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Amendments to the State Lands Act are not an attempt to win over voters.

While debating the changes in parliament yesterday, Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Inia Seruiratu pointed out that the Opposition was objecting simply because it is in their political interest.

The Bill was passed by majority, but not without Opposition MPs questioning the timing of the amendments.

Seruiratu shot down these claims saying the government is responding to the needs of people.

“They are always concerned about elections, elections, elections! It’s what politicians do. This is leadership – this is true leadership. What we need in this country is true leadership in politics and this is what this government is doing.”

The amendments allow unapproved sales of State land to be regularized by cancelling the original leases, subdividing land and issuing new titles.

This is in relation to farmlands where tenants sold off parts of their land without approval from the Director of Lands as far back as the 1980s.

Affected farms will be properly subdivided and proper titles will be issued to people who paid for the land but have had no legal ownership.