Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has stressed that the Bill to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act will never steal or change the decision making of the iTaukei landowners, and the Opposition members taken in for questioning by Police should find out what happened in Lautoka with the Taukei Movement last Saturday.
While speaking on Bill No.17, Bainimarama says we have to speak the truth about the Bill as there is nothing wrong with it.
He says he was also worried because it looked like SODELPA Leader, Viliame Gavoka was threatening the FijiFirst Government while speaking in parliament today.
Bainimarama says it has never been the policy of the iTaukei Land Trust Board to alert the landowners when the lessee wants to change who they bank with, when they want access to power and water or any other developments.
The Prime Minister says they are not taking away the rights of the iTaukei landowners.
He says it is a lie to claim that the landowners have a role in the process as it is an administrative matter.
Bainimarama says if a lessee steps out of line, they will be held accountable.
He stresses that TLTB will still evict a lessee who does not pay the lease monies or breach the fundamental terms and conditions and TLTB will also manage the leasing of the land itself after the landowner has agreed to lease the land.
The Prime Minister says that is the case today and tomorrow after the Bill becomes a law.
He says they are just reforming a broken time wasting and piece meal process in favour of the process that empowers the TLTB to focus on improving the value of iTaukei land and making a more strategic approach to ensure long term prosperity for iTaukei landowners.
Bainimarama says he supports what MP, Mosese Bulitavu has said, not because he is a member of SODELPA but because he supports the fact that he is a young man with land and he wants to do development for his people and this is a Bill that will help him.
According to the bill, Section 12 of the iTaukei Land Trust Act states that it is unlawful for a lessee under the Act to alienate or deal with the land comprised in the lease, whether by sale, transfer or sublease or in any other manner without the consent of the iTaukei Land Trust Board.
The iTaukei Land Trust (Budget Amendment) Bill 2021 seeks to amend the Act to remove the requirement of obtaining the consent of the iTaukei Land Trust Board for any mortgage, charge, pledge or caveat on a lease under the Act or for any such lease to be dealt with by any court of law or under the process of any court of law.
The Bill has been passed and the amending legislation will come into force from Sunday.
The Act comes under the responsibility of the Minister responsible for iTaukei Affairs.
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