TINA HYDRO PROJECT OFFICE AGAIN ACCUSED OVER LAND
Walton Naezon. Photo credit: Constitutional Reform Unit 2008.
Provincial Assembly Member for Malango Ward, Walton Naezon has accused the Tina Hydro Project Office of not following proper legal processes to identify landowners.
Mr Naezon made the comments following a media statement from the Project Office, published in local newspapers today.
The statement had said landowning tribes of the project area rubbished media statements he had made – and named the tribes of Roha, Buhu Garo, Kochiabolo and Vuralingi, as true landowners of the core area.
Claiming to speak on behalf of the area’s House of Chiefs, Mr Naezon said resolutions reached by the House of Chiefs in May this year were largely ignored by the Government.
Mr Naezon says he is concerned as a political leader, and wants the Project Office to follow the proper process, in this case, Part Five-Division One of the Lands and Titles Act.
“There are two ways to identify the landowners, one is through Part Five of the Land and Titles Act, which talks about acquiring land for lease and purchase and they choose to follow another process which is under Part Five division two. All land in the Solomon Islands earmarked for development were acquired according to Part Five division one of the Land and Titles Act. No land in the country has ever been compulsorily acquired under Division Two, Part Five of the Act, not anywhere.”