TEVITA Ralulu looks down at the table before taking a deep breath and puts it as simply as he can.
“My people need justice,” he said.
Mr Ralulu’s ancestral land was leased out for 999 years in 1907 making it the longest lease on land in Fiji.
The 710-acre piece of land at Toko in the Tavua district was leased to Eva Annie Easton and Harold Hames Thomas of Ba on November 15, 1907 – approved and signed by Charles A. Holmes as the acting Commissioner of Lands for the Colony of Fiji.
The land, owned by the mataqali Tilivasewa, was leased to Ms Easton and Mr Thomas at the yearly rental of 94 pounds seven shillings, which was to be paid in advance half yearly in the months of January and July.
Mr Ralulu said his ancestors, who were party to the agreement, did not know any better and suspected foul play.
“Nowhere in the world is there such a long lease term. It was done in 1907 so you do realise that those who had the power to manipulate the document have done so,” he said.
“I have been going to the iTaukei Land Trust Board and I have asked them if something can be done about this situation.”
According to TLTB, the lease was a legally binding document and the matter was a very complex one.
Mr Ralulu said the land in question had been subdivided over time and subleased to many parties.
“What has happened over the years is that the people who own the lease to the land have subdivided it and subleased it. They are able to enjoy greater returns while the true owners of the land are still getting as low as 10 cents every year,” he said.
“Where is the justice in that? The real owners of the land have nothing to show for while the person with the lease is making thousands of dollars.
“If the 999-year lease matter is in contention, the landowners then at least should be getting lease rental which is reflective of the current market price. I am sure the TLTB can do that.”
TLTB said they would look into it.
But Mr Ralulu says the longer it takes to decide on the matter, the more his people are suffering.
“We just want what we deserve and that is the lease rental to reflect the current market price,” he added.
A letter has also been written to the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, seeking help.
According to documents obtained by this newspaper, the land rental of 10 cents a year was being paid by a primary school to which a portion of the land was subleased to. Other subleased portions were earning an annual rental income, some of which amounted to $2.55, $2.85, $6.33, $8.55, $12.65 and $19.
The documents noted that there were more than 20 sub-leases on this 710-acre land.
