Post Courier editorial

THE evidence now being presented to the Commission of Inquiry into the so-called Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) tell the story of a national shame of gigantic proportions. 

By Julia Daia Bore

Irregularities are rife at the second stages of the Special Agricultural and Business Leases (SABL) where third parties are involved, a commissioner involved in the SABL investigations says.

Speaking on Monday in a special hearing in Port Moresby of the SABL inquiry, Commissioner Alois Jerewai said based on his observations, the irregularities occurred when third parties were involved.

“Third parties here are the developers,” he said.

By Grace Tiden

“We want our land back” was the response of two female landowner representatives when asked to comment during the extended Commission of Inquiry into the acquisition of Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) in Kokopo yesterday. 

Scolar Konpunrea and Sekunda Gwemor from Portion 196c (Pomata Investments Limited) in the Memalo Integrated Project area in West Pomio represented other women landowners and more are expected to give evidence today. 

By Todagia Kelola

A Commissioner to the Commission of Inquiry on the Special Agriculture and Business Lease has expressed concern that from preliminary observation the true loss of customary land occurred when the land was sub-leased to a third party.

Commissioner Alois Jerewai made this observation yesterday when highlighting the need for the inquiry and its support staff to co-operate fully in order for the investigations into the SABLs to fully reveal the defects.

By John Pangkakatana

Jacob Samo of Bairaman Village is one of those prominent landowners taking a strong stand against foreign logging company Gilford Investment destroying their land in the hard-hit remote West Pomio, East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.

By John Pangkatana

Many “unanswered questions” were believed to have forced an extension to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the acquisition of Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) in West Pomio, East New Britain Province.

This is due to revelations about forged signatures and lack of consent by women witnesses at the close of the inquiry at Vunapope, Kokopo on Friday.

By Martyn Namorong*

When Keith Jackson asked PNG Attitude readers to put forward suggestions to Julie Bishop’s foreign affairs and trade adviser, Sam Riordan, I sent the following response:

A LAWYER assisting the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the New Ireland Province was physically assaulted by a group of men who ambushed his vehicle on his way back from visiting an SABL site on Saturday, reports the Post Courier.

It is now reported to be the second assault case to have happened during the Commission of Inquiry in the province, the first assault also occurred earlier that day to a witness from New Hanover Island who gave evidence last Thursday.

The National newspaper has been cautioned not to be biased in its reporting over the Commission of Inquiry into Special Agriculture Business Leases in the Pomio District of East New Britain Province, reports the Post Courier.