Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Ashneel Sudhakar has reiterated that the Nasomo Landowners Trust members are the rightful owners of Tovatova, the block of land from which they receive mineral royalties in Vatukoula.
The land was originally freehold and later sold to the Colonial Sugar Refinery Company.
Sudhakar says the land was then purchased by Nasomo mine workers in the 1960s and they are the ancestors of current residents.
The Minister says the payment was finalised in 1974 and the land was formally transferred to the Nasomo Landowners Trust in 1998.
Sudhakar cleared the air while presenting the fifth and largest payment of mineral royalties to 123 Trust members this morning.
Trust members collectively received $75,179.86 for land mined by the Vatukoula Gold Mines Limited, as per the Fair Share of Mineral Royalties Act.
