Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has this morning ruled that SODELPA MP Mitieli Bulanauca’s petition is out of order.
Ratu Epeli told parliamentarians that Bulanauca is seeking Parliament to ensure a fair return and effective participation of resource owners in the development and utilisation of forest resources and in particular the petition seeks to revert the ownership of pine and mahogany plantations to the landowners.
The Speaker says the petition is clearly an attempt to get parliament to take action that is not within the powers of parliament and as such this petition cannot be allowed.
Ratu Epeli says it must be emphasized that there are existing written laws that cater for forests as well as pine and mahogany forests and industries.
The Speaker says leases issued under written law for iTaukei land for forestry provide for returns for landowners for the use of their land.
Ratu Epeli then said that it is landowners who have leased their land for pine plantation to Fiji Pine Limited and have received additional lease security bonus payments amounting to almost $12 million since 2013.
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