3 Feb 2007

Fiji military announces audit of Lands Board

8:38 am on 3 February 2007

The general manager of Fiji's Native Lands Trust Board, Kalivati Bakani, has been sent on leave pending an audit of the board's functions and its 10-million US dollar information technology system.

The NLTB manages over 90% of all land in Fiji which is owned by indigenous Fijians.

The interim minister for Fijian affairs, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, says the audit has been commissioned because of growing concerns about the NLTB's management, the misuse of its resources and the failure of the new IT system to deliver its objectives.

Ratu Epeli says the chairman of the NLTB, President Iloilo, has approved the audit which will take about seven weeks.

Earlier this week the interim prime minister, Commodore Bainimarama, announced that the recently established commercial arm of the NLTB, Vanua Development Corporation, would be scrapped to enable the board to concentrate on its core objectives.