Landowners demands not met

DISGRUNTLED Yarapos Landowners in East Sepik yesterday “seized” the Mercy Secondary School premise for failing to prevent the school’s sewerage system from damaging their river.
They moved into the school with placards outlining their frustrations.
They had warned that classes could be disrupted on Jan 25 if no remedial measures were taken by the Government and school administration.
The landowners’ spokesman Caspar Yake told The National they sympathised with the students and staff but “the school’s closure is in the best interest of the Yarapos people”
“Our intention is not to shut down the school but to get the Government to a roundtable talks on outstanding grievances which the school had
miserably failed to address,” he said.
Among the list of grievances outlined by Mr Yake was the recent survey of additional hectares of customary and Yarapos Primary School land which Mercy Secondary acquired enabling it to qualify for a K11 million aid from the PNG incentive fund.
Mr Yake said letters sent to the school and the provincial administration, outlining their grievances, were met with no response.
“We have no option but to shut down the school until the Government and the school reach an understanding with us,” he added.