Douglas Tennent Photo: Supplied / Facebook
Catholic Church leaders hope that deported religious lay worker, Doug Tennent, will be let back into Papua New Guinea within days.
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Mr Tennent, who is a New Zealand lawyer, was removed nearly two months ago despite a court order stopping it.
He had been working with the Archdiocese of Rabaul, advising Archbishop Francesco Panfilo on the concerns people in one district of East New Britain had over their relationship with a multi national company involved in logging and oil palm, Rimbunan Hijau.
Archbishop Panfilo said the church agreed to drop legal action over the deportation and other aspects of the case in exchange for Mr Tennent promptly getting a new visa.
He said some had advised them not to let the PNG government off the hook.
"But we are not after blood, we are not vindictive, we just want Doug to be back and to be back as quick as possible."