Curator names agents to help acquire investment

 THE Public Curator has appointed three people to act as agents to facilitate the process of securing payments for a colonial investment and two timber rights purchase agreements for the Waripa and Domesau people in the Kompiam district in Enga.

Curator Jacob Popuna made the announcement during a landowner forum in Mt Hagen on Jan 17.

Popuna told stakeholders that Jeffrey Ambia, Erick Siki and Timson Lombanke were appointed to act on a 40-year land investment for Waripa and timber rights purchase agreements (TRPs) for Waripa and Domesau paid to the then Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The investment was for raising cattle and timber.

At the time, the Waripa and Domesau TRPs were in the Western Highlands side of the border, among 11 other TRPs in the Jimi, Mul-Baiyer and Dei council areas.

The investment was made in 1965 by the customary landowners headed by the Kukurin tribe, the chief landowners. 

As custodians of the land, the Kukurin tribe has been given power to lead the negotiations.

The forum was staged to explain to the people why and how Ambia, Siki and Lonbanke were given the mandate, what role they would play so that the people could give their backing and blessings.

Popuna stressed that payment disbursement for the listed beneficiaries would be made by his office.

He said the trio had gone to all lengths for the past eight years to put together a well-documented file.

He stressed that his principle was to ensure everything was done the honest way as corruption was rife in PNG.

“Based on the written evidence from their forefathers, I have exercised my powers from the Public Curator’s office to appoint Ambia to lead the group to facilitate for all necessary documentation to ensure the beneficiaries get their investment,” Popuna said.

The beneficiaries are the Kukurin, Yapetaln, Pakaimi, Lakan, Kapandan and Kaiman tribes.