By Jimmy Kalebe

Landowners in the four Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) in East Sepik yesterday called on the provincial and National Government to revoke all SABL in the province, report the Post Courier.

In a petition drafted over the weekend by landowners from Turubu and Sausso Local Level Government and Nungwaia/Bongos, the people demanded that their land under SABL be returned to them.

The Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agriculture Business Leases heard that an officer from the Department of Lands and Physical Planning illegally carried out a Land Investigation Report (LIR) on more than one thousand hectares of land which is the subject of the inquiry, reports the Post Courier.

The CoI also heard that he had conspired with another Lands officer in carrying out the LIR that covers 1058 hectares of land in portion 2485 C of Iarogala 1 and 2 in Papa Village of Central Province.

By John Pangkatana

LANDOWNERS not reflected in the Purari Development Authority (PDA) Inc. Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) for up to 700,000 hectares of land in the Baimuru District have won a psychological victory. The PDA land title is set to be revoked, reports the Post Courier.

This is understood to be one of the largest land leases issued under the SABL lease-lease back provisions for customary land instituted under the Government’s Lands Department’s new reform. 

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By Luana Paniu

The Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Lease (SPABL) Inquiry scheduled to be heard in Popondetta has been deferred. This is due to bridges washed away by last week’s floods damage.

The Girua bridge, which links Oro Bay to Popondetta town was washed away in 2007 by flood waters of Cyclone Guba disaster and since then, people had resorted to using the Girua crossing into Popondetta.

A case study on land grab and deforestation in PNG was launched today (Wednesday), by the Accra Caucus on Forest and Climate Change. The study carried out by the PNG Eco Forestry Forum, highlights logging through SABLs are main drivers for deforestation in PNG, while REDD+ is expected to protect the forest and environment

Since the commencement of the Commission of Inquiry (“the Commission”) into the granting of the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Lease (“SABL”) a number of anomalies have become apparent, one of which has concerned the Land Investigation Report (“LIR”). An SABL cannot be granted unless an investigation is carried out on the parcel of land for which the SABL is sought. The LIR is an important pre-requisite for the granting of the SABL.

By Luana Paniu

One man and his daughter are the sole shareholders of a Gulf Province landowner company that holds vast tracts of forests purportedly on behalf of their clansmen, reports the Post Courier.

The SABL Commission of Inquiry was further astounded to learn the two-person company does not have any existing files with the Department of Lands and Physical Planning under the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases.

The Commission of Inquiry (“the Commission”) into the issuance of the Special Purpose Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL) for the Gulf Province began in Port Moresby today (Monday 28/11/2011).