Mosese Raqio 
The Land Transport Authority says recent changes to the Public Service Vehicle permit system are aimed at protecting the integrity of the transport sector and improving service delivery.
LTA CEO Irimaia Rokosawa made the comments in response to concerns raised by Dialogue Fiji.
Rokosawa says extensive consultations were carried out before the reforms were introduced, including discussions with seven financial institutions between September 2024 and March 2025, and nationwide public consultations across all four divisions in October last year.
He says the decision to remove taxi permit transfers through Sale and Purchase Agreements is intended to stop speculative trading and prevent permits from being treated as commodities.
Rokosawa stresses that the focus is now on ensuring permits are used to deliver services to the public.
He adds that the new framework still allows access to financing, with PSV permits able to be used as security subject to LTA approval, and lenders able to recover debts through approved permit disposal processes.
Rokosawa says all permit disposals will require LTA oversight.
He maintains that the reforms are not designed to disadvantage lawful permit holders but to ensure fairness and accountability across the sector.
The LTA CEO adds that the authority will continue engaging with stakeholders as the changes are implemented.
