Locals want trucks off highway

By ZACHERY PER
THE government has been given a 72-hour ultimatum to stop heavy trucks ferrying cargo into the highlands region.
Disgruntled landowners on the Gera section of the Highlands Highway in Chimbu have given the notice of intention to stop the trucks to Chimbu administrator Joe Kunda in Kundiawa yesterday.
Gera landowners spokesmen Giglmai Yopa, Peter Elias, Guna Dane, Yopa Silbol, Api Kamane, Pastor Garry Barime and Pastor John Kamane said 140 tribesmen who had structures in the 40m corridor did not receive their payments and that there were no proper valuations done on their properties.
“A few claimants who received payments were underpaid and are not comparable with the current market value, serious irregularities and flaws discovered in the valuation and verification exercises,” Kamane said.
“Some structures located within the 40m corridor were found outside of the 100m corridor zone.”
He said most of the claimants in the miss-out claims of 2006 and 2007 who were waiting until a major landslide displaced their structures and planted improvements had been overlooked.
Kamane said the Gera landslide victims had given away their customary land freely for a by-pass to be built.
Works Secretary Joel Luma, at Gera village at the height of the Gera landslide three years ago, said he would give Gera priority but that had not happened.
 “The government has paid K513,000 for structures and planted improvements and has not bought the land as yet, it’s three years now and we are demanding for all outstanding payments to be paid before we will release the trucks to pass through,” he said.
Dane said they were following proper process to demand outstanding payments.
He said the road would be blocked off to heavy trucks carrying cargo into the LNG project sites, Porgera and other inner highlands areas.
 “We will allow light vehicles and PMV trucks and buses to pass through but all heavy trucks will be stopped if we do not get a good response from the government, the 72 hours ultimatum comes into effect when Kunda receives our notice,” Dane said.