Parkop assures city park will remain open to public

National

THE Jack Pidik Park at 5-Mile in Port Moresby will still be used for public events even though the land has been taken over by a private owner, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop says.
Parkop said as chairman of the physical planning for the past four years, he had used the laws to stop development on the land. He said although the Supreme Court had ruled that Jack Pidik Park was a private-owned land, it had not been developed.
“Every time they submitted a development plan, we rejected it. We have been using our powers to keep it open as a public space,” Parkop said. “We have a similar case with Unagi Oval where the court had ruled in favour of National Capital District Commission. But there is no title.”
Parkop said the court never said that the land should go back to National Capital District Commission but it should remain a public park or be taken back by the Lands Department.
“These public spaces are as important to any city or town as shopping malls, schools, hospitals, flyovers or freeways,” he said.
Parkop said public parks were important for recreational use by citizens and training.