Hostel tenants plan court bid

ATTORNEY-General and Justice Minister Sir Arnold Amet’s delay in responding to hostel tenants of section 31, Lot 1, on Regina Avenue, in Madang, is close to for-cing tenants to join their Port Moresby counterparts in taking the matter to court.
Herman Swaikere, a tenant who had taken it on himself to lead the fight to save their families and integrity over an alleged fraudulent deal between a private real estate company, Niugini Properties Ltd and the National Housing Corporation, yesterday confirmed they were late in filing documents and had opted to sit it out.
He said the property, known as the Girls Hostel, then Admin Hostel, comprised seven buildings housing 31 families in their separate dongas or rooms.
It was sold for K2.5 million in 2008 to Niugini Properties, which acquired it under a mortgage sale with Westpac Bank.
The real estate company, according to documents produced by Swaikere, had given the tenants until the end of April to move out but, since then, no one has tried to evict the tenants.
Swaikere, attached with the provincial internal audit section, and who had lived there for the past 16 years, said since last month Ombudsman Commission officers had visited them on a possible investigation to be conducted into the sale.