Leader backs Minister
The National, Tuesday July 30th, 2013
By ELIAS LARI
A VILLAGE leader in Jiwaka is supporting a call by Lands Minister Benny Allan for people to stop claiming land compensation.
The leader, who did not want to be named, said claiming land compensation could affect school, health and other basic services.
He said the habit of claiming compensation was getting worse in Papua New Guinea.
Allan said early this month that people must not claim compensation for land bought in the past.
He said some of the land where schools and government offices were located had been bought with salt, axes and spades.
“That was the payment made and I totally disagree with people going around to make a second claim,” he said.
He said people should come to their senses and stop demanding compensation from the government.
He said Allan’s comment was right because people could not make another claim on top of what their parents had received.