In a significant development, Minister Stanley Soeropawiro of Land Policy and Forest Management (GBB) has confirmed to Starnieuws that the Leonsberg pier, a vital transportation hub used daily by hundreds of passengers, was indeed sold as private property during the previous administration. ‘It is true: this pier was formally issued as a private parcel in the last governance period. That is a fact,’ stated Soeropawiro. ‘However, this is also one of the clearest examples of how misguided policies can directly harm public interest.’
The sale has dealt a severe blow to dozens of boat operators who rely on the pier for their livelihoods. Without access to the docking facility, these operators, who have long facilitated passenger transport between Leonsberg and Nieuw-Amsterdam—often maintaining the pier themselves—are now left stranded. The minister acknowledged their concerns, assuring that his ministry is actively working on a solution while further investigating the matter.
Soeropawiro emphasized that the sale of the pier is ‘one of many missteps we have encountered at the ministry.’ He highlighted the current government’s commitment, under President Jennifer Simons, to restore public facilities to the people. ‘The public deserves fair governance. Public land is not private property,’ he asserted. ‘Those who approved such transactions will be held accountable. This government will restore order—step by step, case by case.’
The minister vowed that the government will not allow public infrastructure to fall into private hands. ‘This marks the beginning of rectifying what was wrong,’ he concluded.