Clans unite to ensure landowners benefit from Lae Port

Leaders of the three Labu villages outside Lae have agreed to work with the Busurum clan of Butibam village to ensure maximum landowner benefits from the Lae Port development.
An agreement was signed between leaders of Labu Miti, Labu Butu and Labu Tale and Busurum clan of Butibam last Thursday.
The agreement was signed by chief and councillor Aaron Alma and village court magistrate Yansom Asai (Labu Tale), councillor Murray Nartu (Labu Miti), and village court magistrate Bruce Bingmalu and landowner chairman Daniel Isatu (Labu Butu).
Others who signed were Wampar local level government president Michael Puane, councillor Gumung Sandy and chief Moses Adanga.
“This MoU enables us to see beyond our own insular and self-centred perspective and forge a more-inclusive unity and solidarity,” they said in a statement after signing the agreement.
“We join our brothers and sisters from Butibam village to recognise the principle of distribution and sharing, based on providing the greatest good for the majority of our people from our respective villages.
“It also strategically positions our people from all Labu villages and other impacted stakeholders to negotiate optimum benefit from the new port reform at the Lae Port operations by one single terminal operator, under a 25-year contract signed by the Government.
“We want to do this based on mutual respect, honesty, trust and spontaneous reciprocity.”
The Labu leaders said the other significant feature of the agreement was that they joined the five Butibam clans — Wapicguhuc, Agactuc, Apo, Gwatu and Tumata — in asserting that the Lae Port land was originally owned by the Busurum clan of Butibam.
“To ensure clarity and strong leadership, we think it is morally, traditionally and legally correct, and makes good business and practical sense, for Busurum clan to take the lead and we will join our brothers and sisters from Butibam village to offer our undivided support and loyalty,” they said.
The leaders vowed to work with PNG Ports Ltd and the new terminal operator, International Container Terminal Services (ICTS) Ltd.
“We also owe it to our people to preserve and reserve our legal right and privileges under the Constitution and laws of Papua New Guinea for legal recourse, if we are unjustly treated and our rights are subjugated,” they said.