THE National Capital District governor Powes Parkop got behind the force and ordered the demolition of fences built by TST Group of Companies around Jack Pidik Park today.
Jack Pidik Park (JPP) is said to be a public recreational park, however the recent building of fences around it by TST attracted public criticisms and also debate on the floor of Parliament on who is the rightful owner of the particular land.
Parkop who is also the chairman of the physical planning board and the NCDC commission who is behind the demolition that took place told The PNG Bulletin that “What is done is done, we’ve taken our land back and that’s it.”
“We are taking the public land back. And we are also asserting the power and authority of the commission including the Physical Planning Board (PPB). We are the government of the city and have planning powers. We are the only authority in the city that has powers to decide what happens in terms of the development in the city.
“The power belongs to the NCDC and the PPB non-other. Not even TST they don’t have the right and the power to decide what happens in the city in terms of development. Whether it’s social development or economic and physical development, it (the power) belongs exclusively to the city authority especially the Physical Planning Board,” said Parkop.
In the presence of the arm police personnel and the mob of public, the fences erected by TST group of companies was demolished and metal fences got looted by some of the public around the area while the other part of the mob chant “action governor Powers Pakop” as they followed the excavator that demolished the fencing.
The fencing was said to be erected by TST upon the Supreme Court order issued by the Waigani court which Powes Pakop is aware of.
“I understand there is a court order but they did not respect the court order. That court order is something for the court to decide. Right now my priority morally, ethically, legally is to reclaim the power of NCDC and the Physical Planning Board and also the rights of our people and that is to have this land (JPP) as public property,” said Parkop.
Moreover, in a media statement released recently by TST regarding this matter that NCD is trying to use the physical planning powers in plain contempt of court, JPP has never been a public park. It has been and still is a private commercial land.
Well done Powes Parkop.It is a public recreational Park.Stap wantem You.
Well Done Governor. You have done well to secure the recreational area for the public.
We Hope that you will do the same to all other public lands that were stolen and settlements on State Land. If you do not so that, then everyone will assume you are serving another person’s interest in not being fair to everyone.
I think the NCD governor Powes Parkop is doing the right thing and let JPP remains as it is and no other sructures must be built on it by the government or any private organization.
We (PNG) need more Action LEADERs
Comments are closed.