The Trouble With Native Land Administrators.

Fiji Sun article by the their Political Editor poses interesting but academically flawed questions about the issue of native land in Fiji. The following is an excerpt:

Landownership is ‘intact'



Maika Bolatiki
Political Editor
maikab@sun.com.fj

Last updated 10/24/2007 9:46:52 AM

A lot has been said about the People's Charter and one of the major concerns is the promotion of equal rights. The indigenous people are worried about this, especially when they have their own rights. Some interpret these equal rights to be transferred to land ownership.

It is a fact that this must be addressed. Can the indigenous Fijians lose their land ownership right? Some are trying to look at legal means of trying to have land ownership rights. Is the landownership of the indigenous Fijians safely protected under the Deed of Cession? Can this ownership right be challenged in court?
With the charter paving the way for a non-racial Fiji will it affect land ownership?


Let us look at the total social set up of the indigenous Fijians. They belong to a clan which is located in a village. Every clan in the village is represented by an elder, known as a mataqali. Then they have the village chief who has the total respect of all in the village. Fijians believe that there are two types of people, "taukei" - the indigenous people who are of the land, look after the land and own the land, and the "vulagi" who are visitors to Fiji,(including the Indians brought into Fiji in the late 1800s to harvest Fiji's major cash crop, sugar cane).

A politician said in his research: "The vulagi are not seen as belonging and therefore not obliged to care for the land. The Fijian categorises everybody into these two boxes - while we might be a "taukei" in our homeland we are a "vulagi" in theirs and vice-versa."

Former president of the Methodist Church of Fiji now a resident of New Zealand Dr Iliatia Tuwere summed this philosophy up to Fijians living in New Zealand in 2004, "It is good to always remember that in Aotearoa, we are visitors and will remain so. It does not matter how long we have been here in New Zealand, whether it has been for 40 or more years, we are and will always remain visitors here; we are however taukei of Fiji."

It can be clearly seen that land ownership is a key foundation of Fijian culture and for this region it has been fiercely protected from the first settlement of whites and Indians back in the mid-1800s. Today more than 80 per cent of land in Fiji remains in the hands of the indigenous people - although some of this is leased for up to 99 years through agreement with the village mataqali to hotels and, mainly, Indian farmers growing sugar cane.

It is this issue of land ownership that has been the source of much trouble in Fiji since its independence - including the latest coup in 2000. Just recently a submission was made by Ba lawyer Dr Shamsud Dean Sahu Khan to the Fiji Law Society on "Legal status of different types and/or ownership of lands and status of sea water and reefs in Fiji from the Deed of Cession 1874 - today".

He says it is very important to appreciate that under the Deed of Cession the proprietorship of all lands in Fiji except some lands were transferred and vested in Queen Victoria and her heirs and successors except the lands which had become the property of the Europeans and other foreigners and the lands which were in the actual use or occupation of some chief or tribe or not actually required for the probable (not possible) future support and maintenance of some chief or tribe."

It is a fact that the legality of land ownership is now questioned. Interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said there was a misinterpretation of the charter with regard to land ownership. He said land ownership rights would remain with the indigenous Fijians forever.

Land ownership is protected under the 1997 Constitution. The constitution clearly stipulates that any change to the Native Land Act must be passed by three quarters of the members of the Lower Hose and three quarters of the Great Council Chiefs in the Senate. The indigenous people are very suspicious because of the change in the GCC membership and the new move to hold a referendum to amend the constitution.

We applaud the strong stand taken by the Prime Minister. Land at no time should be discussed without the knowledge of the indigenous owners. They know for fact that land was acquired through tribal wars where lives were lost and this happened well before cession. Land acquisition also was through traditional means. Land is a very sensitive matter for the indigenous people. Their land is close their hearts and it is part of them.

How will they feel if their landownership right is taken away from them? The late Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna went around the whole country crossing mountains and rivers to establish landownership. The Native Lands Commission has records of this. It is not the right time and there will be no right time for the land issue to be brought up.
But for the legal birds there will always be a right time.

Land is linked to politics and this must be dealt at that level and at the right forum. I know there have been attempts made to amend the legislation in regard to native land but to no avail. With the new charter as the way forward for a new Fiji, it can only be a reality if the rights of the indigenous are protected.
One of the major sources of conflict in Fiji and the region has been the failure to respect the rights of the indigenous people.

