Case against explorer quashed

By GABRIEL LAHOC
THE communities of Lababia and Buso have welcomed back exploration company Katana Iron Ltd – after the Lae district court threw out a case taken against it by local Steven Nasa.
Nasa had tried to stop the company from carrying out exploration on the land which he claimed to have incorporated and registered.
Community-appointed project chairman Sione Gwae said Katana Iron could proceed with its exploration of chromites presence on their land as part of the agreement with the two communities, the Mineral Resources Authority and the Department of Mining.
Gwae called on Nasa, who did much damage to their reputation and relationship of the two communities with their international friends and partners especially in the tourism industry, to meet with community leaders to sort out their differences.
“As chairman, I am happy with the decision handed down, the issues were long-standing which has affected the two communities,” Gwae said.
The two communities had denied Nasa’s claim to be the paramount chief of the Areme clan in Lababia as well as his privileges and benefits from village-related economic activities.
Levi Ambio, representative of the Areme clan which Nasa claimed to lead, discouraged any endorsement from provincial and district authorities on land deals in Lababia without consultation with the community.
Lababia councillor Semi Wenis and Buso representative Samuel Siki also pledged their support for Gwae and the company.