Locals stop study on Baiyer farm

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday 11th April, 2013

By ELIAS LARI

A GOVERNMENT team sent to conduct a feasibility study on the Baiyer River cattle farm in Western Highlands was ordered by landowners to return to Mt Hagen on Tuesday.

The team was sent by the Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry to Baiyer.

The landowners were frustrated because local MP Koi Trape had not consulted them about reviving the farm.

The landowners are from the Sipyan, KLK, Kykain, Pupin, Angalu, Kunin, Raoukai Wentanga, Wiambin, Kimbin and the Trmui tribes residing in the area.

They are not happy with the way Trape is doing things at the farm.

They said they would not allow anyone to conduct any studies on the farm unless all issues were sorted out.

The landowners also advised Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru not to waste funds and resources on reviving the farm unless all pending matters were resolved.

A spokesperson, who refused to be named, said that the farm had been closed for almost 40 years.

Since then landowners had been taking care of the state land.

He said Trape resided in Port Moresby and Lae where his businesses and family were and never came to the electorate.

The spokesperson said Trape was from the Traya tribe and Simu constituency while the farm was in the Mapua constituency about 20km away.