Inaccurate details on native land mapping and pine leases have been a persistent challenge for landowners in Vanua Levu.

This has been highlighted by the Vanua Levu Landowners Association Chair, Tevita Raiova, as members are frustrated with certain services provided by the iTaukei Land Trust Board.

Raiova claims that inaccurate land lease mapping is a major concern, leaving landowners uninformed due to inconsistencies in demarcating leased lands.

“This is one of the issues that still affects landowners; every time TLTB comes up with an updated map, it still has a lot of errors in what the landowners owe or are aware of. Sometimes the land we own or lease is less than what we know, so they go and update it. Once they give us an updated map, it becomes less than what was previously printed, which is quite frustrating.”

Raiova suggests that TLTB should conduct more field visits and surveys and engage directly with landowners rather than relying on stakeholder reports like Fiji Pine Board reports for updates.

He adds that the overgrowth of pine trees has also been one of the greatest challenges faced by his Naita tribe in Votua village, Bua, and he hopes that TLTB will address everything accordingly.

Meanwhile, questions regarding the claims sent to TLTB remain unanswered.