PM Marape: Government could not intervene in Morata land issue due to court order

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape says the National Government and the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) tried to intervene in the land case at Morata in Port Moresby on Wednesday, however, could not do much because of an existing court order.

Hundreds of families have been forced to vacate their homes at Morata after police enforced a court-ordered eviction on a piece of land there.

PM Marape, however, had a word of caution for developers like Sixth Estate which had evicted the families.

“In the future, those getting land titles like Sixth Estate and the likes, must give ample warning to all including Government and must develop the land as intended for,” he said.

“The National Government and the NCDC tried to make interventions, however, there was an existing court order that allowed for the eviction.

“The land in question is a title that was issued in 2011.”

The Prime Minister assured evicted settlers that the Government would assist in their plight just like it did to Garden Hills settlers last year

“We are working on a programme for next year, 2023,  for which funding will be made available to acquire land for Papua New Guineans who work in the city,” he said.

“From next year onwards, we will make State land available to ordinary Papua New Guineans to stop this issue of urban settlements.

“I sympathise with the families who have lost their properties in the Morata incident, however, there wasn’t much that we could do.”

PM Marape said the Lands Department, which comes under Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso, would be working on a review of the way in which land titles were issued

He also called on Papua New Guineans to not just settle on any land in the city that was unused.

“Our Government is working towards mobilising land to allocate to people who are in all levels of gainful employment or in small business,” PM Marape said.

“We will work towards a programme for Papua New Guineans to gain land titles.

“In the meantime, I appeal to all our people not to settle on land that is not being used, to avoid a repetition of what has happened at Morata and earlier at Garden Hills.

Media statement/One PNG News

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