Regime Finances Land Purchase by Indigenous Fijian

PEOPLE'S COALITION GOVERNMENT, FIJI

Regime Finances Freehold Land purchase by Indigenous Fijians

Issue No: 150; 27 October 2000

The Qarase regime has allocated $1m this year to allow indigenous Fijians to purchase freehold land.

The Qarase cabinet decided on Tuesday that the regime will pay the price for the land and transfer them to the indigenous Fijian mataqali who will get a term of 30 years to repay the government. No interest will be charged.

83% of all land in Fiji is already owned by indigenous Fijians. The Qarase regime earlier decided to transfer the 7.5% state owned land to the indigenous Fijians. The NLTB announced on 25 October that the NLTB will now control and administer 91% of all land in Fiji. The move to finance the purchase of freehold land by indigenous Fijians is intended to eventually see that the indigenous Fijians own all land in Fiji. 48% of Fiji's population is non-indigenous. It is barred from owning any land other than the small proportion of freehold land already owned by them.

End 27 October 2000

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