Meet discusses tackling customary land issues

ACTING Lands Secretary Oswald Tolopa says the administration processes of customary land should begin in villages, local level governments (LLGs) and provinces.
Speaking during the closing of the Mamose workshop on customary land in Madang on Friday, Tolopa said it was a strenuous two-day workshop.
“We can avoid all the rubbish that happens between you as the landowner and formal recognition by the state as owner of your land by starting back at the village and your clans, through genealogy, your family tree,” he said in reference to land ownership identification.
Points for discussion during the workshop included land dispute resolutions, special agricultural business leases (SABLs), underwater leases and waterways, integration of urban villages in town planning and improving customary land administration.
General concerns raised by the Mamose Customary Landowners were that the current systems, processes and procedures were not working for customary landowners, hence the abundance of outstanding issues and lack of trust by them.
The outcomes and recommendations from the workshop will be compiled and put forward for consideration at the national land summit in May, before recommendations are made towards a submission for amendments and changes to current mechanisms in administering customary land.
Kokopo will host the New Guinea Islands regional workshop on Thursday and Friday.
Mt Hagen will host the Highlands workshop the following week.
More than 500 participants attended the lands summit.
The workshop is the second regional meeting leading up to the main summit from May 1 to 3 in Port Moresby.