Properly identify landowners

IN 1960, a division of Mine Company from Australia based at Bulolo started processing gold from Wau and Bulolo.
There were a few locals who worked with the company after trainings were provided on how to process gold in small scale mining.
A local from Parakris village in the Yanta tribe in Golpu area, known as Tiviruk, was one of the men who worked in the mine with the expatriates from Australia and was issued a mine identification card.
By 1963 to 1970s and 1980s, he started his processing of gold in Bulolo on his traditional land Kwepkwep (now portion EL440) in Wafi-Golpu.
His produce were sold to Bank of South Wales in Bulolo. He was given a passbook after the bank opened his account to save his money.
Sometime later, he fell ill and returned to his home in Parakris village.
On his death bed, he called his daughter and told her that “you have to hold my documents and keep them safely because there will be huge mining activities coming in some years later”.
It is clear that he wanted all his documents to be taken care of and kept safely so that his future generations could use it for references to seek employment or participate in mining activities just as he did.
He told his daughter all that before he died in 1981.
Now, it is important to identify proper and rightful owners of any land extracting their natural resources.
Proper mapping and identification processes of identifying landowners of Wafi-Golpu should take place for proper negotiation and consultation for such multi-billion kina projects.

Richard Bing,
Parakris village,
Buang LLG
Golpu Section