Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama says the opposition is misleading and misinforming Parliament with its misinterpretation and selective references to the Land Use Act 2010 as the plain and simple fact is that the law empowers the iTaukei landowners to better participate in the decision making process of how their land is utilized for their benefit as well as future generations.
While speaking in parliament on the Review on the Follow-Up Audit on the Management of the Land Reform Programme, Bainimarama says the opposition purports to argue that the Prime Minister has the complete power to make decisions on the utilization of iTaukei land without any consultation with the landowners.
The Prime Minister says the opposition fail to tell us that the Act prescribes that a minimum of 60%t of the members of the landowning unit must provide their consent before any iTaukei land can be designated for lease under the Act.
Bainimarama stresses that no land can ever be designated by the Prime Minister unless and until 60% of the iTaukei landowning unit provides their consent.
He has also highlighted in parliament that section 5 of the Land Use Act states that the ownership of any iTaukei land designated under the Act shall always remain with the iTaukei landowners.
Bainimarama says section 11 of the Act explicitly provides that any lease issued over iTaukei land must at all times take into consideration the best interests of the landowners.
The Prime Minister says the Act establishes a Land Bank for the benefit of all iTaukei landowners and takes into consideration the best interests of the land owners and the overall wellbeing of the economy.
He says the landowners have a say not just in the fair market rent of the land but also in the terms and conditions under which the lease is to be issued, including the duration of the lease, the use to which the land will be put, and the person or company to whom the lease will be issued to.
Bainimarama says the protections and safeguards provided in the Act are much more than what is provided to the iTaukei landowners under iTaukei Land Trust Board laws and policies.
He says for this reason it is not surprising that so many iTaukei landowners have in the past under the former SDL government been frustrated with the management of their land by TLTB.
Bainimarama says this was when leases were issued without proper or any consent and landowners had been ignored on the assessment of rent and the use to which the land has been put.
He says these landowning units are now enjoying full market rent for the lease of their land and every single cent collected in rent is paid to the iTaukei landowning unit.
Bainimarama says SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula is also missing the point on the ILO Convention 169 on the Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.
He says in the course of the last few years the government has on many occasions addressed the issue of indigenous rights in Fiji and the safeguards provided for under the Fijian Constitution and the laws of Fiji to ensure that the rights of iTaukei people are promoted, protected and preserved. Bainimarama says the requirement for special measures does not mean that the Convention requires that indigenous people be given special privileges over the rest of the population.
He says unlike in other countries such as Australia and the United States of America where we have seen various violation of rights against indigenous people, the iTaukei are and have always been a dominant population, and is not in danger of losing their way of life.
Bainimarama says we are not speaking of a marginalised minority, we are talking about a majority community with a proud and active culture and a history of strong representation in Parliament.
The Prime Minister says the opposition’s continued attempts at trying to portray the iTaukei people as needing government protection is insulting and demeaning to the majority of the iTaukei.
He says the ILO Convention 169 provides protection for Indigenous and Tribal Peoples and their way of life, traditions and institutions especially where they are a minority population.
Bainimarama says in Fiji, the iTaukei are the majority.
He also says the government is tired of the old charade from the opposition and it is starting to bore them.
Bainimarama also says the Leader of Opposition keeps talking since 2014 how they will remove the FijiFirst government but he does not know which party will remove this government – SODELPA 1, 2 or 3.
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