The Opposition is calling on the national government to sort out this matter of outstanding payments for the Koiari Landowners (LO) still owed to them as per the agreements and promises made by the State. This call comes following a sit in protest by the landowners at Rouna today in Central province, demanding that the State pays them for use of their resource, which is the water used for the hydro power and water supply to Port Moresby city residents and business houses. Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa in a press conference this afternoon in Port Moresby city, calls for an amicable solution to this matter. “I sympathize with the Koiari landowners. Past governments and present the government have promised the landowners and especially at this time, the government has promised K15 million, and they are still waiting for the payment,” said the Opposition Leader. “When you look at it, the Koiari landowners have been very patient with governments, and we have used their resources to run this city (Port Moresby).” He said the landowners have come to this point because the promise is not kept and also, they are just fed-up already with what is happening. “They see a lot of money being paid out in other resource sectors to landowners, to provincial governments, to districts, but the Koiaris have not seen their share.” Despite their protest and threats to disrupt power and water supply to Port Moresby, Tomuriesa asks the government to be realistic and fair when dealing with them. “We have to be fair with the landowners of Koiari. In the last forty (40), fifty (50) years or so, that hydro power station has supplied power and water to this city, yet you go up to Koiari, there is nothing to show for it.” “We need to give them what we promised them,” he said, adding that the State should not do things on ad hoc basis but stick to the agreement. He said the Opposition wants to see this matter resolved in a peaceful manner and soon. “I think it needs to be sorted out and from the Opposition, if we have to go up to talk to them and sit down and hear them out so that we can come back and talk to the government, we are willing to do that.”