Play school forced out of premises

By GLORIA BAUAI
A PLAY school in Lae has been forced out of its long time residence at Scout Hall, Eriku, without a proper eviction process, according to school owner Ella Hall.
Hall, an Australian, taught at Lae Play School for 10 years before purchasing it from the previous owner Karen Quinn upon her retirement late last year.
The play school has been renting from the Morobe Scouts Association, an agreement that has been in place since its establishment 30 years ago.
Hall, in a Facebook post stated that “a group of men and women in scout uniforms” locked her and her staff out of the school (on Monday)”.
She claimed she was not given the chance to provide legal documents and proof of tenancy initially and was physically assaulted in front of her students.
It was later confirmed that the eviction was carried out by the National Scouts Association, who is the legal property owner of allotment 73, section 41.
National administrator Noel Pinda said the scout association was never notified of the transfer of ownership of the play school.
He said the National Scout Association was recouping all its building and land properties across the country.
He said the association had lost a number of its properties over the years and aimed to recoup and consolidate its existing properties.
Pinda said with the Government’s recognition through annual grants since 2019, the association was able to support and sustain its operations and programmes as its properties around the country.
He said a notice of eviction was issued last November, addressed to Quinn, the previous tenant instead.
It was part of the association’s plans to redevelop the property.