By Joy Kisselpar

The  Government is cancelling all Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABLs) obtained illegally, and will abolish provisions of the Land Act which allows for SABLs to be granted.

“We are taking these steps to reclaim our customary land illegally lost to foreigners with the help of corrupt public servants and leaders,” Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said today.

The canceling of SABLs and repealing of the Land Act are part of a number of decisive steps which Cabinet approved this week to be taken to implement the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the SABLs.

Prime Minister Peter ONeill says  Cabinet decided to cancel all SABLs obtained illegally which the COI recommended to be revoked, repeal provisions of the Land Act which allows for SABLs to be issued;

Furthermore the NEC has  directed the Department of Lands and Physical Planning not to process any more SABL and ensure all SABLs not assessed by the COI to be reviewed by the Ministerial Committee;

The government will set up a team to fully implement the COI recommendations and the NEC decision.

The “Final” Reports of the two Commissioners covered only 42 out of 77 SABLs the three Commissioners were required to investigate.

The 77 SABLs referred to the CoI for investigation involved some 5.2 million hectares of land.