News and Public Notices

ABG Department of Lands, Physical Planning, Environment, Conservation and Climate Change (DLPPECCC) conducted a Valuation Rolls workshop for Bougainville Valuation Rolls stakeholders in Buka yesterday.

This workshop was conducted ahead of the official handover of Bougainville Valuation Rolls to the Autonomous Bougainville Government later today, with participation from the ABG Department of Lands, Urban Town Councils of Buka, Arawa and Buin, regional business associations, Bougainville Police Service and the National Lands Department.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Secretary of the Department Lynette Baratai-Pokas explained that the Valuation Roll strengthens broader land administration functions, including setting land rentals, guiding zoning and planning, resolving disputes, attracting fair investment, and ensuring transparency in land dealings.

“This valuation rolls will set the basis for us on how we are going to go forward in setting up land rates and taxes in future,” she said.

“Your participation in attending this workshop is a testament to your commitment as a whole to support this department and its other stakeholders on how we can progress accountability and governance in that space of Land management and land development.”

Bougainville will be the first region in PNG to receive not one, but four valuation rolls for the four townships of Buka, Buin, Arawa, Kieta and Toniva.

These valuation rolls will assist in:

• Urban Planning & Zoning – helping to guide development decisions in towns like Buka, Arawa, and Buin.
• Land Rentals & Revenue – providing valuation data that will be used to set fair land rental rates and support budgeting.
• Dispute Resolution – providing accurate valuations that will help resolve land ownership and usage disputes.
• Investment and Transparency - attracting responsible investment by ensuring land dealings are clear and accountable.

Participants at the workshop expressed their gratitude at being invited to attend the workshop and stressed that there was a mammoth task for all participants and stakeholders to work together with the department to better understand the valuation rolls, the vital role it plays in generating revenue for the townships and how to set the land rates and land rentals.

Mrs. Lucy Traverts, Chairlady for Arawa Urban Town Council, said she was glad to learn new information on the valuation rolls but how to deliver the charges and fees will be a challenge without much awareness on the importance of the rolls.

“We have not been informed of these valuation rolls and learning about it today puts me in a challenging position as a Chairlady for Arawa Urban Town Council, because Arawa has a lot of issues with land ownership, selling of land, land titles, and to impose fees for land rents may be a big issue when awareness is not done,” she explained, urging all stakeholders to work together.

Arawa Police Station Commander Sergeant Lyne Bomai echoed similar sentiments and called on the Lands Department to include the police in such workshops so that police personnel understood the contents of vital documents and laws to better assist with supporting the department with enforcement.

“We the police deal with criminal laws, charging and arresting offenders and are not familiar with the information such as the valuation rolls, land laws and the penalties imposed or involved and so include us in such workshops, and inductions so we are familiar with our roles and responsibilities as stakeholders and better assist if and when required,” she said.

The PNG Valuer General will present the valuation rolls to the ABG Chief Secretary later today.

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