Taukei Land Trust Board office

The newly appointed administration of the iTaukei Land Trust Board is actively working to strengthen its ties with landowners across the country.

TLTB Acting Chief Executive Solomoni Nata emphasized the need to restore the relationship with landowners, acknowledging the historical and legal evolution of the organization since its establishment in 1940.

Nata highlighted that the TLTB, now 84 years old, has undergone significant changes due to shifts in government and amendments to the constitution. These changes have, at times led to divisions within the TLTB and strained relationships with landowners and chiefs, a situation that persists to the present day.

In previous years, chiefs played a pivotal role in determining land ownership, often relying on traditional practices rather than documented procedures.

“The landscape changed in 1874 when Fiji was ceded to Great Britain. This marked the beginning of a more structured approach, with land tenure becoming a prominent topic of discussion in the Council of Chiefs.”

The TLTB is proactively addressing these historical dynamics by revisiting provinces and collaborating more closely with landowners.

The initiative has commenced in the Ba Province, signalling a commitment to fostering transparency, understanding, and cooperation between the TLTB, landowners and traditional chiefs at the same time ensuring a more inclusive and collaborative decision-making process regarding land matters in Fiji.