As resource owners they should be fully consulted in development projects such as tourism or extractive industries like mining and logging that would affect their environment and subsistence livelihood. This is just a matter of courtesy and respect which is fundamental to human rights.
Just recently a United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights was passed.
The declaration does not take away or diminish the rights of others as guaranteed under the Constitution, so it should not be taken as a threat. Okay, the concern of the indigenous people remains and that is the move to have equal rights.
The new charter should clearly state in what areas the equal rights apply.
With the 1997 Constitution still in place, landownership rights for the indigenous Fijians is intact.

It is also a fact that landownership will remain with the indigenous people and no one can change that even by the power of the gun. Let us all hope the new charter will address the land conflict that usually comes up.

W hile, Bolatiki attempts to persuade native landowners that their ancestral land still remains safeguarded under the existing Native Lands Act. Where the rubber meets the road, grassroots landowners have been routinely abused by the officials from Native Lands Trust Board; who appear to have their own dubious agendas, well divorced from those of the humble landowning unit.

The newly appointed General Manager of NLTB, Semi Tabakanalagi has also some skeletons in his closet, with respect to access, accountability and transparency to landowners as an earlier S.i.F.M post outlines in regards to the negotiations for Natadola Project. Fiji Times website "Have Your Say" column has many posters questioning Tabakanalagi's character and ask why Semi Tabakanalagi wasn't removed along with the old NLTB General Manager, Kalivati Bakani.

The following comments are an excerpt from "Have Your Say".

Katalina Balawanilotu of The Greater Bay Area, CA (5 days and 6 hours ago)
14 million $$ in LEASE AREAS

IS A DISGRACE

When are these tenants going to pay up?

They cannot expect to make profit off the land yet refuse to pay the landowners

NLTB need to just cease completely

LANDOWNERS to have the freedom to sell or lease directly to tenants and get 100% of monies.

NLTB being the middleman is the hindrance for both the tenants, developments and especially the landowners.

KAI VIITI of Australia (5 days and 3 hours ago)
We do not know who we can trust anymore: they said it is a clean-up campaign?

Yet they have replaced Mr Bakani with his offsider: the man himself, Semi Tabakanalagi.

What is this man's reputation?

A major institution like the NLTB, which is the heart and soul of every Kaiviti, for;

1. Should always be transparent.

2. Everyone involved should always be accountable to the people.

Semi Tabanalagi needs to declare any business interests and shareholdings he has.

The Military appeared to cut the head of the NLTB, but elevated Semi who is just as bad as Bakani to control the Fijian Land?

The same group of rascals is still operating, untouchable?

Is this a clean up? What is our future Commander? Did you transfer us form a small fire to an inferno?

Are you selling the Fijians out? Just because of your fear of facing the justice? Are you really scared? Why?


Sikituru Villager of United States (5 days and 2 hours ago)
I don't believe it!

I thought this was a clean-up campaign to clean up NLTB and clean out Semi Tabakanalagi and yet they brought him back. NLTB is such a sensitive issue to us Landowners - why did they bring the culprit back. They should have checked his corrupt practises. I am so disappointed!


Rusanavanua of United States (4 days and 21 hours ago)
I'm not sure if Semi is the right man since he's tarnished with defending the words of Bakani "Fijians are not educated enough to manage their own land!" Semi Tabakanalagi also defended Dakeuidreketi's conflict of interest with being an executive of APRIL as well as being a NLTB Board member. Tabakanalagi word's will be come back to haunt him.

And the news of this Vanua Development Corp Ltd being preserved is also a big mistake. It appears that the FAB Interim Minister is being led down the same garden path. Clearly, the root cause of landowner's poverty is the NLTB(which has used Unimproved Capital Value) formula which is less than the Market Value prices for years.

#

Go NLTB Go of Fiji (5 days and 0 hours ago)
Reading thru the comments it seems a lot do not really know what NLTB is there for its functions/roles. Under their Act they have to administer native land for the benefit of native owners (fijians).

The 2 main bodies propping up the native Fijians are NLTB (land) and FAB (people) and they need to work in tandem to improve the welfare of Fijian in general and for land generating more benefits for them. Just trying to point at NLTB being corrupt, etc, etc is a mere waste of time but one needs to look at it objectively.

