Settlers told to move out of freehold leased land belonging to church

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
SETTLERS residing on land which belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG (ELCPNG) should vacate the land, a church official says.
Church secretary Bernard Kaisom said the National Court in Madang in Aug 2017 ruled in favour of the church on ownership of Nagada Land – OS 124 of 2017.
“A social mapping was conducted towards the end of 2017, and through the exercise, announcements was given for people to voluntarily vacate,” he said.
“All this fell on deaf ears as the settlers chose to listen to the landowners who were selling the land.
“Throughout 2018, the church had made more announcements and pleas to the settlers at Nagada land to vacate.”
Kaisom said the Nagada land was a ‘freehold lease’, similar to the land at Ampo and Lutheran Development Services at Malahang in Lae, Heldsbach in Finschhafen and many more.
“Freehold lease is not a term lease, where there is an expiry date,” he said.
“I appeal to all church members, whose forefathers had agreed to give the land to the church for mission work, freehold lease does not expire.
“It is a life estate or interest in the land, the duration of which is restricted to the life or lives of a particular person or persons holding the title.
“It is also described as an interest in the property that is unconditional and represents the broadest ownership interest recognised by law.”
Kaisom said a seven days’ grace period starting yesterday had been given to settlers to voluntarily vacate said land, and that full eviction operations would begin on Monday.
Head Bishop Jack Urame said he was sorry that the church would leave people in such a situation, but it was the implementation of a court decision and was legal.
“The settlers have been made aware since 2017 to vacate the land,” he said.
“They were also given enough time to vacate the land.”
Kaisom said a development plan would be made public for possible developers.
There will also be residential leases available for working and any retired people who wish to reside in Madang.
“It is part of the church-State partnership in the development of Madang and PNG as whole,” Kaisom said.