NATIONAL Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad has warned political leaders against using land ownership as a political tool, saying any attempt to transfer State land to Native land could undermine tenants’ livelihoods and the national interest.
Professor Prasad said control of all freehold land must remain with its owners, while State land must remain under the control of the State.
“The NFP has always very strongly advocated for the total protection of Crown/State land and Freehold land since it was founded as a political party in 1963,” he said.
He said freehold land ownership was inalienable and could never be taken away from its owner, just like Native land.
Professor Prasad said successive NFP leaders, including founder A.D. Patel, S.M. Koya and Justice Jai Ram Reddy, had consistently maintained this position.
He cited historical attempts by former prime ministers Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and Sitiveni Rabuka to transfer Crown/State Schedule A and B lands to Native land, saying they eventually accepted the rationale for keeping the land under State control.
He also criticised the 1999 decision by then prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry’s government to revert Schedule A and B lands to Native land.
Professor Prasad said the move affected thousands of tenants, with some displaced from their land.
He said State land was important because it could be used to benefit disadvantaged communities, particularly tenants.
“The lesson this should teach all political leaders and parties is that practising exploitative politics with land is harmful to the livelihood of tenants and against national interest.”
