Recreational land should not be sold off, says Kua

By MALUM NALU

 

Attorney General Kerenga Kua says recreational land in cities and towns should not be sold off to private companies, as in the case with the controversial piece of land at 5-Mile in Port Moresby.

He said this when asked about recreational land being sold off in urban centres, as at 5-Mile in Port Moresby and Voco Point in Lae

"Each case has to surface one-by-one," Kua told reporters.

"We will deal with it on a case-by-case basis, unless the minister for lands himself feels there is sufficient case built up for a nationwide survey of transactions involving reserved land.

"Then he can commission an inquiry with the support of cabinet at a different time."

Kua said the 5-Mile case involved an important public reserved land.

"In Port Moresby, that's now become a very important issue because a lot of the land reserved for public use, for recreational purposes, is now being sub-divided and ending up in private enterprise," he said.

"The people need space for socialising and recreation as well.

"Some land must be reserved for that purpose.

"If we don't make sufficient provision for recreational purposes, then you will end up having a very stressful society.

"Health standards will be compromised, performance standards will drop, productivity will decline.

"Having reserved land available for social and recreational in urban centres is a very important part of the culture, the social culture of that urban area, of every urban area.

"We have to protect all land that is reserved for public use."