A journey ends and new one starts for landowners in Gulf

Poroi village in the Kikori LLG of Gulf is a day away by motor boat from Kerema.
It then takes Jomu Peniai another day by road on a PMV to reach Port Moresby.
In 2015, with the consent of his clansmen, male nurse Peniai left his job made that two-day journey into Port Moresby.
For two years, he’s been in and out of the Lands office, working to make sure his clan’s incorporated landowner group (ILG) certificate complies with the amended Lands Act of 2012.
Last November, Registrator of Titles Iruna Ragokila congratulated Peniai, in the company of the chairman and other members of his ILG, and presented them with their incorporated landowner group certificate.
It was the end of a long journey.
Peniai said the chairman and members of his ILG were ready to participate in the development of the Elk-Antelope project.
“We have waited a long time,” he said. “We watched as the former developer, InterOil, finally proved up the gas.
“Today, we welcome Total into our land to take the project to the next level.
“We would like to see, in exchange for our resources, infrastructure development in our area.
“We are looking forward to better services in health and education. Hopefully, this development will allow for improved roads linking us to the rest of our country, Papua New Guinea.”