Landowners advised to get land titles

By HELEN TARAWA
Customary landowners who have received an Incorporated Land Group (ILG) certificate have been advised to apply for a certificate of title for their piece of land.
Acting Secretary for the Department of Lands and Physical Planning Oswald Tolopa said the landowners need to work on the next process, which is: “You have to carry out a survey on your land and bring it back to the department through customary land unit. You now move onto registering the land for certificate of title.
“The certificate of title for the land is the mama title that will never be compromised, no sale whatsoever.
“You can draw from your certificate of title a lease to anybody for 99 years or 30 years, it’s up to you.
“That money will not buy ownership of the land. Do another set of arrangement to make sure the land is sub-leased.
“Whatever they have paid you recognise, but you still have to do a sub-lease so that they can pay rent to you.”
Lands and Physical Planning Minister Justin Tkatchenko assured the people of Motu Koitabu that all the clans would have their proper ILGs set up so they could utilise their land in an organised and professional manner.