AN overwhelming majority of landowners have called for the ownership of minerals found on native land to be returned to landowners, says mining advisor Dr Apete Soro.
While speaking at the public consultations on the review of the Mining Act 1965 at Viseisei Village in Vuda, Dr Soro said the message was clear from resource owners.
He said since the start of the public consultations in the Central Division earlier this month, landowners had been persistent in their call for the ownership to be with resource owners.
“Currently, the law under the Mining Act 1965, all minerals found on the surface or underground are legally owned by the State,” said Dr Soro.
“That means everything that has to do with exploration, licencing and leasing of the land will be handled by the State.
“However, since we started these consultations, the message has been very clear from landowners.
“They want to own the mineral found in their land and it should belong to them.”
Dr Soro said about 90 per cent of land in Fiji was native-owned but the use and exploration of minerals was controlled by the Government.
“About seven per cent of land in Fiji was freehold while the remaining three per cent was Government-owned.
“These minerals, if the new law is passed, will be returned to the landowners.
“This proposed law will not be able to be changed by other agencies like the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, the Ministry of Land or the Director Lands.
“We have heard a lot of submissions from people wanting the ownership of the minerals to be returned to the landowners and we are putting these submissions in our final report.”
Public consultations will end in the Northern Division on April 18.
