The Assistant Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna has highlighted the negligence of leadership that exists in villages around the country.

He expressed the concern at the Land Use Master Plan Key Stakeholder Consultation organized by the iTaukei Land Trust Board in Suva.

Tubuna says as a result of the issue, a significant number of people who own land cannot utilize and maximize the opportunities available on their natural resources.

“People are so divided, there is nobody there to take leadership in their communities and this is another sort of thing that affects what we are trying to do. We should be thinking about it in the long term and not thinking about how we can maximize income for the landowners not just in the short term.”

Tubuna says the laxity has exacerbated other social and economic issues.

He says the matter has prompted the government to undertake a social re-engineering programme to help people make the right decision in villages.

The Assistant Minister says the empowerment of landowners ensures that they undertake decisions that are sustainable for their families and communities.