BEHIND THE HEADLINES ON LAND DEBATE: FFP Lands Minister JONE USAMATE has been flagrantly converting Crown Agricultural LANDS to other uses, ignoring special protection accorded to SUGARCANE lands

THE ABBAS ALI LAND FILE AND AIYAZ KHAIYUM - NO FANTASY CLAIM
Coming soon: HOW Sudhakar was dumped as Lands Minister and Faiyaz Koya was brought back into FFP government after Sudhakar had refused to endorse FFP donor Abbas Ali's illegal extension of prime native land. Meanwhile, read on what new Lands Minister JONE USAMATE has been up to these days!

A SPECIAL Fijileaks investigation has revealed that after our arch critic ASHNEEL SUDHAKAR was booted out as Lands Minister, his successor JONE USAMATE, has been wily nily converting CROWN Agricultural lands to other uses in Fiji.

Our sources inside the Lands Ministry have informed us that Usamate ordered them to re-open and approve land conversions that were disallowed by the then Lands Minister Sudhakar. According to our sources, one WAISEA RARAWA of Nadi got his conversion done in spite of Sudhakar's refusal, who had disallowed the appeal too. "That should have ended the matter, " the source told Fijileaks. The conversions of these lands are highly irregular.

There is a strict process if someone wants to convert agriculture land to other uses, especially Crown leases. There is special protection for sugarcane land. There has to be written approval from Sugar Tribunal, Agricultural Department, Local Government and Fiji Sugar Corporation.

This week in Fiji's Parliament:

According to our sources in the Lands Department, during his time as Minister of Lands, SUDHAKAR strictly followed the law and scrutinised each and every application properly based on the  documents so that arable sugarcane land was not lost to other uses, since the lives of so many farmers depends on the sugar industry..

We have also been informed that AIYAZ KHAIYUM was allegedly forcing SUDHAKAR to convert in some cases where people approached him directly. These were mostly foreign-born MUSLIMS..
 
Now, according to our sources, the lands where Sudhakar had refused conversion, based on proper documents, are being converted anyhow by Usamate. The cases in point are Bhimas Company land in Rakiraki, Waisea Rarawa in Nadi,  Design Engineering boss Babba's land in Tavarau, Ba, and one Muslim lady in Wailoaloa, Nadi, whose identity we will reveal later.

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama says the opposition is misleading and misinforming Parliament with its misinterpretation and selective references to the Land Use Act 2010 as the plain and simple fact is that the law empowers the iTaukei landowners to better participate in the decision making process of how their land is utilized for their benefit as well as future generations.

While speaking in parliament on the Review on the Follow-Up Audit on the Management of the Land Reform Programme, Bainimarama says the opposition purports to argue that the Prime Minister has the complete power to make decisions on the utilization of iTaukei land without any consultation with the landowners.

The Prime Minister says the opposition fail to tell us that the Act prescribes that a minimum of 60%t of the members of the landowning unit must provide their consent before any iTaukei land can be designated for lease under the Act.

Bainimarama stresses that no land can ever be designated by the Prime Minister unless and until 60% of the iTaukei landowning unit provides their consent.

He has also highlighted in parliament that section 5 of the Land Use Act states that the ownership of any iTaukei land designated under the Act shall always remain with the iTaukei landowners.

Bainimarama says section 11 of the Act explicitly provides that any lease issued over iTaukei land must at all times take into consideration the best interests of the landowners.

The Prime Minister says the Act establishes a Land Bank for the benefit of all iTaukei landowners and takes into consideration the best interests of the land owners and the overall wellbeing of the economy.

He says the landowners have a say not just in the fair market rent of the land but also in the terms and conditions under which the lease is to be issued, including the duration of the lease, the use to which the land will be put, and the person or company to whom the lease will be issued to.

Bainimarama says the protections and safeguards provided in the Act are much more than what is provided to the iTaukei landowners under iTaukei Land Trust Board laws and policies.