THE proposed new lease for pine landowners has been welcomed in the province of Bua.
The lease, which is expected to come into effect by July 1, 2019, was described by landowners as an answer to their prayers.
Landowners claimed yesterday at the consultation in Nabouwalu that they never knew the lease boundaries of Fiji Pine Ltd on their land.
Landowner Apisai Naulu of Nasaisaivua Village in the Kubulau District thanked Government for allowing the iTaukei Land Trust Board to rewrite a new lease for pine landowners.
“We have always wondered for many years where does the lease boundaries of Fiji Pine Ltd seat on our land,” he said.
“Most of us didn’t know and this confused us because we have a situation in the village where we can’t cut our pine trees because the area is leased to Fiji Pine Ltd.
“But we never leased that area to the company so this new move by TLTB to offer us new leases with the pine company is the answer to our prayers.”
Other landowners at the meeting shared similar sentiments and thanked Government for the initiative.
The new lease will include 50 years of pine lease period. TLTB executive Solomone Nata said his team would visit the landowning units next week to re-survey the pine leased areas in different villages and peg the boundaries.
Mr Nata said landowners would be given a copy of a map for the new surveyed area of their leased pine farm.
This, he said, is aimed at putting a stop to issues landowners have faced in not knowing the leased boundaries belonging to Fiji Pine Ltd.
