The iTaukei Land Trust Board says current mineral royalty arrangements do not provide a fair return to landowners and has called for major legislative changes to restore greater ownership rights over natural resources.
In a statement, TLTB said while ownership of minerals and petroleum currently rests with the State, owners of iTaukei and freehold land maintain full rights to their land regardless of depth.
The Board highlighted concerns with the Fair Share of Mineral Royalties Act 2018, under which landowners receive 80 per cent of royalties paid to the State.
However, TLTB noted the royalty itself is calculated from only a small percentage of the value of extracted minerals under the Mining Regulations 1966.
“Landowners will only get 80 per cent of the five per cent royalty paid to the State, for example, on the value of gold extracted,” the statement said.
Under current regulations, royalties are set at three per cent for bauxite or iron ore and five per cent for other minerals.
TLTB said the payments received by landowners were neither a “fair share” nor an equitable return from the use of their land.
The Board confirmed it had made submissions to the Fiji Law Reform Commission as part of ongoing reviews of the State Lands Act and the Mining Act.
Among the proposed changes is an amendment to the definition of “State lands” to exclude foreshores and soil beneath inland waters, allowing ownership rights to revert to respective iTaukei owners.
TLTB is also seeking amendments to the Mining Act to return full ownership of minerals to iTaukei landowners and qoliqoli owners.
The Board said additional submissions were also being prepared for the Constitution Review Commission concerning the same issues.
The proposals are likely to reignite debate around resource ownership, land rights and revenue sharing from Fiji’s mineral sector.
