Pat: Do not sell land

 By PISAI GUMAR

THE Lands and Physical Planning Department has assured provincial governments that it would collaborate with them to implement some of the functions in provinces.

Secretary Romilly Kila Pat gave the assurance while opening the 47th Survey Congress yesterday in Lae, Morobe. 

Kila Pat said the department’s corporate plan was aligned with provincial and local level government’s service delivery mechanisms focusing into the districts and LLGs.

“However, this focus cannot be attained alone as we need support from all provincial government and administrations to work together. We cannot deliver everything from the Port Moresby office,” he said.

He said to reduce the scale, the department had begun establishing regional offices, beginning in East New Britain and Morobe.

“We are targeting districts and LLGs to acquire land and develop the areas to ensure the government sets up the facilities and the workforce to cater for activities in the districts,” he said.

“The purpose is to achieve the aspirations of Vision 2050 that caters for a ‘smart, wise, fair and happy society by 2050’.”

Kila Pat also raised concerns over customary landowners within city and urban centres selling their land “like hot cakes for fast cash” due to rapid pressure from increased population and development.

“Landowners should never sell land for fast cash from K15,000 to K20,000 without proper documentation of their landmass and value; it is customary land and should be leased only to work in partnership with investors,” he said.

He urged surveyors, policy planners and administrative officers to do critical reviews on major land legislations.