Land parcels can be reverted back to landowners if they wish to cease designation.

Land parcels can be reverted back to landowners if they wish to cease designation.

Lands Minister Jone Usamate says this is an option available to the landowners if they wish to withdraw their land from designation after five years if the land is not leased.

Usamate says this is covered under Land Use Regulation which is a good example of landowners exercising their rights over their land under the land bank.

“This needs to be highlighted here in this House, to set the record straight over the numerous misconceptions often preached by members of the other side of the house that the government will rob landownership rights once land is deposited in the land bank.”

Usamate says there have also been claims that land bank is a breach of indigenous rights with no proper consultation and consent which is not true.

He adds the designation of any i-Taukei land into the Land Bank can only happen if 60 percent of the qualifying members of the relevant land owning unit agree.

Two land parcels have so far been reverted back to the landowners since the inception of the Land Bank in 2011.