The Board of Native Land Trust Board held its bi-monthly meeting in Lautoka on 23/10/03. Major issues of public interest that were discussed are listed below:
1. Rent Up Front Lease Option - Management continues to do research on this
leasing option and should submit a paper for consideration at a future meeting. There are a lot of positive features, e.g. the problem of arrears will not arise. However the sound investment of the rentals received up front is an important consideration to ensure that maximum benefits continues to flow to future generations.
2. Difficulties In Obtaining Consent - Legal research work on this topic is continuing. Any changes will need to be endorsed by the provincial councils and the Great Council of Chiefs.
3. Year To Date Performance & Statistics - Income collection is ahead of budget for our Central Eastern and South Western Region. The mainly cane based regions of Northern and North Western are slightly behind due to delays in sugar payments. We expect to achieve our budgetted surplus for the 2003 year. As at 1/10/03 Native Land Trust Board had a lease count of 31,505 compared to 29,739 as at 01/01/2003.
4. Yaqara Studio City Lease - The Board was informed that a recent meeting of the landowners of Nadokana (Rabulu) and Vatukaloko (Drauniivi) had agreed to support the developments following Native Land Trust Board's issuing of the lease. Whilst there are tracts of land where ownership was disputed, there appeared to be agreement to follow the dispute resolution mechanism that currently existed. This is important as the FNAVC was now looking at amendments to legislation to open up other areas for studio facilities.
5. Landuse Planning - Our team is currently undertaking field studies in the West to develop a Landuse Plan for the Nadi/Lautoka area. The work is expected to be completed in December with the final report to the Board in May 2004.
6. Major Lease Negotiations
7. Employees Association - Following negotiations on Terms and Conditions of Service, an agreement was signed with the Native Land Trust Board Employees Association on 7/10/2003.
8. Budget 2004 - This was approved by the Board. The main features are as follows:
9. Extinct Mataqali Funds - The Board approved the release of funds on confirmed extinct Mataqali lands to the Fijian Affairs Board. This is a requirement of the new Section 19A Subsection 2 of the Native Land Trust (Amendment) Act No 12 of 2002. Prior to that these funds were kept as part of the "Frozen Funds' with Native Land Trust Board's Trust Department. The new legislation stipulates that once all the proper procedures had been followed for the funds to be reverted to the FAB.
It should be noted that once allotments are made by the Reserves Commissioner on these extinct Mataqali lands then the Mataqali or Yavusa beneficiaries to such allotments are entitled to receive lease monies due only from the date of the gazetting of such allotment, but not the funds accumulated before that date.
10. General
