The Department of Land and Mineral Resources has placed a freeze on foreshore leases due to concerns raised about the sustainability of man groves.

This issue has been raised at five public consultations held around the country in the past two months.

The Minister for Land Mereseini Vuniwaqa says foreshore leases will be implemented after they are internally vetted by the government.

“There is a mangrove management plan that is there at the moment and it’s going internal vetting within government and once that ’s become policy it will become part and partial of every foreshore that we will give out.”

Vuniwaqa says the initiative cannot be tackled by the ministry alone as it needs inter agencies coordination