95% of land mediators yet to undergo training

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday November 6th, 2013

 By PISAI GUMAR

ABOUT 95% of almost 1,500 local land mediators in the country have yet to be inducted, gazetted and instructed about their duties to address non-compliance issues related to customary land in provinces, an official says.

Land issues in rural areas were isolated issues and  obviously halted government aspirations to deliver essential services, Morobe provincial national functions coordinator Tony Ase said.

“It requires more awareness to be conducted by public servants, especially patrol officers on the ground, to educate people to realise the significance in rural sector investments the government intends to provide,” he said.

Ase, who leads the provincial land dispute committee, told 20 land mediators and patrol officers while inducting mediators for Finschhafen, Tewae-Siassi and Kabwum at Nasingalatuc from Oct 28-31.

Former kiap Tarosi Angori and Reuben Ason helped Ase in teaching mediators knowledge and skills on how to arbitrate land issues with assistance from patrol officers.

“Local level governments and respective district administrations need to realise the importance of land mediators and help with necessary logistical supports,” Ase said.

The mediators were taught skills and knowledge about legislations governing land dispute settlements.

It included procedures of land mediation tasks, orders and when to use them and keeping mediation records.