THE iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) distributes more than $10million in lease funds to landowning units across Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata.
Macuata Provincial Administrator Reveni Rakasalu said the largest portion of this was shared among landowning units.
Mr Rakasalu said statistics provided by TLTB revealed there were 351 landowning units in Macuata Province.
“Macuata has the most landowning units with 68, followed by Labasa with 53.
“The province has a total land area of 193,914.5 hectares, of which 62,647.64 hectares are leased.”
He said lease payments received by the province of Macuata was $7,256,942.83.
Mr Rakasalu said the TLTB created an iTaukei Facility Fund, deducting 10 per cent from each land lease to assist landowners with development projects.
“Through this fund, Dreketi landowners were supported to purchase logging machinery at a total cost of $1.3m.
“Mataqali Nautodamu also received assistance for their one-third contribution of $180,000 for a farm tractor.”
He said 15 landowning units in Macuata were awaiting assistance from the fund.
