Be fair to tenants at Salamanda

THIS is an open letter to both the Lands and Physical Planning Minister John Rosso and the Housing and Urban Development Minister Justin Tkatchenko concerning their recent issuance of land titles to former settlers removed from the Paga Hill and Waterfront redevelopment sites in Port Moresby.
Next year’s national general elections is fast approaching and we are already witnessing a number of familiar events occurring throughout the provinces, a clear indication of early campaigning.
Our MPs including Prime Minister James Marape, are seen travelling the country in groups in the name of officiating the opening of completed projects and dishing out funding for new projects.
In hindsight, they are actually campaigning for the coming elections.
The issuance of the land titles is a clear example of early campaigning.
There is no doubt about that.
Those settlers were evicted about three or four years ago and it is surprising that titles were issued to them in a very short period of time.
Rosso is already doing the same here in Lae.
For reasons only known to him, Rosso had collected leasehold titles belonging to some tenants at Salamanda, who have been waiting for almost 30 years to own the houses and flats they currently occupy.
What are Rosso and Tkatchenko going to do with the Salamanda properties (houses and flats) where the tenants, both current and retired public servants are still waiting to be given the properties they occupy, under the Government’s homeownership scheme?
What is the difference between those so-called working class people removed from Paga Hill, the Waterfront and the long-serving public servants residing here at Salamander in issuing leasehold titles?
Those working class people were actually illegal squatters and they ought to have known about their illegal occupation of the Paga Hill and Waterfront before moving in.
It seems Tkatchenko cannot even distinguish what an illegal squatter is.
He came out defending these people, but what about the honest and law-abiding citizens here at Salamanda who have been patiently waiting for assistance from the National Housing Corporation?
Can the ministers show the Salmanda tenants some fairness, respect and common decency as you have shown to those former illegal squatters and start addressing their concerns immediately?

Lorenitz Gaius,
Hospital Hill,
Lae