Fiji Pine Trust chairman Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure believes the mahogany industry had a long history of governance issues because of “dirty politicians”.
While welcoming the passing of the Mahogany Industry Bill by Parliament, Ratu Rakuita said the legislation would ensure proper governance of an industry that, with good leadership and accountability mechanisms, would benefit Fijians especially resource owners.
“The reason the industry did not experience much growth for many years was because there were dirty politicians and people who only wanted to fill their pockets.
“Unlike the pine industry, it did not have a legislation that held people accountable.”
Ratu Rakuita said the Mahogany Industry Bill ensured transparency and a structure that allowed every level of governance was held accountable.
“For example, the Fiji Pine Trust is mandated to look after the welfare of resource owners.
“We are bound by the Fiji Pine Act. We have to ensure that we build capacity of our landowners and provide avenues in which they would be able to make use of their resource and benefit from it while, at the same time ensure, their business is sustainable.
“That is what we want to see with mahogany and resource owners.”
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu told Parliament recently the legislation replaced the Mahogany Industry Development Act 2010 with “a completely modernised governance framework built upon accountability, transparency, participation, equitable benefit sharing and long-term sustainability”.
She said the Bill also established the Mahogany Forum that would bring together landowners, government, the Fiji Hardwood Corporation, forestry authorities, investors, and industry stakeholders together under one national platform.
“No industry can prosper when landowners feel excluded from discussions concerning their own resources,” Ms Bainivalu said.
Other key provisions under the new Bill include the creation of a Mahogany Tribunal to resolve disputes over harvesting, royalties, leases and benefit distribution.
