By PNG Echo
The government has received the eagerly awaited blueprint of on how best to implement the findings of the Commission Of Inquiry into Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs).
Under the Chief Secretary, Sir Manasupe Zurenoc, the SABL Implementation Task Force has completed its implementation recommendations on the 42 SABL reports and recommendations received from Commissioners Nicholas Mirou and John Numapo.
The Commissioners recommendations were that 30 be cancelled, 11 be suspended, leaving only one legitimate lease.
Sir Manasupe explained that laws dealing with SABLs were complex and ineffective to deal with the revocation of leases, hence the government had sought advice and recommendations on how best to proceed. Amendments to legislation is one of the avenues under consideration.
But while there is now no impediment to action on these 42 controversial leases, this is not the case on the remaining leases (around 30).
Government has yet to receive the findings from the third SABL Commissioner, Alois Jerewai and the government will be pursuing avenues to obtain them, according to the Chief Secretary. He did not explain what action is likely to be taken.
The Chief Secretary commended the work of the committee members, comprising of Dr Laurence Sause (Chair & Policy and Government Advisor), Kutt Paonga (Legal advisor) and Daniel Katakumb (Land Advisor) saying there is now “a clear way to implement the revocation of non-genuine SABL leases.”
