THE iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) is continuing efforts to address rent arrears while expanding land development initiatives to improve returns for landowners.
TLTB chief executive officer Solomone Nata highlighted this on Thursday while making a submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Affairs on the iTaukei Land Trust Board 2023 Annual Report.
Mr Nata acknowledged that outstanding rent remained one of the organisation’s key challenges.
“Of course, we have rent arrears,” he said.
“This is one of the main challenges that we are facing.”
He informed the committee that the level of arrears had shown improvement due to targeted strategies aimed at strengthening rent collection.
“For this year, we started off with $27,000,751. So, the rent arrears from 2024 have declined over the years in view of some of the strategies and measures that we are undertaking in terms of rent collection.”
He also outlined the role of the Estate Services Division in managing lease processing and land development projects.
“The Estate Services Division looks after our lease processing. They also look after our land development.”
Mr Nata said TLTB completed two major subdivision projects last year, which were now ready for sale.
“We have around two subdivisions that we completed last year – Vunitavola subdivision and Varavu subdivision (in Ba).”
“These are fully fledged subdivisions, tarseal and gravel, and we connect power and water into those subdivisions.”
He explained that the board initially meets all development costs on behalf of landowners, with long-term benefits expected to flow back to them.
“We bear all the costs for the landowners, and these are ready for selling right now.
“We’ll recover the cost, and the landowners will receive a much better return from the practicing of issuing individual leases for residential purpose in the area.”
