Basil to allocate land to settlers

 By NICHOLAS SIREO
EAST Sepik people living at a care centre in Bulolo will be allocated land to live in a more permanent environment,  Bulolo MP and deputy Opposition leader Sam Basil says.
Basil said they made a voluntary repatriation exercise to send themback to East Sepik after an ethnic clash but many decided to stay so he would find a piece of land to settle them.
“This is Papua New Guinea and you have freedom of movement so I can’t send you back to East Sepik but I don’t want you to settle on State land,” Basil said.
He said a surveyor would be engaged to survey and register the land before allocating portions to them.
“We have a programme in place to give each of you 20 pieces of roofing iron and nails so you can use them to construct your houses,’’ he said.
Abel said electricity would then be provided.
“I don’t want you to live on State land so I will shift you quickly and relocate you among the locals.”
Meanwhile a leader representing the settlers, Albert Kaklep, described the daily life in the care centre as very challenging and difficult.
“We walk for long distances to access water and it is very hard for us to get an income,” he said.
He said most youths resorted to producing homebrew as a way to sustain their living because life was difficult.
“Many times we go without food and our children miss school but we manage to survive with what we have,” he said.
He said his exercise would help.