NLTB MAY MEET LABOUR CAUCUS

Tuesday, May 13, 2003

The general manager of the Native Land Trust Board, Mr Kalivati Bakani, expects to be invited to address the Labour Party's Parliamentary caucus soon on the NLTB's plans for solving the land lease issue.

Mr Bakani said he had positive discussions recently with Labour Party members on the bi-partisan Talanoa Committee.

"As a result of this very constructive dialogue, I offered to meet with the Labour Members of Parliament and the response to this was positive," he said. "I will be very happy to talk with them and outline our proposals."

He reaffirmed that the NLTB believed the Native Land Trust Act (NLTA) provided the framework for a lease agreement fair to landlords and tenants. It could provide leases for up to 50 years, with security of tenure and ample notice about the future intentions of landlords and tenant farmers.

NLTA, says Mr Bakani, plays a key role in the economy.

"About 60 per cent of our leases are issued under NLTA and many are for enterprises which drive economic growth," Mr Bakani said.

"Numerous hotel and resort developments on native land have attracted multi-million dollar investments. They operate successfully on NLTA leases.

"So do many of Fiji's manufacturing industries, businesses and residential developments."

The landowners, said Mr Bakani, strongly believed the controversial Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Act (ALTA) as a whole worked against their interests. But ALTA had some appropriate protective provisions which it might be possible to incorporate into NLTA. Mr Bakani said the Prime Minister mentioned this in Parliament last week.

Mr Bakani dismissed criticism of the NLTB and NLTA from Reverend Akuila Yabaki, of the Citizens Constitutional Forum.

He said Rev. Yabaki was out of touch and his recent claims about native land leases and the NLTB demonstrated this. According to Mr Bakani, Rev. Yabaki 's comments were irresponsible and unhelpful.

"From some of his statements at the weekend, it is obvious Mr Yabaki is poorly informed. He should make sure he has a sound grasp of the current position on land issues before he makes public criticism and pronouncements."

Mr Bakani said the NLTB was operating on several fronts in the efforts to deal with land problems and revitalise the sugar industry. The NLTB, he said, supported the industry restructure. But it did not want to complicate the work of the restructure Steering Committee by insisting that land should be at the forefront of its agenda.

The Committee, he said, had to immediately resolve complex issues such as the viability of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, redundancies, farm efficiency and division of proceeds from the sale of sugar.

"These things have to be sorted out first if we are to have a sugar industry at all," Mr Bakani said.

Solutions to the land question would be found at the political level. The Prime Minister, who is chairman of the NLTB, had already proposed measures which reflected the board's position and indicated a willingness to discuss this.

Mr Bakani said the NLTB was contributing to the sugar Steering Committee's deliberations, particularly the proposal to identify alternative livelihoods for farmers who left the sugar industry.

"We are working very closely with Asian Development Bank consultants on this crucial project. Native land will obviously be critical to its success."

The NLTB general manager said he wanted to remind the country that new leases were being temporarily issued under ALTA.

This applied when landowning units (mataqali) gave their consent and when they had enough land for their own use, maintenance and support.

But the NLTB expected that when fresh arrangements were agreed for agricultural land, new leases granted under ALTA would become subject to them.

"Issuing of new ALTA leases is a considerable concession by landowners, " said Mr Bakani. "They are prepared to do this as a temporary measure even though they feel this legislation is not in their favour. It indicates a willingness to assist, in the national interest, with the transition to a new leasing system.”

Mr Bakani says the NLTB's policy is to make land available on fair and reasonable terms to farmers and for commercial and residential development.

"We want to produce maximum revenue for landowners, promote sound relationships with all stakeholders and bring benefits to the national economy."

"We are committed to building a favourable image for the Board and to making native land appealing for prospective tenants, investors and developers.

"The more land can be leased out, without detriment to the landowners, the better it will be for Fiji."