THE BIKU party tribe of Munda, Western Province have threatened to shut-off Ziata water source supply in protest over missing money.
The tribal group claimed they have not received payment of $SBD400, 000 made to the tribal owners of Ziata water source.
A document cited by this paper showed a cheque of $SBD400,000.00 had been paid through Jeffrey Wickham of Munda when he was Special Secretary to former Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo. The date the payment made was on 20th January 2014.
Mr Wickham however denied receiving the payment which he claimed was retrieved back to Government coffers because there was no proper acquisition records over land ownership to verify real customary land owners of the water source.
Mr Daga however, said the Biku party tribe which claims ownership of the Ziata water source was increasingly becoming frustrated over the none payment and is threatening to resort to closing off supply from the water source.
Mr. Wickham said the onus is on the customary landowners to instigate proper land acquisition with Government to register genuine land owners before any such payment is made to the rightful owners of the water source.
But the spokesman for the tribal group, Mr.Daga explained that particular payment was initially intended as goodwill gesture by the Government of that day to landowners to facilitate dialogue between them and the Government avoiding disturbances over Munda airport development and Ziata water source.
Mr.Daga said, this arrangement was made in a resolution signed with the landowners at the time.
He said land owners have honoured their part in the undertaking agreement while Government failed to do its part.
Mr.Dagi said his group will be pursuing the issue with the new Government of Prime Mnister Manasseh Sogavare.
By LESLEY SANGA
