ORO Governor Gary Juffa who is the chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform and Service Delivery has recently expressed disappointment with the National Housing Commission (NHC) official over sale of state property at Cassowary Road in Lae to KC2 Ltd, a commercial company.
“This is a serious matter and I will leave no stones unturned to get to the bottom of it,” Juffa said.
“The property in question, in Cassowary Road in Lae, is meant to be public service housing, and I want to know why public servants have been kicked out of their homes to please commercial interests.”
“Where will these public servants go now? Will NHC build replacement accommodation?” he said.
It was reported that the state property at Cassowary Road was allegedly sold to KC2 Ltd, a company owned by a Mei Lin in Port Moresby, without the notice of the Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC).
Mr Juffa said he will question the National Housing Cooperation on this dealing as he believed that proper process and procedures in the sale of State properties were not followed.
“There is a proper process for the disposal of the state properties and it appears that they have not been followed in this case.
“How does this transaction enhance their output and service delivery?
“How did the NHC allow property to fall into disrepair in the first place?”
“I also want to know whether similar conduct has accrued in relation to other properties, and whether other public servants have suffered in similar ways,” he added.
Juffa said in order to protect the public sector and public servants and support their efforts to deliver services the SPC will consider every aspect of the deal, including whether misconduct has occurred.
Meanwhile, the committee has sought documentation relating to the deal to establish for itself its legitimacy.
This includes compliance with laws relating to the sale of state assets, calls for tender, valuations of property, methods by which KC2 Ltd was selected as the purchaser and the standing of KC2 with IPA and the IRC.
The SPC will go through process of documentation and examine the nature of the deal.