Why are the Fijian Landowners so poor, so uneducated and underdeveloped? Is NLTB only to blame or others as well including the individual Fijian themselves? There needs to be a revolutionary change in the Fijian mindset, social structure and customs to embrace the global changes we are facing. Is it the people's charter? The previous govt came up with affirmative policies to bridge the gab but it did not assist as much. More Fijians are becoming poorer, more in prisons, more getting sick (lifestyle disease and aids) is it NLTB's fault, FAB, BLV, Govt.

I suppose we all need to take a break and look again where are we going. The Indians took nearly 100 years to educate their children to where they are today holding to all the advantages in our society. For Fijians and landowners they need to take stock and try and work on strategies moving foward for the better. For the new changes at NLTB, my advice is listen/consult landowners more/better, an effective PR/education for landowners/customers,work towards intiatives that landowners and customers value and can take ownership on. Its a hard ask but its not too late and not impossible. Philp 4:13

One thing is certain that, Tabakanalagi has managed to sweet-talk himself out of scrutiny. What is a concern to many native landowners is, the perceived "Quid Pro Quo" made by Semi Tabakanalagi to the Interim Minister of Fijian Affairs, Epeli Ganilau; in exchange for his new post as General Manager for NLTB, which may include immunity from prosecution for prior abuses as a NLTB official.

Semi Tabakanalagi appears to have to have seat on the board of Yaqara Group, along with the former NLTB Board Member and APRIL Executive, Keni Dakuidreketi as the Yaqara Group website explains. This is the excerpt of Tabakanalagi's CV as posted on the website:




The question of ownership of Yaqara land was raised by former Fiji Senator, Dr. Atu Emberson-Bain during a heated debate in the 2004 session in Fiji Parliament. Hansard available here.

The following is an excerpt:

QUESTIONS AND REPLIES



Traditional Landowners - Yaqara Studio City

(Question No. 9/2004)



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN asked the Government, upon notice:



In the interests of expediting the studio city development at Yaqara and doing justice to the traditional landowners, could the honourable Minister for Fijian Affairs kindly: -



(a) Confirm that the Native Land Commission has conducted the veitarogivanua and that a ruling on the rightful owners of the Yaqara Studio City land has been made?



(b) Could he explain why there has been such a delay in confirming the ruling in writing with the rightful owners, namely, the descendants of the Bicilevu family, when the ruling was made four months ago?



(c) Can he confirm when the NLTB will submit a formal Memorandum of Agreement to the Bicilevu family for signing so that the studio city development can proceed without further disruption or delay?



(d) Can he explain why another landowning group, which is not the acknowledged owner, was involved in the recent installation of the Telecom disk in Ra, in apparent contradiction of the veitarogivanua ruling?



(e) Why did the NLTB draw up an unlawful Memorandum of Agreement with a landowning group without first establishing the rightful owners of the Yaqara land, and what are the liabilities likely to arise out of this unlawful agreement?



HON. SENATOR Q.B. BALE.- Mr. President, Sir, I rise to respond to the questions raised by the honourable Senator as follows:



(a) There has been no such inquiry conducted, because the Yaqara Studio City land which comprises three parcels of land, namely Nabuta, Qeledradra and Naqara (Part of) were sold as Crown Freehold land well before the Native Lands Commission was established. When the Commission was established, it conducted inquiries throughout Fiji on ownership of native land only. Freehold lands, like Yaqara were never the subject of such inquiries.



Moreover the Native Land Commission has not conducted any inquiry into the rightful holders of the subject or rather the initial native owners of this land and any land like it in Fiji, because it does not have the legal power to do so under its own act that is the Native Lands Act.



(b) Sir, the "ruling made two months ago" by the NLC was not a formal Commission sitting but merely a meeting with the Yavusa Navauvau of Korovou Village in Tavua to ascertain the current land ownership rights of Mataqali Nabulou and who the descendants of Bicilevu are.



On this latter issue, there were two claimants - the head of the Yavusa Navauvau of Korovou Village and Noa Sakava, a member of the Mataqali Nabulou, one of the mataqalis of the Yavusa Navauvau.



