Development Hamstrung
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
By Land Problems
There is a vital necessity in Papua-New Guinea to achieve rompt reforms in the system of land-holding. This has been mentioned previously in this report.
[E 1962 UN mission expressed the opinion that “by far the most irtant and at the same by far the t difficult, of the problems to be led in order to achieve economic ince are the problems of land and land tenure”, iter in the same report, it said, see no hope or prospect of ng the agriculture of the Terri- Con which its whole future must nd) on a sound basis until a system of individual land hold is created”. is understood that the World c concurs most vigorously with attitude and has suggested the :ms referred to earlier in this rt. mds are classified as native -d, freehold, Administration land luding that leased to indigenous other people), and ownerless jsiness interests and settlers I apparently the World Bank) n that the Administration’s policy and is hamstringing development denying justice and progress to indigenous owners, and may be bought from New lean owners only by the Admini ion and may then be leased out the Administration. In many mces the terms of the lease are to be well in excess of the e paid to the original owner, i many town areas there is plenty lative-owned land which is being to no use, yet land for business residential development purposes irtually impossible to obtain.
Leasing Plan
he proposal expected to be made he World Bank that direct leasing indigenous people be permitted generally regarded as likely to k this land bottleneck on ;ress. is obvious that supervision of ng arrangements would be led to ensure that native owners ived fair terms, but it is claimed this would give them a better s than they now receive when sell to the Administration. Even e important, they would have
the chance to acquire the capital assets created, at the end of the lease period.
It is impossible to overstress the importance of this question to the future of development. The sanctity of land-holdings is all important and full justice must be done to the New Guinean in any action that is taken. But such action must be taken if we are to discharge the obligation we have to develop the country in the best interests of its people.