A promise made before the 2014 elections, to develop more state land for squatter developments, all state land on which squatters have been living will be subdivided and squatters will be given ninety-nine year leases.

The government has started the process of securing the futures of tens of thousands of Fijians living in informal settlements throughout the country.

The first of these was the handover of “Approval Notices to Lease” to 40 families of Field 40 in Lautoka on Friday.

However, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the wait may take longer for some as they need to complete everything required under the law.

“There are still a number of outstanding issues to be addressed for the whole of Fiji in the weeks and months ahead. And key stakeholders in the housing sector will be meeting to consider these issues and finalize our policies on the allocation of lots in squatter settlements around the country.”

This means the families that have received their approval notices to lease from the government cannot be evicted for the next ninety-nine years.

This is the first of more than fifty other settlements where the government has committed to regularizing occupancy.