Land means everything
The National, Tuesday November 24th, 2015
Land is a contentious issue in Papua New Guinea.
Land is our bread and butter; land is our life; it is our identity.
All forms of economic and infrastructural development in PNG must start with land. It is the foundation on which any pillar of development can take shape.
In this land of 800-odd languages, a majority of our land is customary. People, in their hamlets, clans and tribes, own land and the flora and fauna that exist on them.
Our nation’s founding leaders and members of the Bully Beef Club, when pushing for self-government culminating in an independent State of PNG, knew that the task ahead was not easy.
When the Bully Beef stalwarts met, ate their favourite prote in with biscuits or rice complete with the amber liquid (for some), they spoke politics, dined on politics and slept politics. But, land was always on their agenda … it was people, politics and land as the foundation on which the PNG Constitution will be built on. That was then, in the late 1960s and early 70s.
However, policies and regulations on land in parts of PNG started well before that time.
In the New Guinea Islands region, history tells us that the colonial administration under German rule had put in place a Lands Commission and land was demarcated.
In 1952, the colonial administration introduced the Native Land Registration Act and in conjunction with an Advisory Demarcation Committee which comprised local landowners, customary land boundaries were identified using village names and recorded.
This legislation empowered the commission to preside over land disputes and determine ownership rights. Any appeal over decision would land in the high court.
From 1962 to today, many policy changes and legislations governing land matters were introduced, amended and voided.
Among them were the introduction of the Land Titles Commission and Land Dispute Settlement Act.
In the Gazelle Peninsula of East New Britain, many land were demarcated. Again, vital records of these developments were kept.
But then the unexpected happened in 1994 – the twin volcanic eruptions when Vulcan and Tavurvur blew their tops.
A good number of land records were destroyed. And so discussions started on a lasting solution to compile and maintain land records in East New Britain.
Hence, last Thursday’s launch of the East New Britain customary land database at the Catholic Diocesan Hall in Vunapope.
Using the information and communication technology, the database will store all land records and maps for the province. Any data on land can be easily accessed by all stakeholders, including the courts, to resolve ownership disputes.
Chief Magistrate Nerrie Eliakim said in Kokopo: “The database will greatly aid court hearings by reducing time and quickly producing reliable and widely-accepted maps with records on ownership.
“It is a vital opportunity for customary land dispute settlement as it appears before our land courts.”
Also present were Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat, Deputy Governor and provincial lands chairman Simon Painap and acting provincial administrator Wilson Matava.
East New Britain has set the pace for an important national agenda; it has set a benchmark for provincial administrations in PNG.
The database is a land management information system aimed at ensuring future efficiency in the administration of land matters. Better still, it should help reduce and prevent land disputes.
The database also reflected on the excellent effort by a provincial division of government (not a provincial government) to get its acts together and frame out an initiative setting out a future pathway.
Today’s global world is a world of gadgets, a world of technology. And the East New Britain division of lands is getting online, and doing it very well.
The chief magistrate was spot-on when she declared: “East New Britain has continued to be the pioneer on many fronts in the province and LLG area of governance.
“The database marks yet another tick for our province. Information and communication technology is now the way to conduct business in PNG; it can easily help in connecting our provincial governments and local level governments to Waigani,” Nerrie Eliakim said.
“We will welcome the opportunity for our Land Court to work in partnership with the East New Britain lands division, using ICT.”
The event attracted a huge crowd from all four districts of Kokopo, Rabaul, Pomio and Gazelle.
Among those that attended were LLG presidents and ward members, local landowners from all Baining tribes and clans, holders of land parcels, provincial and district public servants.
Deputy Governor and Chairman for Lands Simon Painap said customary land made up 83 per cent of East New Britain province.
“This database will help reduce and prevent land disputes.
“In East New Britain alone, our Land Court has registered more than 600 land dispute cases.
“That is why we must have this database and information system up and running soon.”
On the local front, other government divisions in East New Britain must look to ICT solution as the way forward in future development planning and implementation.
Internet security issues aside, information technology will bring on board many benefits, including assistance from abroad.
We challenge the East New Britain agriculture and livestock division to be the next to go IT.
This is no fluke challenge. It is real because the World Bank and European Union agriculture programmes throughout East New Britain will also involve ICT.
So, instead of waiting, wouldn’t it be wise to be a first (for once) and get the project rolling?
Since East New Britain can do it, The National salutes the lands division and joins Eliakim in saying: “Congratulations to you the people on such a achievement.”