Niko Nawaikula [left] and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji]

The Attorney General reached out to landowners while speaking in parliament yesterday afternoon, urging them not to believe lies being peddled by Opposition MPs.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was responding to MP Niko Nawaikula’s comments that the Climate Change Bill would be a disaster for iTaukei landowners.

He says the Opposition has repeatedly lied about land issues in the House, also making reference to a video circulated before the 2014 General Election.

“He’s lying to the public, he’s lying in particular to the landowners. I wish to address landowners directly. They (SODELPA) produced videos before the 2014 General Election saying if you support this government, if you support FijiFirst, this Constitution, you’ll all live in reserves like the American Indians. See the videos in the vernacular. Hon Nawaikula and Hon Bulitavu did it too”.

Sayed-Khaiyum says none of the claims made by the Opposition have come to pass, and yet they continue to use land issues as a political football.

“Why are there such gross, negligent lies to the iTaukei landowners? They are creating fear when there is nothing to fear. In fact, this peddling of lies is tied extremely closely to their political fortunes”.

The Attorney General again stressed that iTaukei landownership is entrenched in the 2013 Constitution and can never be alienated.