The Native Land Trust Board has written to the Finance Ministry to reimburse more than $130,000 used by the Independent team appointed to investigate Fijian Institutions led by Colonel Apakuki Kurusiga.

It has been revealed that the Native Land Trust Board financed the Independent Team which was disbanded in March this year.

The NLTB and FAB were the only institutions investigated

NLTB Public Relations Officer, Nimilote Naivalumaira said there was some sort of arrangement made, but refused to comment further only saying that the Executive Director, Alipate Qetaki and Meli Benuci can comment on the matter, however when contacted both refused to comment.

NLTB officials say the $130,000 used was taken from landowners coffers and was used to pay for the team's $100 allowance per day, hotel accommodation and transport for the six member team comprising of Colonel Kurusiga, Ratu Luke Yavaca, Major Timoci Tuisawau, Ponipate Lesavua and Kalaveti Batibasaga.

Fijivillage News has also been reliably informed that there was some sort of agreement that the NLTB money used by the Colonel Kurusiga team would be reimbursed by the Finance Ministry, however NLTB is still waiting for the money to be paid back and they are now concerned as nothing has been forthcoming.

As earlier reported by Fijivillage News in March, Kurusiga's team was looking forward to the $1.3 million dollars from government to continue their work, but there was no money budgeted by Finance Ministry in the 2008 budget.

When contacted, Kurusiga directed all queries to the Permanent Secretary for Fijian Affairs, Ratu Meli Bainimarama.

Meanwhile, Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama in a media report last week stated that Kurusiga's team would change and its' work would depend on the availability of funds from the state.