Land surveyors have to deal with disputed boundaries and many a time this prolongs the completion of the respective surveys.

Prime Minister and Minister for iTaukei  Lands Voreqe Bainimarama highlighted this while giving an update on the status of un-surveyed iTaukei land in parliament yesterday.

Bainimarama adds the boundaries that are adjacent to each other pose numerous issues in particular when valuable resources are at stake.

When questioned by SODELPA MP, Mitieli Bulaunca on whether there is a process to deal with the disputes of land, the PM says that this issue is addressed by the Chiefs.

“There is only one survey that we know that is what our surveyors are undertaking and if there is any disputes, we leave it to those chiefs or landowners to sought out their disputes before we go back in.”

The Prime Minister also clarified there is no timeline considering the challenges faced by the surveyors adding that this is a project that will be years in the making.

“Carrying out land surveying is an intensive effort and government has equipped surveyors with the latest in surveying technology but even still the work often requires that survey teams demarcate boundaries on foot whether they are working in maritime regions or deep rural pockets of the country surveyors face serious geographical challenges. Aside from the rough terrain climate impacts have not only stalled many surveying projects, they’ve disrupted land boundaries right under surveyor’s feet forcing them to re-work certain sections.”

Bainimarama highlighted that as of now a total of 40 percent of iTaukei land has been surveyed with 60 percent yet to be surveyed.