Vulum

Illegal logging has destroyed forests in PNG and affected landowners who rely on the environment. Photo: FIle
Five SABLs were granted a 70-year ... This of it once and for all.”
leases, two were granted 50-year leases, SABL was introduced in the late
one was given a 45-0year lease and ‘ is the tip 1970s to encourage customary land-
eight were given 40-year leases. of the owners to free up their land for busi-
One of the SABL did not have any ness and other economic activities. It
detail relating to the term of the lease iceberg was established essentially to create
but it presumed that a 99-year lease ...it’s business opportunities for the local
would have been granted as a standard people and empower them to participate
practice similar to the majority of the just the meaningfully in the economic develop-
other SABLs. ment of the country. The lease-lease
The Government previously formed start and there are back scheme was intended to create a
other committees to examine the leases a lot of things that good title over the land which could be
and respond to the committee’s findings. used as collateral to obtain mortgage for
But their findings were not followed are outstanding on business activities.
and logging continued, even where customary land ‘ The primary reason for the State’s in-
PNG’s courts have ruled it to be illegal. volvement in the scheme was two-fold:
Mr Tkatchenko said the advisory - New PNG Lands Minister firstly, converting customary land into a
committee will assess all SABLs to Justin Tkatchenko State lease provided the guarantee and
ensure the legitimate existing leases assessing them and making sure that the security for purposes of bank loans
are secured. they find a solution. and; secondly, the State had a duty to
He said there were 175 SABLs that “Those that are illegal will be can- protect and safeguarded the interests of
were recommended by a commission celled and those that are genuine will customary landowners to ensure that
of inquiry and about 400 smaller ones continue,” the minister said. customary land was not permanently
issued to small stakeholders. “We will review every single one taken away from them.
“At the end of the day, it’s all those (SABL). We don’t want to scare off It was noble and well-intended but
ones that have caused controversy investors that are doing the right thing with no proper checks and scrutiny
would be assessed to see if they would by the landowners.” overtime, scrupulous individuals and
be cancelled or not,” Mr Tkatchenko Mr Tkatchenko said he would per- corrupt government officials took ad-
said. sonally guarantee that action would be vantage and abused the SABL process.
“This is the tip of the iceberg. It’s just taken, hopefully by the end of the year. This resulted in land held under custom-
the start and there are a lot of things that “There’s some legitimate SABLs, ary tenure been drastically reduced from
are outstanding on customary land.” there’s some that have worked very 97 per cent to 86 per cent representing
He said the committee would look well, but there are a lot that have not,” a decline of 11per cent in customary
into the findings of the commission of he said. landownership over the years.
inquiry and will finalise the findings and “So we’re going to get to the bottom r vulumsam@gmail.com

Islands Business, October 2017 19