Landowners told to work together

THE PNG LNG upstream landowner beneficiary identification exercise can be successful if all landowners put their differences aside and work together, Petroleum Secretary Kepsy Puiye said.
He was speaking in response to concerns raised by Hides 4 Landowners’ Umbrella Association’s Chris Payabe, who claimed that all landowner issues continued to surface in the absence of the clan-vetting process.
He wanted the State to complete the remaining 5 per cent of the process.
Puiye said that while he shared their concern, security issues had delayed the department and the clan-vetting team from making any progress.
However, he said that they were already having discussions on the commencement of the landowner beneficiary identification exercise.
The team will meet this week to discuss the plan so that it can start as soon as possible.
Mineral Resources Development Company managing director Augustine Mano said his task was to open landowner beneficiary accounts.
He is awaiting the process to be completed before he can help open beneficiary accounts.
Payabe is calling on the State, through the Department of Petroleum, to complete the remaining
5 per cent of the landowner beneficiary identification process.
He said this would put to rest all the issues of “so-called landowners and illegal associations” that have popped up in Port Moresby and were submitting claims to the Government.
Payabe also called on State agencies not to entertain any payment for any claims submitted until the clan-vetting process was complete.
He said that was when the agencies would know who the rightful beneficiaries were.