State urged to suspend board

 LANDOWNERS of Papa, Boera and Lealea are calling on the Government to suspend the board of the Hiri Special Purpose Authority (HSPA).

Papa village landowner and chairman of Portion 152 Facility Landowners Association  Gau Ario said the appointment of the board was an abuse of the authority’s constitution with the duplication of election process and the election of a chairman who was not a landowner of the PNG LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant site facility.

Ario said a recent statement by the acting Department of Local Government Affairs secretary Dickson Guina regarding the appointment of the board was misleading.

Guina had said all due processes were followed in nominating the representatives in an open ballot at the four villages.