Permanent secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Dr Raijieli Taga says their staff are allowed to leave land rate arrears notices at a vacant piece of land as a last resort.
She made the comments when shown a picture of a land arrears notice cello-taped to a coconut tree on a piece of vacant land in Rakiraki.
“Through the regulations, those that have breached their lease conditions are issued notices,” she said.
“The said lessee had been sent reminders of his breaches several times, but no response nor payments made. “It is part of our procedures to issue breach notices and even to place it on the vacant land if no attempt by lessee is made to remedy the breach.
“Therefore, this was done by the team as the last notice issued before other plans of actions are taken to collect their arrears.”
Ms Taga said this mode of delivery of notices was also done to other lessees who did not respond to breach notices.