The Commission could not confirm that the descendants of Bicilevu at Korovou Village are the rightful landowners of Yaqara Studio City, meaning all those parcels of crown freehold land referred to in the previous answer, because it has no jurisdiction in such matters. However, the Commission advised the Bicilevu family during its meeting at Korovou Village on 11th August this year to take their claim to the proposed Lands Claim Tribunal when it is established (and I think he is referring to the Indigenous Claims Tribunal, which will be tabled in Parliament sometime next year).



(c) The NLTB is not aware of the Bicilevu family connection. It has issued a legal binding contractual lease to the developers of the Studio City, with the consent and blessings of the registered owners of the native land portion of Yaqara and the Yavusa Nadokana of Rabulu Village, Tavua. This is native land, which was formally Schedule A and was allotted to the Yavusa Nadokana under the provisions of section 18 of the Native Lands Trust Act.



(d) In order to answer this part of the question, it should be clarified perhaps, by the honourable Senator Dr. Emberson-Bain, who is this "another landowning group" that she is talking about or referring to, which is not the acknowledged owners. Further, we would like to know what is this veitarogivanua ruling that she is referring to because as I have said, there has been no such ruling.



(e) The NLTB is guided by the Register of Native Lands under the Native Lands Act on land ownership. The leasing process is within its legal jurisdiction and discretion to act as it deems necessary under the provisions of the Native Land Trust Act. As far as NLTB is concerned, it has acted in accordance within the confinement of its legal and moral obligations under that statute.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Mr. President, Sir, the honourable and learned Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has just asked what is this veitarogivanua that I am referring to.



Firstly, to refresh the memory of the honourable Prime Minister and Minister for Fijian Affairs and the staff of the Ministry of Fijian Affairs, two veitarogivanuas have been conducted in the past and officially recorded. The first one was actually on 29th November, 1926 and I can confirm that the honourable Prime Minister is aware of that; that established the rightful claim of the traditional owners that are descendants of the Bicilevu family.



Secondly, contrary to what the honourable and learned Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has said, a veitarogivanua was conducted on 11th August this year, in Korolevu Village near Tavua. When he gave his reply, he went on to effectively confirm that, but in his answer to part (a) of the question, he denied that it has not taken place. In fact, it has taken place.



My supplementary questions are; can the honourable Prime Minister and Minister for Fijian Affairs assure the House that the NLTB has not in any way sought to interfere with, overturn or compromise the ruling of the NLC, and in turn fought the legitimate right of the traditional owners to gain their ancestral land?



Secondly, can the honourable Prime Minister and Minister for Fijian Affairs give his assurance to this House and to the public that none of his Ministers has any kind of personal or financial interests, either directly or indirectly in the Yaqara Studio City Development or the Fiji Waters Development, both developments taking place on the land in question. Can he confirm that none of his Ministers is in any other way related or associated with any of the claims who purport to have a claim to ownership over the Yaqara land?



HON. SENATOR Q.B. BALE.- Mr. President, Sir, both questions are new in the sense that I think the honourable Senator could have realised that those are substantive questions in their own rights. If they were intended to be asked, they should be in the substantive question, even anticipating answers to the questions raised.



To be fair to the honourable Senator, I do not have the answers ready with me, Sir, but I would be happy to obtain the answers to those specific queries and give them to the honourable Senator, either personally or on the floor of this House, whichever way she prefers.



MR. PRESIDENT.- Honourable Senator, can you just wait for a while?



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Mr. President, Sir, I am requesting if I can ask my first part of the supplementary question.



MR. PRESIDENT.- You are asking a new question. These are supplementary questions, for the purpose of elucidating the questions that you had asked originally.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Mr. President, Sir, I do believe that I have a right to raise them, but the honourable and learned Attorney-General also has a right to come back with the answers at a later stage, given the fact that it does require him to go and search for the answers. So, I accept his response, Sir, but what I am asking him to do is to respond to my first part of the question, and that is in relation to the veitarogivanua that had taken place.



HON. SENATOR RATU G.K. CAKOBAU.- Mr. President, Sir, a point of order. Standing Order 51 - Relevancy. She is not a member of the VKB, even to ask about the native land or even about Yaqara. So, you just keep quiet and you will learn.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Listen, don't you point at me, honourable Senator!



MR. PRESIDENT.- Order!



HON. SENATOR RATU G.K. CAKOBAU.- Why? You should not talk about anything to do with NLTB or about our land!



