Updated: 10:08am – Former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase is refusing to say whether he had made a statement back in 2014 that land will be taken away from iTaukei landowners under the 2013 constitution.
When questioned by Fijivillage today on whether he had made the statement and whether he stands by this comment, Qarase said he is no longer involved in politics.
When questioned further on whether this has been his stand, Qarase said he has no recollection on what he had said. He said that this was way back in 2014.
When asked on whether he wants to clear the air on iTaukei land now, he said we should just leave it at that as he will not make comments.
A video of Qarase is still being circulated on social media and some people are still using it as we enter the year of the general elections.
During the consultations of the iTaukei Land Trust Board with the landowners and other sugar industry stakeholders in the western division, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama raised the issue about Qarase’s video and rubbished the claim that iTaukei land will be taken away.
Bainimarama said under the previous government led by Qarase, the iTaukei land in Momi was converted to freehold land and the landowners lost that land forever. The iTaukei land in Denarau was also converted to freehold land.
Section 28 sub section (1) of the 2013 constitution states that the ownership of iTaukei land shall remain with the customary owners of that land and iTaukei land shall not be permanently alienated, whether by sale, grant, transfer or exchange except for acquisition for public purposes. Sub section (2) states that any iTaukei land acquired by the state for a public purpose shall revert to the customary owners if the land is no longer required by the state.
A video viewed by Fijivillage shows Qarase saying in 2014 that the 2013 Constitution does not have the protection of the Senate that was in the 1997 Constitution.
Qarase says we all know that only 50 candidates are part of the parliament and if 26 members agree on a proposed law, then it is a law.
The 2013 constitution clearly states that any change to the constitution would require 75% of support in parliament and it will then go to all the registered voters where a referendum will be held and 75% of the registered voters have to say yes to the change.
Meanwhile Bainimarama says all efforts are underway to increase sugar production in the country. He says the budget for the sugar industry increased to $60 million this year.
The budget has doubled compared to the previous year. Bainimarama says cane production is also expected to increase to 2 million tonnes.
He says $16 million has also been allocated for the cane replanting programme. Based on this, Bainimarama says there was 5,671 hectares of cane planted in 2017 compared to 3,900 hectares in 2016.
He also highlighted that we have 30,000 hectares that remains idle or under-utilised and he hopes that the grant is utilised to plant more cane.
Bainiamarama also says that the Committee for the Better Utilisation of Land initiative was set up in 2010 to assist farmers in the renewal of their agricultural leases and provide incentives to landowners to give their unutilized land for leasing.
He says this is a win-win relationship for landowners and tenants. The Prime Minister says over $50 million has been paid out to landowners under the initiative since 2010.
He says in 2010, the agricultural lease renewal rate stood at 47% while it was over 80% in December 2017.
-Fiji Village
Featured image: Former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase [Photo: ABC News]
