Any consultation on iTaukei laws should also include the tenants -Justice Qetaki

Any consultation on iTaukei laws should also include the tenants -Justice Qetaki

By Rashika Kumar
27/05/2023
Justice Alipate Qetaki

Justice Alipate Qetaki says any consultation undertaken on reviewing iTaukei laws should also include the tenants on iTaukei land and this is one way to honour Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna.

While speaking during a symposium on Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna at the University of Fiji, Justice Qetaki says perhaps one of the new roles of the Great Council of Chiefs is to look at the State Land Act, iTaukei Lands Act, the iTaukei Land Trust Act and the iTaukei Affairs Act as they have been there since the 1940s so it is well past review time.

The former University of Fiji lecturer says we can honour Ratu Sukuna by looking at our laws especially in light of looking at areas the iTaukei is disadvantaged; whether through their own doing or through institutionalized laws.

He says he believes that iTLTB reforms should be held with widest consultation with the tenant community.

Justice Qetaki says the tenant community has also changed and it is not just the Indo-Fijian community but it also includes people coming from Lau, Kadavu and from Vanua Levu to Viti Levu.

He says any law that will target the resource owners should have the widest consultation as the tenants are stakeholders too.

Justice Qetaki adds Ratu Sukuna rationalised land should be leased as it has value to not only the colonial government at that time and bring in income but it will also give security to the farmer who has just been dispossessed and completed his term of agreement with the Fiji Sugar Corporation and also be a source of income to the iTaukei for education and development.

FEATURE NEWS
60% of the cane supplied to Rarawai Mill is harvested manually – FSC
Around 60 percent of cane supplied to the Rarawai Sugar Mill is still being harvested manually, according to the Fiji Sugar Corporation. This was c...
3 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
PM’s Business Awards to boost economy and global profile
The Prime Minister’s International Business Awards, scheduled for Saturday, 29th November 2025, will celebrate local enterprise achievements and ...
3 hours ago

Daulomani Safe Home residents gain easier, safer access with newly commissioned road
Over 40 residents of Daulomani Safe Home, a sanctuary for vulnerable women and children on the outskirts of Lautoka, can now access their home more ...
3 hours ago

$90K access road in Nailaga, Ba brings relief to residents
Residents along the Rotary Club Link Road in Nailaga, Ba have reason to celebrate after the commissioning of a new access road funded under the ...
3 hours ago

Nadi Bula Festival kicks off with focus on rebuilding lives
The 2025 Nadi Bula Festival represents more than just a celebration — it is a time to renew our commitment to hope, unity, and the strength that ...
4 hours ago

Man arrested in Savusavu for alleged possession of illicit drugs
A man has been arrested in Savusavu for the alleged unlawful possession of illicit drugs, as the Savusavu task force intensifies its monitoring of ...
5 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
2025-2026 National Budget Debate
Parliament has officially passed the 2025–2026 National Budget, with 75 percent of Members of Parliament voting in favour of the budget, matching ...
2 days ago

Professor Prasad on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The show will focus on the 2025/2026 National Budget.
11 days ago

Tui Nayau and Tui Lau Installation
The ceremony for the installation of the Tui Nayau Sau ni Vanua o Lau will be held tomorrow, while the installation ceremony of the Tui Lau will be held in Tubou on Thursday.
13 days ago

TOP