Somare: private ownership of customary land is a mistake

PNG PM regrets land rights decision


Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, says one of the big
mistakes he made at the beginning of the country's independence was
recognising traditional land ownership.

Sir Michael has told Radio National's Hindsight program all governments in
PNG since independence in 1975 have had problems promoting economic
development, because of communal land ownership.

"When we adopted the Constitution, I made sure that the Government did not
declare the land as state land," he said.

"We allowed the communities and we allowed the people to own the land, and
if the national Government wants development we have to negotiate with the
people.

"Yes, that's the biggest obstacle and that's one oversight that we did."

Sir Michael says his current Government is reviewing the land laws and is
hoping to introduce amendments to allow land to be acquired from its
traditional owners for development more easily.

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