Concerns on the forced extraction of roadwork material without payment by a road contractor along the Trans Island Highway in Central Province will be looked into and addressed soon.
Works Minister Michael Nali gave this undertaking during Question Time in Parliament today.
The issue was brought up by Kairuku Hiri MP Peter Isoaimo who said the controversial contractor brought rogue police officers with high powered firearms and chased away the landowners of the gravel pit from Aipiana village in Mekeo without paying them.
“Is this the kind of attitude we want to display to our Papua New Guineans?” Mr Isoaimo asked.
“Every human being is unique and so when you provoke them, they will treat you in the same manner and fashion.”
Minister Nali in response said no road contractor has the right to extract road-based materials from a customary land without making a payment to its landowners.
He further said he will enquire into the matter and make a response on the issue in this term of Parliament Sitting.
“There are provisions there to buy materials, so if any contractor is doing things the other way, then that is totally wrong.”
“I guarantee the Member that I will enquire and find out who that contractor is and why it has not been paying the locals for the extraction of materials from their land,” said Nali.