TY - BOOK
T1 - A Review of the Implementation of the National Land Development Program in Papua New Guinea
AU - Duncan, Ronald
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - This report reviews progress in the implementation of the National Land Development Program (NLDP)
in Papua New Guinea. It describes achievements recorded during Phase I of the NLDP, challenges faced in
their implementation, and strategies that could be used in Phase II of the NLDP to implement all National
Land Development Taskforce (NLDT) recommendations. Following public consultations, the NLDT made
54 recommendations: 47 about Land Administration, one about Land Dispute Settlement, and six about
Customary Land Development. The findings revealed that the NLDP has created the legal and administrative
processes within which customary land can be made fully productive. However, the full effectiveness of the amended legislation for the registration of Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) and the Voluntary Customary Land Registration (VCLR) requires the effective operation of the Department of
Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP). Both latter sets of the NLDT recommendations were taken forward by
the relevant agencies—principally Magisterial Services (MS) with respect to land disputes and the Constitutional
and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) with respect to the registration of ILGs and VCLR.
Land Court, which was established under MS is currently playing a major role in resolving land-related cases.
Awareness programs were undertaken to improve landowners’ understanding of the new legislation by the
CLRC. Most of the recommendations for reform of the DLPP have not been implemented, which is apparently
leading to a loss of confidence in the new land legislation. It has been difficult to convince commercial banks
that the long-term leases of customary land are solid collateral. In order to sustain land reform, it is necessary
to strengthen public demand for land reform implementation. The NLDP should continue to support projects that assist in educating the public about the new legislation, and its benefits through promoting pilot projects.
AB - This report reviews progress in the implementation of the National Land Development Program (NLDP)
in Papua New Guinea. It describes achievements recorded during Phase I of the NLDP, challenges faced in
their implementation, and strategies that could be used in Phase II of the NLDP to implement all National
Land Development Taskforce (NLDT) recommendations. Following public consultations, the NLDT made
54 recommendations: 47 about Land Administration, one about Land Dispute Settlement, and six about
Customary Land Development. The findings revealed that the NLDP has created the legal and administrative
processes within which customary land can be made fully productive. However, the full effectiveness of the amended legislation for the registration of Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs) and the Voluntary Customary Land Registration (VCLR) requires the effective operation of the Department of
Lands and Physical Planning (DLPP). Both latter sets of the NLDT recommendations were taken forward by
the relevant agencies—principally Magisterial Services (MS) with respect to land disputes and the Constitutional
and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) with respect to the registration of ILGs and VCLR.
Land Court, which was established under MS is currently playing a major role in resolving land-related cases.
Awareness programs were undertaken to improve landowners’ understanding of the new legislation by the
CLRC. Most of the recommendations for reform of the DLPP have not been implemented, which is apparently
leading to a loss of confidence in the new land legislation. It has been difficult to convince commercial banks
that the long-term leases of customary land are solid collateral. In order to sustain land reform, it is necessary
to strengthen public demand for land reform implementation. The NLDP should continue to support projects that assist in educating the public about the new legislation, and its benefits through promoting pilot projects.
M3 - Commissioned report
BT - A Review of the Implementation of the National Land Development Program in Papua New Guinea
ER -