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- You are saying that I have no right!



HON. SENATOR RATU G.K. CAKOBAU.- Yes, you have no right, you are not even in the VKB.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- And you are being offensive!



HON. SENATOR RATU G.K. CAKOBAU.- I am talking about something that is right. You are not in the VKB, so do not talk about it.



MR. PRESIDENT.- Order!



HON. SENATOR F. ANTHONY.- Sir, this is not the first time that the honourable Senator Ratu Cakobau has behaved in the manner he has. This is unparliamentary, disrespectful and brings disorder to this House. This is not on!



MR. PRESIDENT.- Sit down!



HON. SENATOR F. ANTHONY.- That is not on!



MR. PRESIDENT.- Now, honourable Senator, because you were not listening, I will put that question to an end. We will move on to the next item.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- The honourable and learned Attorney-General has not answered my question and because it was ....



MR. PRESIDENT.- I have made a ruling.



HON. SENATOR F. ANTHONY.- Sir, may I say that as President of this august House, you have a responsibility to be fair and that when questions are asked, they should be answered.



MR. PRESIDENT.- Order, I have made a ruling.



HON. SENATOR ADI L. CAKOBAU.- Mr. President, Sir, a point of order, Standing Order 2 - Ruling of the President must be adhered to.



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Yes, that's all you have to say.



HON. SENATOR ADI L. CAKOBAU.- That's all I'm saying, honourable Senator.



MR. PRESIDENT.- Order!



HON. SENATOR ADI L. CAKOBAU.- If you have anything to say, do it the proper way - stand up and speak. He has made his ruling. You sit down!



HON. SENATOR DR. A. EMBERSON-BAIN.- Don't you tell me to sit down!



MR. PRESIDENT.- Order!



HON. SENATOR ADI L. CAKOBAU.- Keep quiet, I have a right, like you have.



MR. PRESIDENT.- Honourable Senators, before I call on the next item, I have already said why I had put an end to that question. It is simply because honourable Senators were not listening to me, so I decided to put an end to that question and then I called for the next item.



If you want to ask a new question, you put it forward in writing for the next meeting.

That particular debate on the question of ownership of Yaqara raises more questions than answers. On 14th February 2005, the company was issued a 99 year Crown lease No 15734 by the Department of Lands and Survey of the Government of Fiji, for Crown Land totaling 1091.2668 hectares and effective from 1st January 2003. The specific purpose of the use of the land is described as for the “Development of the Studio City”.
Why is NLTB representative sitting on the Yaqara Board of Directors, when the Department of Lands issued the 99 year lease?

How will NLTB General Manager, Semi Tabakanalagi demarcate his interests of being a icon of Native Lands Trust Board but at the same time, representing the interest of the land developer called Yaqara Group?


It appears that something drastically amiss in this clean up of NLTB, because the abolishment of NLTB"s commericial arm company "Vanua Development Corporation(VDC) was one of the main demands made to deposed Fiji Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase by Army Commander, Frank Bainimarama prior to the 2006 coup.
The List of Demands:

1.)Drop the controversial Qoliqoli and Reconciliation, Truth and Unity Bills.

2.) Abolish the Native Land Trust Board'’s commercial arm Vanua Development Corporation. The NLTB has to only serve its core function of helping the landowners.

3.)Audit the provincial council's’ financial status, which had not been done for the past years.

An excerpt from a Fiji Government website article describes the lack of credibility with Tabakanalagi:

Minister hears Natadola landowners grievances
Jun 22, 2007, 17:30

The Interim Minister for Fijian Affairs, Heritage, Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs Ratu Epeli Ganilau along with officials and board members of the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB) were in Nadroga yesterday (21/06/07) to meet the disgruntled landowners of Natadola.

The landowners of Sanasana Village are unhappy with the way the NLTB has been handling their piece of land on which the Natadola Hotel is currently being constructed.

Sanasana Village is located near the coast of Nadroga and comprise of seven clans, 12 sub-clans and 18 tokatoka’s (extended families). Ratu Epeli was accompanied yesterday by the Chairman of the NLTB Standing Committee, Ratu Tuakitau Cokanauto and Board Members Ro Epeli Mataitini and Nemani Buresova.

