Dept to review decisions

National
The courts had ruled earlier that Jack Pidik Park, also known as portion 2192, was a private property owned by Capital Centre Ltd (formerly known as Boy Consultancy Services Ltd). – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

By HELEN TARAWA
THE Department of Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP) will review the decisions of the National and Supreme courts on the Jack Pidik Park land before a decision is made, an official says.
DLPP secretary Benjamin Samson told The National that the matter had gone to the courts and a decision was made but their policy and legal division would look into it and decide what action to take.
“We are trying to look for options on how we can deal with that land,” he said.
“The place is a leisure park and many events take place on that land.
“The court has concluded the decisions of the court but we need to know exactly what action to take.”
When asked about Capital Centre Ltd (CCL), formerly known as Boy Consultancy Services Ltd, serving notices to vendors at the Jack Pidik Park in Port Moresby, Samson said the area had always been known as a public park.
CCL, in a statement, said the land had been their property since April 14, 1991.
The courts had ruled in favour of CCL, thus, the portion 2192 was zoned as commercial land and private property owned by CCL.
The company was awarded a 99-year business lease on April 14, 1991.
Samson said there were two ways of taking back land, one was cancellation and one was forfeiture.
“We will look at which option is sound for us,” he said.
“The public uses that park, the second-hand (stalls) is there and NCDC conducts most of its activities there.
“If that land was given to them in exchange of some other land, then the park had been there and being used for a number of years and it’s still the same. We just have to look at what the best options are available for us.
“NCDC has been conducting all its activities there.”