Tkatchenko condemns ‘disgraceful’ comments

By HELEN TARAWA
MORESBY South MP Justin Tkatchenko has condemned comments on social media describing families who were given titles for blocks of land as illegal settlers and squatters.
Tkatchenko, in response to comments by Central Governor Robert Agarobe, said 164 titles were allocated to genuine working-class Papua New Guineans who deserved them.
“It was a disgraceful act to brand those who were being given the titles as squatter settlers,” Tkatchenko said.
“They are educated, working class and decent Papua New Guineans.
“What a disgrace to label hard-working Papua New Guineans as squatters and settlers when most of the population of National Capital District (NCD) live in settlements.
“These people should not be downgraded.
“Let’s show a bit of respect and common decency, plus the land that we have allocated is in NCD and it has nothing to do with Central.
“Those Papua New Guineans who are going to live there were displaced from where they were living along 2-Mile Hill, Paga and Waterfront.
“We have two or three generations of PNG living along that area.
“They have been allocated blocks of land for their future so they can be productive citizens of our country,” he said.
Tkatchenko said the settlement-to-suburb programme was to change the lives of the people.
“This would give them the opportunity to the services that they rightfully deserve and change the settlements into suburbs by putting road infrastructure, water, sewerage,electricity and giving them a piece of land where they feel they are secured,” he said.
“We don’t make these things up, we do things through consultation and process for the benefit of our people.
“It’s about time we showed respect to our people and understand that what Governor Powes Parkop and I are trying to do is to improve the lives of Papua New Guineans especially in Moresby South.”