The Tui Macuata is optimistic that the path mapped out in the Draft People's Charter on making land more accessible to the people of Fiji will solve the longstanding land problems we have faced for decades.
Ratu Aisea Katonivere said land lying idle does no good for anyone, and anything that can improve the lives of his people will not be opposed.
However, the Viti Land and Resource Owners Association General Secertary Ratu Osea Gavidi said all the 5000 landowning units in the country must be consulted before the interim government, the NCBBF or the NLTB discusses anything further on access to land in the country.
The Sugar Cane Growers Association has welcomed the proposal and is optimistic that the landowners in the sugar belt will agree to the making more land accessible.
The Draft Charter highlights that key measures and actions must be taken with due priority and urgency to create a market for leased land, through sustainable lease arrangements, to improve accessibility to all users.
It proposes to make land available for housing as well as infrustructure, formalise " vakavanua" or informal settlement on all types of land, ensure security of tenure and equitible returns to both landlords and tenants, establish a Land Use Advisory Board including a National Land Register and a Land Use Development Plan.
The draft further proposes to empower indigenous landowneres rights to effectively spearhead individual indigenous landowners participation in commerce and entrepreneurship.
