Firm acquires estate
The National, Thursday October 24th, 2013
By FREDDY MOU
A LANDOWNER company has acquired a coffee plantation in Jiwaka after going through many legal battles.
Bopin Investment Ltd yesterday took over titles of the Kurumul tea and coffee plantation from the Malaysian EPA Management Sdn Bhd represented by lawyer Ian Sheppard in Port Moresby.
Bopin Investment Ltd chairman Roy Helmot Mian said the fight over the ownership of the plantation was not an easy task and had gone through some tough times.
“It took us 12 solid years to win this battle and become the rightful owner of the plantation,” he said.
The plantation had been managed by agent Warren Plantation Ltd under the Malaysian interests.
In August 2002, they (Warren) refused to sell the plantation to the landowner.
However, this did not stop Mian from lobbying and he continued to exert all types of pressures.
“The matter was made worse by the fact that there was strong opposition from elements in our own tribe and the neighbouring tribe,” Mian said.
EPA eventually agreed to sell the plantation for K260,000.
On Sept 13, this year, they (landowners) paid the remaining outstanding payment of K122,303.50 and got the title from EPA Management.