A more humane approached needed

 THE forced evictions of tenants by the National Housing Corporation from its properties should be stopped and the state-owned entity urged to change tack.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises the right to housing as part of the right to an adequate standard of living. 

It states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

The eviction of entire families happens to be an act of the last resort to reclaim NHC properties from those who defaulted on rental payments or money owed to the corporation.  

It is understandable that the NHC has been owed money over the years and recouping the millions of kina has been quite impossible.

What is possible is for the state-owned entity is to reclaim all those unprofitable properties, give them a new life and turn them into money-making assets which they really are. And that seems to be what it is doing.  

Yet, we have serious reservations over the manner in which it treats Papua New Guineans who have for years lived and raised families in those NHC homes.

 The corporation has itself to blame for the poor state of its properties instead of finding fault only in its tenants and penalising them.

Furthermore, there have been instances when the NHC favoured new or potential tenants or buyers of properties and used force to evict others. 

There have been instances of officers taking bribes over the sale or change of tenancy of properties. 

To drag someone out of the privacy and security of his home is tantamount to violating one’s dignity. 

The National Housing Corporation continues to evict families out of its properties despite personal intervention by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill late last year.

A family from Gulf became the latest victims of the forceful evictions of the NHC flats in June Valley, NCD.  

For some reason, the family was the only one targeted while the rest of the tenants in the block of flats were unaffected.

An entire family forced out and made to sleep in the open should not be the way to deal with what NEC deems truant tenants or defaulters.

In this instance, the State-owned housing entity has proceeded to evict families, inclusive of young children, despite the express direction from the prime minister to stop such evictions.

But even if whatever premises the NHC acts on legitimately transcends the direction of the prime minister, throwing out an entire family without showing them where to go is cruel. 

Housing is a critical human need in all PNG urban centres and despite the rapidly expanding economy the chances of an average family acquiring a home are not any easier.

On the contrary, the favourable economic conditions are merely exacerbating the law of supply and demand.  

The limited volume of real estate is beyond the reach for most Papua New Guineans. 

Add to that the age-old human greed for quick, easy money and most citizens stand by bemused while a few gain the most.

The situation will continue unabated unless the State steps in to put a ceiling on the price of real estate somehow.

Regulating the industry is a must if housing is to become affordable for the average wage earner.

The NHC is the one state agency that Papua New Guineans will turn to for solutions to the serious shortage of housing and land in urban centres.

Its new management has so far done well with the launching of initiatives to provide affordable land and housing for citizens of the country.

It should be seen to be agency of relief rather than one that resorts to the use of heavy handed tactics to recoup its money and property. 

There must be more a more humane approach providing those affected tenants a way out rather than forced evictions.