Pomio landowners call for unity on development

POMIO landowners have been asked to stand together on development projects to ensure long-term benefits for local communities.
John Parulria of Memalo Holdings Ltd, an umbrella body which represents 121 clans in a development agreement in Pomio, said yesterday that an oil palm project which they had agreed to would bring the people big financial returns.
“The agreement we have gives us K15 per hectare annually for planted land. On non-planted land, we get K3 per hectare,” he said.
“There is still more than enough land for gardening and traditional crops – and we’re getting paid whether it has oil palm, or not.
“We also get 5% of any money from the palm oil – and there are still the royalties, premiums and levies from timber export.”
He questioned the real purpose of some individuals in objecting to agricultural developments in the area.
He said they had the opportunity to do so when documents for the oil palm project were made available for public review.
“We consulted with all groups the way we were supposed to. We got the consent the way we were supposed to. And now they say they want the project stopped.
“So now they’ve suddenly changed their mind. Where does that leave everyone else?
“Have they been bewitched by foreigners coming on a ship and trying to meddle with our affairs?” he asked.
At the commission of inquiry into the special agricultural business leases (SABL) in Kokopo on Tuesday, landowners who raised objections to the project were told that breaking the contract would require compensation to the developer.
“This is a good deal,” Parulria maintained. “Our development partners are already building a township and a nursery is completed.
“These women are basically saying that not only should we give this up, but we should pay money to the developer in order to do so,” he said when referring to some women who had voiced their objection.
“I think they are out of touch. This is a good development opportunity for us.”
Parulria also said the project would enable local landowners to gain access to greater economic opportunities and improve their standard of living.
“Better infrastructure means better health and education services can be delivered by the government.
“People will get paid and have jobs.
“This will give access to sanitation, electricity and refrigeration – things that people like the Greenpeace activists enjoy when they go back to their houses in Australia.
“This would mean a better future for our kids. It is a good result for the people and the government,” he said.
PNG Oil Palm Industry Corporation deputy chairman Francis Manake recently described palm oil as the “new gold” for Papua New Guinea.
He said about a third of the industry’s K1.2 billion in revenues comes from smallholder plots around the country.
He also pointed out that the 18,000 smallholder operations support as many as 200,000 households and that the industry directly employs around 16,000 people.
Recently there was a call by members of parliament for ownership of all mineral resource projects to be handed back to landowners.
Greg Anderson of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum previously told the media that greater uncertainty over leases is “playing with fire”.
He also noted and that landowners already receive considerable benefits, including equity and royalties – similar to benefits provided by the forestry and agriculture industries.
According to Parulria, the government and local communities should look to places like Alotau where agricultural developments have made a big difference.
“In Alotau, the quality of life has got better because of palm oil developments. It’s all about taking the opportunity for us and the future generations.”