3 Oct 2002

Fiji Native Land Trust Board changes policy on renewal of land leases

11:55 am on 3 October 2002

Fiji's Native Land Trust Board says it is ready to give conditional renewal to all expiring leases.

It's public relations officer, Nimilote Naivalurua, says the board would first have to verify the current and future land needs of landowners as laid down in the Native Land Trust Act.

If the landowners agree to the renewal of expiring leases, then the NLTB will proceed to renew them.

If the landowners do not agree to the renewal of expiring leases, then the NLTB will relocate the tenants to alternative land.

Mr Naivalurua says the NLTB is committed to seeing that more native land is made available for leasing on fair and reasonable terms, not only for sugar cane farmers but for other agricultural, commercial and residential purposes.

The change in policy comes after nearly four thousand leases expired and most of their tenants were evicted.