A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Methodist Church of Fiji and the iTaukei Land Trust Board.

TLTB chief executive officer Tevita Kuruvakadua, senior officers and Reverend Dr Jolame Lawasa were part of the signing at the Epworth Hall in Suva.

The MOU relates to land given by many iTaukei land owning units across Fiji to the church many decades ago.

According to the TLTB, the MOU will enable the sharing of digitised information between the church and the organisation.

Mr Lawasa said there had been instances where living descendants of those who originally gave blocks of land to the church were now giving out lots to other parties without informing the church.

This has become a major issue that needed to be dealt with immediately.

“There are many challenges where the lands given by our forefathers are being given again by some of the family members bringing other people to lease without the knowledge of the church,” he said.