LANDOWNERS of Nabukarabe in Labasa are advising residents to store water from today, warning they may shut down the Nasarava water catchment if Government remains silent over the payment of more than $400,000 in compensation owed to the resource owners.
Landowning unit spokesperson Osea Waqanivatu said assurances made earlier this year by the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, the Ministry of Lands and the Water Authority of Fiji have not been met including the formalisation of a proper land lease.
“There is no proper lease agreement in place, we will be forced to close the water source if our agreements are not respected. That is why we are advising people to store water from today,” he said.
Mr Waqanivatu said the meeting with relevant stakeholders, including the iTaukei Land Trust Board, was useless as agreements reached during the discussions had still not been implemented.
“At the moment there is still no lease in place. We have not seen any lease document, not even a draft.”
Earlier this year, the committee representing the clan agreed to a $1.4million compensation package following discussions with the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB), the Department of Lands and the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF).
The landowners had initially sought $6million, arguing the amount reflected decades of unresolved lease matters over the land on which the Nasarava catchment operates.
Following extensive negotiations, TLTB chief executive officer Solomoni Nata met committee representatives in January when the parties later settled on a reduced compensation package.
Under the arrangement, the Nabukarabe clan was to receive a premium payment of $765,000, compensation of $610,000 and an additional $35,000 for land rental.
However, landowner Mr Waqanivatu said only about $607,000 had been deposited in April leaving an outstanding balance.
“We are still waiting. On April 7, money went into the bank account and about $607,000 was distributed evenly among the three families.
“We were told before the end of the month we would receive the second payment, but we have been promised so many things.”
Questions sent on Monday to the TLTB, WAF and Lands Minister Filimoni Vosarogo remained unanswered when this edition went to press.
