Dept of Lands completely incompetent and dishonest

PNG Exposed

The Department of Lands and Physical Planning is riddled with “gross incompetence”, a state of affairs that is compounded by “extremely irresponsible and dishonest State officers” says the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance.
The Commission has recommended a separate inquiry be set up to into the management of the Department of Lands to “identify and rectify the systematic failings and misconduct”.
The Commissioners, Justices Sheehan and Davani and businessman Dan Manua, identified the following long list of serious failings in the Department of Lands:
1) Acquisition of customary land by the State-
  • Lack of proper records as to original acquisition;
  • Lack of instructions to the State Solicitor and Solicitor General to
    protect the interests of the State;
  • Gross disregard of Schedule 2 of the National Land Registration Act on assessment of claims;
2) Mismanagement of State land -
  • Operations of the PNG Land Board;
  • Non-compliance with requirements of Land Act and related
    legislation and lease covenants (UDL and all other leases);
  • Abuse and misapplication of the laws;
  • Missing land files;
  • Missing documents;
  • Ad-hoc creation of supplementary files;
  • Unreliable filing system;
  • Unreliable Registers;
  • Lack of co-ordination within department;
  • Fraudulent creation of files and documents;
  • Forgery of signatures of officers;
  • Failure to notify interested persons;
  • Uncertainty with appointments for meetings generally;
  • Lack of supervision of all staff;
  • Failure to observe business opening hours;
  • Inefficient service;
  • Unreliable recording of information on files;
  • Unreliable custody and movement of files;
  • Incompetence;
  • Lack of effective communication with Solicitor General, State
    Solicitor and related state agencies in protecting State’s interests;

Comments

  1. Depana NikintsJune 8, 2010 at 10:53 AM

    The NLDP which is the body housed under NRI to coordinate the implementation of the key recommendations of the NLDT is not doing enough to see the fixing up of the DLPP and especially the Land administration part. I totally agree, that before the government talks about customary land registration, land administration needs to be improved!! Its a shame to see the DLPP infected with gross corruption and malpractice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 19, 2010 at 5:38 AM

    I would like to highlight my case as an example of what goes on in the DLPP.
    In the last 3 years, I had been working tirelessly to acquire a piece of land for my family. In 2007, I worked witht the Lands Team of NCD to identify the block of land and submitted papers as per their recommendation. Nothing transpired. In 2008, I did the same thing and then in 2009. In 2010, I again went through the same process. I worked with land inspector. In April, I got a call from the lands officer and he invited me to Reno's Club saying that paper work is ready. I was surprised that business was conducted at Reno's Club. Curiosity took the best part of me and I attended. There I was asked to pay a certain amount of money to get "the ball rolling". I refused plainly and let Reno's Club.
    Over the course of the period, I have been getting phone calls and texted messages from this individual to meet again and strike a deal. I refuse plainly to get into this deal. I have since abandon the idea of acquiring the block of land.

    Through my deals with DLPP, I see widespread corruption from Secretary to Assistant Secretaries to all the line staff. I've heard from this particular individual that you need money and motor vehicles to get your land matters considered. I see DLPP Officers with gold rings, chains, flashy cars gambling and going on extravagant spending sprees all over own and I just wonder how they can afford such a lifestyle.

    There should be an independent inquiry into DLPP as there is so much under the table deals.

    ReplyDelete

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