Questionable land lease practices in Ngiwal

The Speaker of Ngiwal State Legislature and candidate for the governor of the state, Francisco Melaitau, points out that the launching of land lease program is premature.  Further, the state’s public land authority has collected a $25 application fee from individuals for lots that have not been determined.“The legislature had approved of a regulation that required a collection $5 land lease application fee from citizens of the state and $10 fee for non-citizens,” Melaitau said. “I do not know how people ended paying a fee of $25.”Melaitau said that he is an advocate of leasing government owned land to citizens and would like to see Ngiwal’s land lease program succeed.However, he said that to date government land and private lands’ boundaries have not been determined. “We need certificate of titles (CT) to the properties in the lease program,” he said. “We simply cannot lease out land to people without the CTs.  In the end, if litigations should take place, the people who have leased the properties will suffer.”Melaitau hopes, if he is elected governor today, to improve the land lease program.  He plans to determine ownership of properties slated to be leased and that such properties would be prepared – accessible and ready for housing and other commercial development.“I strive to give the people of Ngiwal the very best,” he said. “ I will do my best to provide them with the necessary services that would ease the burden of their livelihoods; I have and will continue working for them.”Melaitau said the his decision to run for governor stems from his desire to act on that which has been legislated and the prompting of supporters.Today the citizens of Ngiwal will vote to elect their new leaders – the governor and members of the legislature.