The Native Land Trust Board will set up a new department from January next year which will be providing landowners’ professional advice on managing their funds and investment opportunities.
Interim Fijian Affairs Minister, Ratu Epeli Ganilau said he is concerned after seeing an increase in the number of indigenous Fijians requesting scholarships and letters coming into his office to ask for FNPF withdrawals for education assistance.
However Ratu Epeli said the major worry is that the landowners receive about $40 million annually from rental.
Ratu Epeli said another breakthrough over the last ten months has been the implementation of the recommendation in the Colonel Kurisiga report that all land outside of ALTA will have market value.
The Interim Fijian Affairs Minister made the comments while opening the NLTB stakeholders’ workshop at the Tradewinds Convention Centre this morning.
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NLTB to set up new department