2. Land A country cannot realistically progress unless its resources are fully utilised. Fiji has vast land resources. A good portion of it was leased to farmers (both ethnic Indians and iTaukei) by iTaukei Land Trust Board (formerly NTLB). No previous governments could provide for secure land leases, and worse former SDL (now SODELPA) ensured that leases would not be renewed my ordering chiefs to take back their land, let it go to waste and chase the tenants out. That was the same SDL government which NFP supported by giving their preferences not once but twice in 2001 and 2006!! Between 2000-2006 thousands of farmers were displaced overnight causing a rise in squatter settlements around the country. This did not only ruin the lives of many farmers but also broke the backbone of Fiji’s economy by bringing the sugar industry to its knees. What were once lush green cane farms became bush lands. To make things worse Fiji Labour Party relinquished government’s control on 7-8% of State Land and converted it to Native Land and directly causing mass evictions and creation of waste lands. The Bainimarama Government negotiated land tenures between the landowners and tenants and renewed thousands of land leases. It ensured that landowners got fair rents instead of their chiefs taking 75% of lease money. It ensured that tenants have land security and could reinvest in their farms. It created the Land Bank so that landowners could deposit their unused lands for the government to lease out getting money for the landowners in a free-of-charge service. Today farmers are more secure under renewed hopes and landowners are richer because they are getting fair returns on their property. A shining example is an i-Taukei brother who was a labourer on my farm today has his own cane farm, a tractor and another vehicle from the lease money which is directly deposited in his account by the Bainimarama Government bypassing the greedy chiefs. The Sugar Industry has been rejuvenated and Fiji economy is recovering as a direct result. ...And still some people have the courage to question the progress of the Bainimarama Government?? They will stoop to the lowest levels to discredit this government for political gains. The truth must be told and people must awake now, weed out the conniving politicians and show them that we will not be fooled again. The baton has been passed and Bainimarama will see through this race!
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 20:35:00 +0000
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