O'neill stops eviction exercise in Papua New Guinea

PNG Prime Minister: Peter O'neill. Image credit: Malum Nalu

 By Ivan Bayagau/NBC

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has directed his Housing Minister Paul Isikiel to put a stop to the eviction exercise in the country.

The direction comes amidst an eviction exercise carried out in Port Moresby which affected more than 100 families.

Mr O'Neill also directed Mr Isikeli to brief Cabinet on the process used to carry out the eviction exercise as well as the criteria, the N-HC is using to sell the North Waigani Hostel.

Tenants at the hostel were forced to evict from the premises last week, by NHC officers and policemen, despite a pending court case, resulting in a scuffle between tenants and police, after policemen threatened families of the tenants.

Prime Minister O'Neill says the government is mindful of the people's welfare, and eviction is not a solution.

"The last thing we want to do in this country is to put out families who have been living in these houses for many many years. We must offer solutions, we cannot offer to put them on the streets, that is not the solution. That is just a mere re-adjustment. We want solutions so that is the sort of information that Cabinet is seeking so the minister has been told and provide us with a detailed brief on what NHC is doing we are also asking for detailed brief on the sale of the Waigani hostel that is continuously affecting many of our citizens again we will look into those and we will make the announcements."