Landowners see ‘better’ clan-vetting process

THE Government can easily complete the clan vetting process and pay the upstream landowners in the PNG LNG project if it takes a block-by-block approach, says landowner leader Larry Andagali.
Landowners did not receive their payments from the project because the process of clan-vetting was not completed and the money is still kept in a trust account at the Bank of PNG.
Andagali said yesterday that the current approach by the Government to bring all upstream landowners under one umbrella was slowing some landowners who had  been well-organised and due to complete their clan-vetting exercise and receive payments.
“As far as I am concerned, the process of completing clan-vetting for PDL (Petroleum Development Licence) 7, PDL 1, PDL 9 and PDL 8 through the alternate dispute resolution (ADR) process will not take more than a month to complete.
“It’s a matter of sorting out the court order issue that is currently stopping people from going there and doing the vetting but as far as I am concerned, the landowners are committed.
“And if there is any land identification issues, like two or three clans wanted to come into one particular block, it should not stop other blocks  to get ministerial determination.”