Peceli Naviticoko 
Concerns regarding Fiji’s longest lease agreement in history were raised during the National Resource Owners Committee Talanoa session in Pacific Harbour today.
Tavua District Representative Ratu Ovini Bokini says the people of Tilivasewa are concerned with this nine hundred and ninety-nine-year lease agreement, which was sealed in 1907, and claims their pleas to amend this error have fallen on deaf ears for years.
He is urging Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to look into the matter.
“That land was given for 99 years, not 999 years. The landowners and members of the landowning unit still cry and need clarification on the issue.”
Tavua District and Ba Province Resource Owner Representative Ratu Ovini Bokini
Ratu Ovini further claims that they have not received any returns from this land deal since 1907.
“As you know, more than 200 houses and schools have been built on that land, and we as landowners have no idea where all of the money from that lease is going; even the Toko Bharatiya School pays 10 cents per year.”
In his response, the Prime Minister says a thorough analysis needs to be done on this supposed error.
“We’re going to need forensic scientists to study it properly because a different ink was used on the number 9, making it 999 years. So who are we going to blame for this? But for now, we need to start somewhere first.”
Rabuka has reassured the resource owners that careful research will be done on land issues in Toko and Tavua and is hopeful for a good outcome.
