Local: Compromise, share K10mil

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

THE Tari Airport-impacted landowners have called on the disputing parties to come to a compromise in the Melanesian way, in order to distribute the outstanding K10 million.

Some people have died waiting for the fund.

Principal landowner of portion 107 and Kia Kopiria clan spokesman, Timon Henry Hebari, said the state had allocated K12 million in 2012 but the funds had been held in a trust account.

He said as a result, many legitimate landowners who should have benefited from the funds had died, while many could die before the funds were released.

Hebari said the best thing to do was for the landowners to compromise so that funds were divided among the beneficiaries.

He said the Hela provincial government had several consultation meetings with the landowners in Tari as ordered by the court.

Hebari said the court order by Justice Ambeng Kandakasi on June 21 stated the parties were to come up with a draft consent order for mediation and was to be returned by July 24.

He said so far millions of kina had disappeared in the hands of the wrong people and paper landowners and it was better for the landowners to come together and share the funds as it would be the last payment from the state.

“We do not need to fight each other. Let’s all agree and share, as we all own the portion of the land on which the airport is situated,” he said.