The [RH owned] National newspaper
THE failure of the Special Agriculture Business Lease has been blamed on a system which was open to fraudulent transactions and does not protect the interest of customary landowners.
This is highlighted in a draft report on policy issues and lessons arising from laws relating to SABL released by the National Research Institute.
It says there is no administrative framework or system supported by the legislative framework.
The report was compiled by Professor John Luluaki, the executive dean at the University of PNG’s School of Law.
He said at the launching of the report that the purpose of the SABL was to allow landowners to free up their land for development. But developers were using the land for other purposes resulting in the landowners feeling cheated and robbed.
He said it was all because of the absence of an administrative mechanism for the SABL provisions.
“Agents who were responsible for administering SABL failed to develop necessary legal and administrative framework for the administration of SABL’s provisions,” he said.
Dr Charles Yala, programme leader Property Research called on the Government to do away with the SABL and allow the provisions of the voluntary customary land registration to continue.
He said the Government should quash all defective SABL titles and return all customary land to their owners.
Instead, the voluntary customary land registration process implemented by the national lands department programme should continue.
