Recently, Keith Jackson’s PNG Attitude has been publishing a discussion on some of the unhappy events that occurred as the colonial regime extended its control over the tribes of Papua New Guinea.

However, one marvellous and positive legacy Australia left to Papua New Guinea was that it did not allow the alienation of more than a very small area of land.

Even then, the land remained the property of the government as distinct from private individuals, who could only lease it.

The first Administrator of the then Territory of Papua, Sir William McGregor, insisted that only the government could buy land and that the policy of the colonial regime should be to restrict this to very small parcels.

My recollection is that he got this idea from his time in Fiji, where the policy had been put in place when Fiji first became a Crown Colony.

McGregor and his successors realised that, in a subsistence economy like that of Papua (and later New Guinea), land was a precious resource upon which people relied to live.

The administrators believed its alienation could lead to profound and very damaging socio-economic consequences as had been all too graphically demonstrated in Africa.

Ruthlessly dispossessed
Anyone familiar with the history of, say, Kenya, South Africa or Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) will understand that the native peoples were ruthlessly dispossessed of their land and suffered greatly as a result.

Now, amazingly, the government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has developed a “cunning plan” articulated by minister Justin Tkatchenko.

This plan must, by its very nature, result in the loss of control over communally held land for those Papua New Guineans foolish enough to allow its use as collateral for a loan.

This is a scheme that I think would never have seen the light of day in the colonial era.

It would instantly have been recognised as what it is: a licence for banks and others to progressively expropriate traditional lands in the name of “development”.

Wake up Papua New Guinea. Dr Clement Malau is right. This is a monstrous con job dressed up in the language of development and investment.

Please do not effectively throw away your ancestral heritage for the sake of money.

Republished from Keith Jackson’s PNG Attitude website. Chris Overland is a former PNG patrol officer and civil service administrator.

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By Gynnie Kero in Port Moresby

Two Papua New Guinea cabinet ministers have stepped aside pending a Commission of Inquiry into the Manumanu defence ministry land deal in Central province.

Public Enterprise and State Investment Minister William Duma and Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok voluntarily relinquished their portfolios to allow the commission to probe alleged illegal transactions of millions of kina in state funds.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill yesterday announced the setting up of the inquiry to assess the allegations against senior ministers and senior members of departments.

O’Neill told a media conference that he had recommended the suspensions of the Defence Secretary Vali Asi, Lands and Physical Planning Secretary Luther Sipison, Valuer-General Gabriel Michael, Kumul Consolidated Holdings managing director Garry Hersey, Central Supply and Tenders Board chairman Philip Eludeme and Motor Vehicles Insurance Limited chief executive officer Joe Wemin pending the inquiry’s outcome.

The National Executive Council was expected to meet today to decide on the proposed suspensions.

“As of today (yesterday), I am also announcing that Minister for Defence Fabian Pok and Minister for State Enterprises William Duma will step aside from their ministerial responsibilities pending the conclusion and outcomes of the commission of inquiry,” O’Neill said.

“In the interim, the Ministry for State Enterprises will be taken care of by Charles Abel, Minister for National Planning, and the Ministry for Defence will be taken care of by Mao Zeming, Minister for Fisheries.

‘Best interests’
“It was the intention of the government to do this properly and fairly, and ensure NEC decisions, including the relocation of Murray Barracks and Taurama Barracks, are done in the best interests of the public.

“The people want to know the outcomes of these investigations and they will be given the opportunity to provide information to various investigations – through the Commission of Inquiry, Police Fraud Squad and the Ombudsman Commission.

“It is only proper that these allegations against senior members of the government and the public service, that they be afforded the principles of natural justice and be given the opportunity to answer these allegations.”

Gynnie Kero is a journalist with The National newspaper.

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