As the government is owed almost $33.5 million in arrears from State lease, Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo is encouraging all lessees to make full use of the amnesty period for waiving interest before it ends and pay their leases before 31st August.
Vasarogo confirmed this while responding to a questions by Assistant Minister for Finance, Esrom Immanuel on all State lease payment and arrears due as of June 2025.
While responding to question by Opposition MP Jone Usamate on specific timelines and measures to reduce the $33 million arrears, Vosarogo says there is going to be a more stringent approach that could be undertaken after the amnesty period ends.
He says iTaukei Land Trust Board has gone to a different wavelength of going to court, filing for eviction notices and publishing people's names in the dailies.
The Minister says they have thought about that but their approach is that they are a State and iTLTB is an organisation that has to survive and run on its own.
Vosarogo also says they are looking at the larger picture on how they can address these sorts of concerns when they review the State Lands Act of 1945.
He says they have done some revisions in the meantime, but there is a need for a broader and more consultative State Lands Act, which they hope to introduce before the end of the term.
The Minister says it does not have enforcement or when it does, it has a very soft approach to it.
