The auctioning of Fiji’s islands is no longer whispered rumour; it is documented fact, advertised openly on international websites, and circulated in correspondence to Fiji’s regulators. Two iTaukei leasehold islands — Nanuyasesara and Nanuyabuli — are being marketed by Paramount Realty USA at reserve prices far below earlier valuations. This revelation is not an isolated incident, but part of a disturbing pattern: Foreign brokers, unlicensed and unregulated, exploiting loopholes in Fiji’s Real Estate Agents Act 2006, evading taxes, and enabling transactions through offshore secrecy jurisdictions. Complaints have been lodged with the Real Estate Licensing Board, the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Investment Fiji, and the Financial Intelligence Unit, yet decisive action is absent. What follows is a detailed investigation into:
n How laws are being bypassed;
n how sovereignty is undermined; and
n why silence from authorities risk turning Fiji into a haven for profiteers and criminal networks.
Alarm and complaints
THE disclosure that Nanuyasesara and Nanuyabuli are being auctioned online by Paramount Realty USA through Prusa.com has triggered outrage. Circulated documents sent to REALB, RBF, Investment Fiji, and FIU reveal reserve prices of $US1.7 million, far below earlier valuations of $US4.5 million. This is not a routine transaction; it is a direct challenge to Fiji’s sovereignty. Why are foreign auctioneers allowed to commodify indigenous lands? Why are regulators silent when the law explicitly excludes auctions? Citizens deserve answers, not silence. The outrage is compounded by the fact that these auctions are advertised internationally, bypassing Fiji’s oversight. The question is not whether this is happening — the evidence is clear — but why authorities remain passive.
The Real Estate Agents Act 2006 – Foundation and purpose
The Real Estate Agents Act 2006 (REAA) was designed to regulate Fiji’s property market. It established REALB, mandated licensing, fees, audits, taxation compliance, and adherence to anti–money–laundering provisions. Section 3 requires licences for any person conducting real estate business in Fiji. Section 28 mandates audits and compliance with financial reporting. Section 34 provides penalties for unlicensed practice. The Act also enforces a Code of Conduct, demanding honesty and transparency. Its purpose is clear:
n Protect consumers;
n ensure fair practice; and
n safeguard national assets.
Yet the Act is silent on auctions. This silence is not benign; it is a loophole that foreign brokers exploit to bypass Fiji’s protections. Why has Parliament not amended the Act to close this gap? Why is REALB not pressing for reform?
The legal loophole
Because auctions are not mentioned in the REAA, overseas brokers exploit this gap. Emails to REALB compliance officers demanded answers: “How is this legal under our current real estate laws?” No response came. Unlike local agents, foreign auctioneers pay no fees, employ no staff, and evade oversight. REALB’s inability to regulate auctions exposes systemic weakness. Who is watching REALB? Who audits its enforcement? The loophole effectively legalises foreign intrusion, undermining licensed agents who must comply with strict rules. Without reform, Fiji’s laws are rendered irrelevant, creating a parallel market where profiteers operate unchecked. This is not a minor oversight, it is a structural failure that undermines the credibility of Fiji’s regulatory system.
Tax evasion evidence
Documents show discrepancies between overseas marketing prices and Fiji’s declared public records. Islands marketed at inflated values abroad show far lower declared sale prices locally — clear evidence of stamp duty and tax evasion. Properties advertised at $US15 million were declared at far lower values in Fiji’s records. Transactions are routed through secretive shell companies in tax–haven jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, Vanuatu, British Virgin Islands, and Panama. Buyers and sellers exploit privacy laws in these black-listed jurisdictions, depriving Fiji of revenue. Why are these discrepancies not investigated? Why are prosecutions absent? The REAA requires agents to ensure vendors follow legal processes, including proper declaration of sale prices. Yet foreign brokers allegedly bypass these obligations, enabling evasion. This is not just financial malpractice; it is a betrayal of national trust.
Criminal networks and oligarchs
Evidence shows Fiji’s freehold islands have long been targeted by international criminals. In 2024, Vatuvara, Kanacea, and Adavaci were sold to Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov, reportedly with ministerial blessings. Prokhorov, once among Russia’s wealthiest, used these purchases as land banking to shield funds from sanctions. No tourism investment followed. Lau residents confirmed no tourism development or activity to date. This was purely financial sequestration. Why did ministers endorse such sales? Why did regulators not intervene? The REAA’s Code of Conduct requires agents to avoid transactions enabling criminal activity. Yet foreign-based brokers, unregulated in Fiji, allegedly facilitated such sales. Fiji risks becoming a safe haven for conversion of illicit capital into sought-after islands and valuable property, undermining sovereignty and exposing the nation to geopolitical manipulation.
