Court helps vendors stop land move

VENDORS at Gordon Market in the National Capital District have obtained a court order, restraining a private developer from further developing part of the land that was previously used by members of the public for selling goods.
The interim ex-parte restraining order obtained by Mesta James in her capacity as the president of Safe City Safe Market for Women Association restrained Yao Ricky Lin and Ipa Tokona Investment Limited from doing any further work pending the outcome of the case.
The land portion described as Section 93, Lot 56 is between Gordon’s Market and the Saint John Clinic which was allegedly fenced by Ipa Tokona Investment Limited, a private developer who claimed to have obtained the title to it last year.
James, who was relieved with the court order, said this portion of land was of great importance and value to the lives of many Papua New Guineans because people throughout the country benefited from it.
“The portion of land is very precious because many of us who do our marketing here help ourselves here in the city with our families and also we send money to our relatives back at home to meet some of their needs.
“When you look at that, we have people from throughout the country benefiting and it was a slap in the face of the citizens when one person, a foreigner, is allowed to take over this land and fence it.”
James said the concerns were raised earlier and NCD Governor Powes Parkop has made it clear to stop the private developer from taking over this land.
“We are just unfortunate mothers who don’t have the money to go to courts and we hope that the leaders would do the right thing to address this issue promptly but they continue to delay that,” James said.
“We are now calling on the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop as the chairman of NCD Lands and Physical Planning Board and the Lands Department to intervene and act swiftly to allocate this land back for public use.”