The bill to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act has been passed by parliament to allow the iTaukei Land Trust Board to appoint a CEO as the current act only provides for the appointment of a manager and officers of the Board.
The Board has already gone ahead and appointed a Chief Executive Officer which is not provided for in the current act.
Therefore, it was pertinent to amend the law to cater for this change.
Amendments are also proposed to allow for suitably qualified persons to be appointed and to also provide for provisions regarding their functions, responsibilities and remuneration.
A consequential amendment was also proposed to the Higher Salaries Act to include the Board as one of the bodies for which the salary and benefits of its Chief Executive Officer are subject to sections of the Higher Salaries Act.
Twenty seven MPs voted for the bill, 23 voted against it while one MP did not vote.
During the debate, SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula said that today is a very sad day for the indigenous people of the country, because it marks the beginning of the time when the government interferes with their land rights.
He says this bill which concerns indigenous rights requires government to obtain their consent.
Nawaikula says this is not an ordinary legislation.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says TLTB used to take out 25% from landowners’ lease money as administration costs before, but now it takes only 10%.
He says the constitution and current laws give unprecedented protection to iTaukei landowners.
