Did the Lands Secretary grant six leases to himself?
In the National Gazette for 15th August 2016, the then Secretary for the Department of Lands, Luther Sipison, published a notice stating that he was granting, apparently to himself, substitute leases over six parcels of land at Erap in Morobe Province. The leases were each for a term of 99 years with no rent payable and no improvement covenant. The grant of the leases was subsequently evidenced by an entry in the Titles Register Lease Book. Is this a case of the Lands Secretary granting leases to himself? If so, there are a number of important questions that need to be answered: Why did the Secretary apparently grant the leases to himself? How were the rather obvious potential conflicts of interest managed? Were the proper notices of the intention to grant the substitute leases ever published? Were all the relevant parties consulted including the landowners and previous lessees? Are all the relevant documents on file in the Department? Are the