Representing the NTLB were Acting General Manager Joveci Tuinamuana, Deputy General Manager Operations Semi Tabakanalagi, Client Relations Officer Mataiasi Bolatagane and Mesake Mara.

According to Village Headman Ilami Nabiau, the village was now split over the Natadola saga. Speaking in Fijian, the 83 year old said the village was looking forward to meeting Ganilau and were determined to find the truth about April Investment.

“All we want to know is the truth behind this people so we can solve this problem here and now. If the government is telling the truth, than so be it.

“All we’re saying that a lot of money has been spent by the FNPF in financing the investment company who’s contract has been terminated. We want to know if the development at Natadola will continue. If so, who will fund its continuation,” he said.

Mr Nabiau said an invitation had also been extended to the Roko Tui Nadroga to come and hold discussions with the villagers but this did not eventuate because of differences that arose between the two factions. He says he hoped the Minister will clarify these issues with them in the meeting.

Another villager who wished to remain anonymous said the village comprised of two factions; one for the government and the other for April Investment.

“Some of them had been given money by Mr Salliot and this is why they want the company back,” the villager said.

Villagers at the meeting yesterday were clearly frustrated at the NLTB officials saying they had fooled them.

“ You (Tabakanalagi) came to us during the early stages of our discussions regarding the use of our land. You had so many things to say and yet nothing has happened so far,” another villager said.

“Having the Fijian Affairs and the Ministry of Lands advising us is enough. We don’t want the NLTB.”

The villagers also questioned whether it was lawful for Keni Dakuidreketi to hold two positions simultaneously. Dakuidreketi was a former member of the NLTB Board and CEO of April Investment while primary discussions for developments at Natadola was taking place.

Ratu Epeli reminded the villagers of the NLTB’s role saying they were first founded to protect the rights and interest of the indigenous landowners. He also urged the villagers to reconcile, solve their differences and work towards a resolution that would benefit them and their future generation.

“You must come to a final resolution so that for a start, we don’t lose the money of the people who contributed to the FNPF and also the investment of the FNPF is at stake here,” Ratu Epeli said.

Ratu Tuakitau told the villagers that problems will be encountered along the way and encouraged the villagers to embrace the future and the many good things that the Natadola Project would yield them.

The Minister and Ratu Tuakitau both reassured the villagers they would do all they can within their constitutional powers to ensure that those who had abused their positions for personal gains would be brought to justice.

-End-

"Villagers at the meeting yesterday were clearly frustrated at the NLTB officials saying they had fooled them.

“ You (Tabakanalagi) came to us during the early stages of our discussions regarding the use of our land. You had so many things to say and yet nothing has happened so far,” another villager said.

“Having the Fijian Affairs and the Ministry of Lands advising us is enough. We don’t want the NLTB.”"

A Fiji Times article also raises serious questions about the honesty of Tabakanalagi. The following is an excerpt of the FT article:

Landowners query board loyalty
Fiji Times
Monday, July 24, 2006

THE Native Lands Trust Board was last week required to provide landowners of one of the country's largest tourism developments the reassurance that they are committed to protecting landowners' interests.

NLTB's Deputy General Manager Operations, Semi Tabakanalagi was swamped with concerns regarding the loyalty of the board during a meeting with landowners from Sanasana Village in Sigatoka.

Seven landowning units from the village own the land on which the Natadola Marine Resort project is currently being developed. A delegation led by Mr Tabakanalagi traveled to the village on Thursday to address grievances raised by landowners.

However, during the meeting Mr Tabakanalagi and his team were bombarded with claims that the board was working more with the project developers and either ignoring or sacrificing landowners' interests.

Landowners' spokesman, former cabinet minister and senator, Apisai Tora said the four units he was representing were concerned about their rights and interests being sacrificed to ensure the project continued.

Mr Tora said a major concern of landowners was Keni Dakuidreketi's position with NLTB while being the main developer for the project. "This is a clear case of conflict of interest and this has raised a lot of eyebrows within the landowning units of Sanasana."

"Since Mr Dakuidreketi is the main developer, we are concerned that all decisions made by the board would be made to see that the project went ahead regardless of whether our rights were sacrificed," he said.

"Even though NLTB is our trustee, it seems that it is pushing the company's interests," said Mr Tora. "We have some grievances with several works that the developers are carrying out so how do you expect us to trust that the board will address our concerns when the developer is sitting on the board," Mr Tora asked.

