Fiji's Tourism minister says proposed legislation to return all of the country's foreshores from public ownership to their native owners would be a positive for the tourism industry.
The law has created uncertainty for hotel and tourism stakeholders but Pita Nacuva says that stems from a lack of understanding about what the legislation might entail.
Mr Nacuva says he understands concerns from the industry and will try and reflect them as the government prepares the law to meet the needs of everyone.
He says the legislation would allow hotel and resort owners to fence off their beaches and reefs if they want, something they cannot do now.
"Because there will be some clear understanding of the ownership and the rights of the public and so forth, and I'm sure that will be taken care of. No I think it's a question of the government preparing a bill and there will be a wider consultation and that will be the formal avenues where the concerns of the industry will be heard, although we have been discussing it for the last few years now."
Fiji's Tourism minister Pita Nacuva
