The premier of the Solomon Islands province of Guadalcanal says he is unhappy with the selling of plots of land in the province.
The Solomon Star says that Stephen Panga is appealing for agents of the commissioner of lands, Levers Solomon Limited and the government to rethink their decision to sell land on Guadalcanal.
Mr Panga says authorities need to remember that land issues are a leading cause of ethnic tensions in the Solomon Islands, and with no major reconciliation between Guadalcanal and Malaita province, land sales could harm the fragile peace.
He says land sales are a disrespectful provocation to the people of Guadalcanal, who believe land is a mother and not a commodity.
The newspaper also reports settlers on Guadalcanal calling for all land sales, currently in the custody of the Russell Islands Plantation Estate to be stopped.
