A LANDOWNING unit in Labasa has accused authorities of failing to pay millions of dollars in lease rentals for more than 75 years for the Nasarava water catchment, a critical source supplying water to thousands of residents.
Nabukarabe clan spokesperson Osea Waqaninavatu said the landowners had been kept in the dark over lease arrangements for the catchment, despite repeatedly raising the issue with relevant authorities since last year.
“We have been left without answers over the lease agreement for the water source,” he said, adding that the clan had waited decades for accountability and fair compensation. Nothing has changed despite numerous meetings.”
Mr Waqaninavatu claimed that proper lease payments had not been made for over seven decades and said landowners had never been provided with copies of lease agreements relating to the catchment.
He has called on the relevant authorities to immediately release all lease-related documents, warning that frustration within the clan continues to grow over what they describe as long-standing neglect of their rights.
“The issue is not only about money, but about accountability, fairness, and respect for the rights of landowners,” he said.
iTaukei Land Trust Board chief executive officer Solomone Nata did not confirm the amount owed in lease to the clan.
However, Mr Nata said they were finalising a long-term lease agreement with the Water Authority of Fiji over the lease issue of the Nasarava water source. The Water Authority of Fiji said they had been actively engaging with the iTaukei Land Trust Board and the land-owning unit to progress the leasing of additional upstream areas of the Nasarava catchment
“An offer has been submitted, and WAF has also sought technical and policy guidance from the Ministry of Lands to ensure the process is handled correctly.”
WAF said further discussions would be scheduled at a later time with TLTB to discuss the leasing agreement of the Nasarava catchment.
