OCTOBER 28TH 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has cautioned traditional landowners throughout Papua New Guinea not to sell their land for fast money.
He said this at Napanapa outside Port Moresby today (Thursday October 28th 2021) when launching the Napanapa Pilot Project on Customary Land, a pioneer project of Kuriu landowners from Roku Village in Central and international development partners, developed with assistance of the Department of Lands and Physical Planning.
It promises to be the biggest housing estate in Port Moresby and the country when completed and is consistent with the Pangu Government’s ‘Take Back PNG’ agenda.
The occasion was witnessed by Acting Australian High Commissioner to PNG Paul Lehmann, Minister for Lands and Physical Planning Hon. John Rosso and Secretary Benjamin Samson, landowners, development partners and bank representatives
PM Marape handed over two State leases for 585-hectares of land to landowner Chairman, Inogo Gabe, to develop into the Tuhava Satellite Town to serve the growing accommodation and municipal needs of Port Moresby.
He said the Kuriu landowners were a model for PNG in that they had avoided the “lustfulness and temptation for quick money”.
“This is something that I discourage,” PM Marape said.
“I do not want land alienated from our people forever.
“The 462,000 square-kilometres of land (in PNG) is 97 per cent owned by Papua New Guineans and passed on from generation to generation.
“This is something that our Pangu-led Government, in 1975, deliberately allowed to remain in the hands of our people.
PM Marape said this was especially important in the modern cash economy, hence, his Government was adamant that land remained with the people.
“In the instance of commercial development, we envisage that the vision of 1975, remains the vision of today’s generation of leaders,” he said.
“This is both in politics and the public service, so we empower our landowners going forward, as is the case we are seeing today.”
PM Marape commended Chairman Gabe and all landowners for avoiding the temptation of fast money to develop their land on a sustainable basis for the long-term.
He said the landowners now had secure title over their 585ha of land, which could be further sub-divided into 4000 allotments, which would assure them of a regular income now and into the future.
PM Marape said he wanted to see laws changed so that landowners earned from lease of their land.
“That is wealth creation, people empowerment by landowners, trusting Government to tailor policies to ensure people are empowered,” he said.
“For the life of me, and my present generation of Pangu, we will not alienate land from the people but register, survey and park it back with you.
“That is truly a ‘Take Back PNG’ policy – empowering people so that you can earn money from your resources.
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Housing Dilemma in NCD
The market forces will only continue to favor the upper middle class or those with a loan eligibility of K400,000+ to have access to upcoming housing schemes unless there is a new and holistic approach to addressing this housing dilemma especially in Port Moresby.
There has to be a new framework with key stakeholders such as Lands Dept, NHC, National Planning, Finance and Treasury, Forest Department, IRC, Customs, Customary Landowners working together to free and make land available at a lower than market price or subsidized price.
Innovation, Technology, Financial Support and Drastic Cost Cutting measures (whilst maintaining quality) needs to be injected in 4 key areas of:
1. Statutory Regulators: Subsidies, Incentives and Regulatory Processes
2. Land: Availability and Development Process
3. Home Loans: Financial institution and their terms and conditions
4. Affordable Home: Utilizing reputable Local Builders with Locally sourced and manufactured materials at an affordable price.
These are the key areas that have to be looked into and expanded on from there to address the housing dilemma in NCD.
And do away also with these substandard imported prefabricated homes, that’s putting the chunk of the money back into foreign pocket! We can manufacture our own homes locally from what we have.
We need to break this cycle and create a new pathway forward if we truly are serious about this issue
PS:
My company is into Affordable housing, specializing in home and land packages for our clients and this is a great initiative and we applaud you PMJM. The next thing is to ensure the machinery delivers your vision and cut out all middleman in the development process to reduce cost, maintain quality and project is delivered on time. It would be wiser to have a private firm be the control and coordinating centre of this project, given the history of previous housing schemes orchestrated by previous governments and statutory entities. PMJM you be different and show to our neighbours that we can provide affordable homes for our citizens.
I can be reached on amangcontractors@gmail.com if you need my service in this sphere.
Petrus Cleopas
AMANG CONTRACTORS