The iTaukei Land Trust Board wants the government to buy-out the portion of land where the Vaturu Dam in Nadi has been built.
The Board has made a presentation to the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources about issues surrounding payment of rent and premiums due to conflicts over land boundaries between the different landowning units.
General Manager Operations Solo Nata says the site of the Vaturu Dam itself will never be reverted to the landowners and therefore it’s best that the government takes ownership.
“Monosavu was acquired. So when the lease expires, we cannot revert the land to the landowners so the best way to address this is to compensate the landowners now.”
Nata also confirms there needs to be a survey of Vaturu catchment area for the compensation of trees – one of the natural resources of landowners.
A volume assessment has been obtained from the Conservator of Forests and the TLTB will now write to the Water Authority of Fiji and the Director of Forests on an arranging payment by way of annuity.
