Former Commerce Ministry CEO, Sireli Koyamaibole said independent legal opinion should be taken on the transfer of 68.7 hectares of itaukei land to freehold land for the Momi Bay Resort development by the Qarase led cabinet in July 2006.
While Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was explaining about the Native Land Trust Act which states that itaukei land should not be converted to freehold land, Koyamaibole interjected at times and demanded an independent explanation.
He also started reading out the Crown Lands Act.
Sayed-Khaiyum said Koyamaibole should look at the Native Land Trust Act and analyse what is said in it.
Koyamaibole also called for a specific section to give protection to itaukei land as it comes under group or mataqali rights.
Sayed-Khaiyum said itaukei land is protected in the Bill of Rights where it states that a person must not be unfairly discriminated against, directly or indirectly on the grounds of his or her culture.
He said itaukei land ownership is part of the itaukei culture and this cannot be changed.
He said there is another section dealing with freedom from arbitrary expropriation of any property.
Sayed-Khaiyum said this means all types of land is protected under this section including itaukei land.
Sayed-Khaiyum will hold a draft constitution session in Tavua today.
The deadline for public submissions is next Tuesday.
Story by: Vijay Narayan and Dhanjay Deo
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