PRESS RELEASE This press conference has been called to publicise recent resolutions of the Board of NLTB, as well as highlighting some of its recent activities. It is also an opportunity to inform the general public of some important issues that NLTB is involved in. 1. Difficulties in obtaining consent to leasing and dereservations. There has been an increase in instances of leasing proposals that have not got off the ground because of the difficulties in getting the required number to confirm the majority consent of a landowning unit. A number of causes have been identified: • The mobility of the Fijian population, in particular the maritime provinces. Increasingly, the Fijian population is urban based and getting the consent of the majority of the Mataqali becomes a problem. • Disputes over land or chiefly titles. • Differences in religious beliefs that have led to differences and disunity. • Land registered to several Yavusas (e.g. Narewa, Namotomoto and Navoci in Nadi) and lands owned in common by unrelated units (e.g. land at Tacirua). • The Board of NLTB has tasked Management with undertaking a thorough research of the subject and coming up with recommendations that could possibly lead to changes being incorporated to this area of NLTB’s operations. 2. Transfer of Schedule A & B Land to NLTB and Transmission of Leases As at 24/02/03 a total of 2,654 of the 3,018 files have been received from the Lands Department. These files are being cleaned and sent to the regions. This exercise is expected to be completed as scheduled by June 2003. The process of identifying the individual landowning units to which these lands will be transferred is a longer process, and the target of completing the exercise by December 2005 is still considered achievable. No major problems have been encountered in this work so far. 3. Legal Case (ALTA being ultra vires the 1997 Consitution). We have obtained legal opinions that are quite varied. NLTB is looking at engaging the services of QC’s from Australia to advise the Board further. 4. Native Grants. The Board of NLTB has approved that the list of Native Grants be submitted to Government with the request for the setting up of a 5-man Task Force chaired by the Minister for Lands with two members each from Government and NLTB to grants to determine those for consideration under Section 8 of the Crown Lands Act, and make recommendations to Cabinet on those to be returned to native owners. Section 8 of the Crown Lands Act provides as follows “When any native land which has been acquired by the Crown for public purpose…………is no longer required for such purposes the Minister after consultation with Cabinet, may, by order, declare such lands to be native land……………..” 5. Highlights for 2002 Financial Stability Restored. Staff Re-organisation and Job Evaluation Exercise being completed. Opening of new office in Namaka. Successful negotiation of some prominent outstanding cases. 6. Arrears. During 2003 the NLTB will be closely monitoring all its leases to ensure that the terms and conditions of the lease contract are being honoured by all tenants. This will include not only the rentals that are due for payment but also other special conditions that tenants have to meet in particular commercial, industrial and tourism leases. We will not hesitate to take actions to protect the interest of landowners in cases where there have been obvious breaches of lease conditions. Tenants who have not been paying their rental are hereby given a general reminder that you can expect the NLTB to come with the full force of the law to ensure that payments are made and landowners are not short changed. 7. Observations on Land Dispute Cases that come to the Press. The press are asked to ensure that the identity of the people claiming to speak on behalf of a certain piece of land is in fact correct. You are reminded that land in Fiji is communaly owned and no single individual unless he is the chief of the Mataqali can speak with any authority. A number of disputes that have appeared in the press have to do with the disputing of the records that are kept by the Native Lands Commission. NLTB cannot and will not entertain claims that are contrary to the final reports that are held with the Native Lands Commission. Recently it has become apparent that in many land dispute cases, the individual that is responsible for stirring up trouble amongst landowners is not from the landowning unit concerned. Members of the press are requested to consult with NLTB or get a response from us before highlighting or publicising any issues in the press. K. Bakani GENERAL MANAGER