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Land Board Support Services

The Department through the Land Administration Division provides the support services to the Papua New Guinea Land Board through an Executive Officer and a Land Board Support Staff.
The two officers are permanent public servants employed by the Department of Lands and Physical Planning.
Contact the Executive Officer, should you require information regarding the following;

  • date for next Land Board Meeting
  • publication of applications for Land Board hearing
  • publication of successful applicants
  • lodgment of appeal

The Establishment of Papua New Guinea Land Board.

The Land Board is established under the Land Act and its roles and functions are clearly set out in the Land Act 1996.
Unlike the other Statutory Boards, the Land Board is a non working Board and the members only meet when a meeting is scheduled for the Board to sit and consider applications referred to it by the Minister or the Department for grant of state leases.

Publication and Notification of Land Board Meeting.

At least seven days before a meeting, the Chairman is required to publish in the National Gazette the applications to be heard in that said meeting.
When publication is done the Executive Officer on behalf of the Chairman shall notify all the applicants by post the date on which their applications will be considered by the Land Board.
The meeting of the Land Board shall be held not less than seven days and not more than 42 days after the publication of the agenda items.
Chairman may request the applicants to provide the following important information or evidence at the Land Board Meeting for a fair hearing;

  • evidence of financial standing, bank statement, if you are financing the development through your savings.
  • architect Design and Building Plans of the intended development.
  • how you intend to finance the development, if it is through bank loan, a letter of commitment is required from your bank.
  • through housing scheme, a letter from your employer confirming you eligibility.
  • if it is through POSF or NASFUND you are required to provide your contributors account statement.

Meeting of Land Board.

When considering tenders or applications;

  • for State lease three members of whom one is the Chairman or a Deputy Chairman nominted for the purpose under Section 55 subsection 5, are a quorum.
  • for Urban Development Lease the quorum is five and that comprises of; the Chairman or a Deputy Chairman and two members plus the Surveyor General or his delegate and Chief Physical Planner of his delegate.

The Chairman or the Deputy Chairman nominated for the purpose shall chair the meeting and all matters shall be decided by the majority of votes of the members present. In the event of an equal vote the person presiding has to cast his vote.

Notification of the Board's Recommendation.

All applicants are notified of the Boards recommended applicant for grant of the lease.

Appeal Period on Land Board's Recommendation
An unsuccessful applicant who is aggrieved by the Land Board's decision may appeal within 28 days from the date of the Notification letter of the Board's decision.
The appeal shall be lodged in a Notice letter form or submission detailing the grounds of appeal and address it to the Minister or his delegate the Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning. An appeal has to be accompanied by receipt of payment of K500.00 being the appeal fee.
The Appeal is referred to the Manager, Legal Services within the Policy Division for compilation of a report to the Minister through Secretary. The Minister upon received of the report from the Department makes his firm recommendations on the submission to the Head of State, the Governor General.
Deliberation of the Appeal by the Head of State.

The Head of State upon received of the submission from the Minister and acting on advice, thinks that the appeal have been made on frivolous grounds may reject the appeal and direct that the whole or any portion of the appeal fee of K500.00 shall be forfeited to the State.
The Head of State upon received of the submission from the Minister and acting on advice, thinks that the appeal has been made on good and substantiated grounds may uphold the appeal and refer the matter back to Land Board for re-hearing.

Under Section 62 (4) of the Land Act 1996, the Head of State, acting on advice shall determine an appeal and his decision is final.