A question was raised by the Nadroga/Navosa Corporation Ltd operations manager Sitiveni Kunaika in the Cuvu consultation session on whether i-taukei land is protected under the draft.
Kunaika told the Attorney General that this is the question that everyone in Nadroga is asking.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said i-taukei land ownership is part of the culture of the i-taukei community and the Bill of Rights clearly states that nobody can change laws that will affect anyone’s culture.
Sayed-Khaiyum also said the Bill of Rights in the draft constitution also states that every person has the right not to have any interests in any property expropriated and no law may permit arbitrary expropriation of any interest in any property.
He said this covers all types of property including land.
Groups like the United Front for a Democratic Fiji which includes Doctor Tupeni Baba, Mahendra Chaudhry, Attar Singh, Mick Beddoes and Raman Pratap Singh want i-taukei land to be entrenched in the constitution to ensure that a simple majority in parliament does not change laws relating to i-taukei land.
However, Sayed-Khaiyum said the Bill of Rights provides that type of protection.
Story by: Rusiate Baleilevuka
