National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop issued a Stop Work Notice and a Demolition Notice to Capital Centre Limited after the company was seen putting up a fence around Portion 2192 also known as Jack Pidik Park.
“I want to assure our city residents that NCDC, under my watch, is determined to ensure that the park is protected and maintained for the benefit of the public.”
“I want to say that we respect the TST Group of Companies, we respect the Tan family especially those associated with the TST Group and we have no personal grudges.”
“The public space is diminishing,” said Governor Parkop who was speaking as the Chairman of the NCD Physical Board.
Governor Parkop said that the Lands Department has created a situation where the NCD physical board had tried their best to manage the Jack Pidik Park Issue.
He also said that the Department of Lands has not been helping NCDC to manage public recreational space as well as road reserves and drainage reserves.
He added that the Jack Pidik Park was traded off to Boy Consultancy (now Capital Centre Limited) so that the government could build the new wing of the Port Moresby General Hospital at 3mile.
NCDC successfully challenged that in the National court and TST Group took the matter to supreme court.
In 2004, the Supreme court ruled in favor of TST Group.
Governor Parkop also added that since then, they have been challenging the matter.
After 2004, TST Group has been making submissions to develop Jack Pidik Park commercially but physical planning has been refusing their requests because it was gazetted as a public recreational park.
Governor Parkop said that they may have the title but the zoning is public recreational space so that is why their submissions have been denied.
He further added that there was no proper survey done to determine which area can be used for commercial purposes and which area can remain as a public recreational space before they (NCD physical Board) can consider TST Groups Submission for commercial development.