SABL team to deal with cases in ENB, WNB and New Ireland

A TEAM of officials and members of the Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) committee will be addressing 17 cases in New Ireland, East New Britain and West New Britain.
Lands and Physical Planning Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the committee would talk to landowners and developers and get the correct information to
make decisions for the registrar of titles.
“We are ensuring that these SABLs that are either illegal … are being addressed one by one in full detail so that every bit of information is accounted for and decisions to be made clearly without fear or favour,” he said.
Chairman of the Special Agriculture Business Lease committee Andy Malo said they would travel this week to assess independently without any interference both the development and landowners’ issues.
He said that based on that, “we will make the recommendations to the minister”.
He said the department had received correspondence from SABL holders who are operating under an umbrella company who indicated they would forego the title so they could apply for the Incorporated Land Group and voluntary customary land arrangements.
When a Special Agriculture Business Lease title is issued, the landowners’ interest or right is extinguished.
In the ILG voluntary customary land arrangement, the landowners’ interest is still intact. But they sign the agreement to lease the land to the developer so that there is protection to the land and they take ownership of the project.
“These are the things we will go and sell to the people. If they do agree, then as a committee we will guide them to the respective divisions in the department so that they can get the correct advice to assist them with the dealings of the customary land,” Malo said.
Secretary Oswald Tolopa said it was an ongoing genda for the government, and the department is implementing it with the government’s support.
“We are serious in ensuring these issues regarding Special Agriculture Business Leases are put to rest. This is an independent body and we only act on their advice and they are doing their job representation various officers and some officers from within,” he said.