The Paramount Realty USA email
The auction was openly advertised by Tara Schlitz, auction director at Paramount Realty USA, with contact numbers and licensing details. The email invited tours of the iTaukei Leasehold islands, Nanuyasesara and Nanuyabuli, noting reserve prices and marketing history. Listing broker Cara Milgate of Intero Real Estate Services was named, with full US licensing identifiers. This transparency in foreign marketing contrasts sharply with Fiji’s regulatory silence.
n Why is REALB not monitoring such advertisements?
n How can foreign auctions of iTaukei properties be compliant with the provisions of the iTaukei Land Trust Act 1940?
n Why are foreign brokers allowed to operate outside Fiji’s jurisdiction?
The imbalance is stark. Foreign brokers operate with impunity, while local agents face strict compliance. This email is not speculation; it is evidence of how openly Fiji’s laws are being bypassed.
The Sotheby’s NZ
complaint
Earlier complaints against New Zealand Sotheby’s Realty illustrate the pattern. Chester Rendell, a NZ citizen, marketed Fiji properties without a Fiji licence. It was noted: “It would be totally illegal for a Fiji–licensed agent to list NZ properties without a NZ licence.” Yet in Fiji, foreign agents face no sanction. The “unreserved auction” of Wavi Island in Savusavu was advertised, then withdrawn when the owner was dissatisfied with bids. This misleading conduct went unpunished.
n Why did REALB not act?
n Why did the Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) not investigate misleading advertising?
The REAA prohibits misrepresentation and unconscionable conduct, yet foreign brokers allegedly bypass these rules. This case shows how foreign actors exploit Fiji’s weak enforcement.
Government silence and complicity
Despite repeated complaints, prosecutions are rare. Correspondence was copied to REALB, RBF Governor Ariff Ali, Investment Fiji CEO Kamal Chetty, Minister Manoa Kamikamica, and FIU officers Caroline Pickering and Solo Nata of the iTaukei Land Trust Board. Yet no decisive action followed.
n Why are ministers endorsing sales to oligarchs?
n Why is the government prioritising foreign capital over national interest?
Government tolerance effectively abolishes the REAA in practice. Worse, Fiji risks being perceived internationally as a jurisdiction welcoming illicit funds. Silence is complicity, not neutrality. Citizens deserve transparency, yet authorities remain mute. The question is who benefits from this silence?
Regulatory failure – REALB and FIU
The Real Estate Licensing Board (REALB) and Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit (FFIU) are mandated to enforce compliance. Section 12 of the REAA empowers REALB to investigate breaches. The Financial Transactions Reporting Act tasks FFIU with monitoring suspicious transactions. Yet their failure is evident. Complaints are acknowledged, but rarely acted upon. Investigations lack publicity, leaving citizens uninformed. Brokers abroad operate beyond reach. Who audits REALB? Who holds FFIU accountable? REALB’s inability to regulate auctions or foreign marketing exposes systemic weakness. FFIU’s silence on the money–laundering risks of foreign transactions further erodes trust. Together, these failures create a regulatory vacuum where foreign actors thrive. Reform is not optional; it is urgent.
Protecting vanua and
nation
The auctioning of Fiji’s islands is more than a real estate issue; it is a national crisis. It exposes legal loopholes, tax evasion, criminal infiltration, and regulatory failure. It commodifies indigenous heritage and undermines sovereignty. If the government tolerates this, it betrays the people and the vanua. Fiji deserves better than silence. The path forward requires decisive prosecution, robust reform, and transparent enforcement. Who will safeguard national assets? Who will protect indigenous lands? The vanua is not for sale; it is the soul of the nation. Protecting it is not just law, but duty. Citizens, regulators, and leaders must unite to ensure Fiji’s most precious lands are safeguarded for future generations.
n DR SUSHIL K SHARMA is a former Associate Professor of Meteorology, Fiji National University, and Operational Meteorologist and Manager, Climate Research and Services Division, Fiji Meteorological Services. The views expressed herein are his and not of this newspaper.
