Build houses to control rental prices, says Ezekiel

 THE high costs of rental accommodation can be addressed if the Government builds more houses, Housing Minister Paul Ezekiel said yesterday in Parliament.

He said the Government cannot control the real estate industry as there was no law but the market could regulate prices if more houses were provided.

He said however, that availability of land was an issue but negotiations are going on with the Lands Department to transfer undeveloped land in towns and cities to the National Housing Corporation to build houses.

Ezekiel was responding to a question from the Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim who asked if the Government would regulate the rental prices as common public servants could not afford the high prices.