The Vanua Levu Landowners Association has raised serious concerns and disappointments about the current status and service of the iTaukei Lands Trust Board.

Chairman Tevita Raiova has highlighted to FBC News that with the new strategy in place and changes happening within the board and its leadership, certain objectives and agendas would be impossible to achieve or fulfill.

He says that this is because issues and concerns faced and raised by landowners in the past are still pending and yet to be solved or implemented through solutions by previous governments, when TLTB is again focusing on other new plans and strategies under the current government.

“We begin to see and hear new plans and changes by TLTB under this current leadership that will be a change maker for landowners and the indigenous people, but how is that possible when we still have unsolved issues and promises from the past government, including the Rabuka government, Qarase and Bainimarama government that are yet to be implemented.”

Tevita Raiova

Raiova claims that one key area that needs urgent attention is the TLTB Legal team, which is currently not fulfilling their responsibility to address the landowners concerns and requests.

He says that it has always been the case, both in the past and now, to have fresh law graduates from universities work in places like TLTB that require experienced lawyers that could assist with the request by iTaukei landowners in Vanua Levu.

Meanwhile, questions regarding the above concerns have been sent to the iTaukei Land Trust Board but have yet to receive a response.