Jone Usamate

Fiji Institute of Surveyors Council wants stakeholders to fast-track applications for land surveys.

The Council says some of applications were lodged almost a year ago and delay in processing has been a challenge.

Council vice president, Jiten Singh is hoping the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, the Lands Department, and the Director of Town and Country Planning will assist.

“If they could help us a little bit we would be in a better place, we would have approvals faster people will be happy, we have applications that are sitting for a whole year now for no apparent reason at all so if they can clean that up.”

Minister for Lands, Jone Usamate says they have established timelines for these surveys.

“If there are any anomalies with the amount of time it takes its better that we get the specific cases so that we can work on the specific cases but generally across the ministry our focus here is making sure that where we have established timelines for any sought of work whether its land lease or concerns and so forth.”

There has been an increase in the number of people wanting their land surveyed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister says they have timelines that need to be met.