BY GEORGE MANFORD
AUKI
IN essence 90 percent of land in the process of acquisition for major government development projects fail to complete the acquisition process.
This statement was made by the Honorable Premier of Malaita province, Peter Ramohia.
Premier Ramohia said, this in turn, delays the time frame of projects resulting in a project being suspended or cancelled.
The acquisition provision provided in the Land and Titles Act is the Government’s tool to alienate land for public purposes.
Ramohia adds this process has been used in major projects on Malaita but has a high chance to fail 90 percent of the time.
At the moment, only Churches have been successful in acquiring land, he said.
The Anglican Diocese of Malaita (DOM) has completed an acquisition process mid this year and are now preparing to build a new secondary school next year (2019) at the Ilikata land in the Central region of Malaita.
“This will be model for acquiring land for developments within our lands through proper consultations and negotiations”, Ramohia said.
He also highlighted how Malaita province continue to portray a negative image to the needed foreign investment in the country.
“We must create employment for our people at a faster rate than the birth rate”.
“To do that we as people must work tirelessly to counter the negative image which our people have portrayed over the years”, Premier Ramohia said.
