Landowners in Monasavu yesterday pleaded with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama to review the royalty and lease payment arrangement they have with the Fiji Electricity Authority.

Monasavu Landowners Association (MLA) chairman Jone Muavesi said the payments had not been reviewed for more than 30 years.

“We are requesting that every payment made out to the landowners concerning Monasavu should be reviewed,” he said.

“It has been a long time since the last review was done and some of the money that we are getting does not match the amount of land that we are leasing out to FEA.

“They should start the review with the royalty payments and then on to the lease payments.”

Mr Bainimarama said royalty and lease payments were reviewed every 10 years.

He said the next review would be done in 2023.

Meanwhile, Fiji Electricity Authority board chairman Nizam-Ud-Dean said the payments made by FEA to the landowners were based on how much electricity was produced by the Wailoa power station.

“The royalty payment was first made in 1983 when the Wailoa power station was first commissioned,” he said.

“And since its commissioning, every 10 years the royalty is revised upwards by 10 per cent.

“The first revision was in 1993, then another one was done in 2003, the next one was in 2013.

“This means the next review will be in 2023.

“So whatever electricity is generated out of Wailoa, the calculation is done with the 10 per cent upwards revision.

“Whatever is calculated is then given to TLTB to distribute to the landowners.”