The landowners of Mataqali Naita in Lekutu, Bua, have raised serious allegations against Fiji Pine Limited and the iTaukei Land Trust Board regarding the handling and abuse of their land lease by these two organizations.

Turaga ni Mataqali Naita, Tevita Raiova, says the current issue is that Fiji Pine Limited has refused to release a block of land known as Lot 16 back to the landowners since it does not have consent to lease after it expired in 2018. He claims that FPL has used the consent from another block, Korokadi West Cooperative, for the Natatubu block, which is also under Lot 16.

“We are tired of this blame game and ignorance. It’s been long overdue. All we are asking for is transparency and accountability when it comes to our land. We support the idea of maintaining the pine industry because it benefits us landowners, but all we are asking for is government intervention and doing it the right way and consulting landowners.”

Raiova adds that it’s unfortunate that landowners continue to be victims of negligence from previous administrations, as well as the current administration, and worries that other landowners in Fiji could also be facing the same situation.

Meanwhile, Fiji Pine Limited in a response says there is a deadlock as the Turaga ni Mataqali insist that the company do not have a lease.

Fiji Pine Chair says they will remain as a legal tenant as already determined by TLTB, and progress work on the land as it is mandated to do.