LTC to hear Madang land cases in March

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
THE Lands Titles Commission has indicated that hearing of all land matters within the mining township of Madang will commence in March next year pending the completion of a hearings venue there.
Acting Chief Lands Titles Commissioner, Benedict Batata, revealed this yesterday when responding to queries on when the newly appointed commissioners would “start doing their job”.
Batata confirmed yesterday that the two new appointees, Joseph Gabut and Paonga Kutt as well as registrar Agi Ila arrived in Madang last week to sort out the logistics involved in getting the place ready.
The K3 million earmarked for the special lands hearing has already been released by the Treasury Department. Work on identifying local contractors in renovating a marked site and accommodation for the duration of their stay was what was hindering the whole hearing at the moment.
“Once all that is sorted out we should commence in March or April next year,” said Batata.
Complaints have been received and reported in the media by affected landowners within and around the impact areas of the K3.2 billion Ramu Nickel Project and now the Marengo Mining in Yandera of the many problems associated by the non recognition of genuine landowners by the government.
Chairman of Tigine clan and chairman of Maure Duaakai Narawa clan, both in Kurumbukari, Peter Bagme and Nicholas Grima yesterday challenged the government to fast track work by the Land Titles Commissioners or else “we will shut down the project”.