Forty families living at Field 40 in Lautoka will now not have to worry about eviction for the next 99 years.

Prime Minster Voreqe Bainimarama today handed out their Approval Notices to Lease.

The residents have previously been occupying the State land with no legal status and no security.

Speaking at the handing over of the approval notices, Bainimarama stated that the 40 notices are the first of a total of 144 that will eventually be issued to the residents there.

Government is planning to hand out another 18 notices within the next few weeks and the rest to follow.