Landowners to get more money as PM reduces admin fees

Landowners will get more money from their leased land as the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has announced the reduction of the administrative fees charged by the iTaukei Land Trust Board by five percent effective from next year.

Commodore Bainimarama has said that the fees reduction by 2.5% will be effective from 1st January next year and another 2.5% is expected to be reduced later in the year.

This means that by 2013, landowners will get in excess of $800,000 more than what they are currently getting.

Currently the TLTB receives or deducts 15 percent from all the income collected to go to the TLTB for poundage.

Meanwhile Commodore Bainimarama has ordered TLTB to improve its services and standards.

He said that the database of landowners is out of date and has not yet been fully computerised.

He said that in some areas there is a continuing lack of understanding of the mission of the TLTB.

Commodore Bainimarama said some individuals have let the team down as cases of abuse of office by TLTB staff out in the field has come to light.

He said that cases of extortion, making promises to lessees that the TLTB staff know they cannot or will not fulfill, giving encouragement to landowners that they know is false and depriving the people they serve of their just dues.

The Prime Minister said that staff members have recently been sacked because they breached their duty to the landowners.