Attempts to contact Mr Dakuidreketi yesterday were unsuccessful. But Mr Tabakanalagi said there was nothing to worry about because the board always fought for the rights and interests of landowners. He promised that no decision would be made in favor of the developers because Mr Dakuidreketi was a member of the board.

"You do not have to worry about Mr Dakuidreketi because that is our job to see that he carries out his duties properly. NLTB is always for the landowners and your rights and interests are always our priority," Mr Tabakanalagi said.

However, several legal precedents made by several notable cases in Fiji have thrown the spanner in the works with regards to the Fijian understanding of land ownership and squaring that particular claim with past legal cases. One particular paper, addresses the Fijian Understanding of the Deed of Cession.

Several of these legal case has been addressed by a working paper authored by Sunil Sharma LLB. The following excerpt is the conclusion of the paper:

Conclusion

The control of all native lands is vested in the NLTB, which makes the decisions for the landowners, but without consulting them. The relationship according to the Native Land Act is one of trustee and beneficiaries yet the beneficiaries are not consulted on matters affecting them. As already seen the members of the matagali or the matagali itself do not have the locus standi to bring out an action against the NLTB.

Although there are other remedies available, however, the legislation has deprived the right of the landowners in suing the NLTB in their personal capacity or as a landowning group. The cost involved for a judicial review is expensive therefore a deterrent to the landowners as majority of them are poor. The role of the landowners is that of being the "shadow" or the "instruments" of the NLTB, the legislation's governing the natural resources directly shows a disregard to the Fijian culture and traditions.


On the "white paper" the landowners have been given the recognition but this is not so in reality, most of the landowners do not know what will happen to their land because they do not participate in the decision making process. The NLTB deducts 25% and there is a further 30% deducted before the members receive their share. The amount finally received may not be much because of the number of members eligible to receive their shares.

The current crisis in Fiji can therefore be attributed to the current system, the decision by the landowners not to renew the expiring leases under ALTA is justified because they don't receive much financial benefits after all. They will be better off using their own land and earning an income for themselves. The NLTB has for very long enjoyed itself by "riding on the shoulders" of the landowners, times are changing the landowners sooner or later will discover the importance of their role in the real sense. Its now or never, the concerns of the landowners must be heard they need a fair share of the "cake" which rightfully belongs to them.

It is suggested that the following recommendations might be considered:

1. Update on the legislation's dealing with the Native Lands in Fiji.

2. NLTB to reduce their 25% administrative fees, needs to be downsized or dissolve the NLTB completely.

3. New legislation's to incorporate the participation of the landowners in the decision making process

4. Vakavanua arrangements to be made legal

5. Chiefs to play a formal role in dispute settlement before the matter can be heard by the Native Land Commission.

Another view of the legal precedence in Fiji case, demonstrates that despite the understanding of most landowners, mostly reinforced by misconstrued information delivered unapologeticaly by some ill-informed writers like Bolatiki.
The following excerpt is from the ruling form a Supreme Court case: Kaliavu v Native Land Trust Board [1956] FJSC 1; [1955-57] 5 FLR 17 (27 August 1956)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FIJI
CIVIL JURISDICTION

[No. 107 of 1954]

BETWEEN:

MELI KALIAVU
VITALE VOKAVOKA
VILIAME ROGICA
LEONARE BIU
KOSETATINA TAGOVIKI
All of Lawaki, Sawakasa, Tailevu North, Members of the Mataqali
"MATANIVUGA"
Plaintiffs

AND:

THE NATIVE LAND TRUST BOAD
Defendant

Mataqali land - members suing in personal capacity - no right of action.

The plaintiffs, five of a mataqali of some 150 members, instituted this action against the Native Land Trust Board. They claimed damages and all injunction restraining the defendant Board from granting a lease to one Yee Cheng Foo of a portion of the land owned by their mataqali. The plaintiffs sued in their personal capacity as members of the mataqali and not in a representative capacity on behalf of the mataqali.

Held. - If any damage has been suffered by the mataqali as a result of any action by the Native Land Trust Board for which the Board is liable in lam to pay damages, the mataqali could undoubtedly recover them. It was not however open to individual members to sue and recover damages in their own personal capacity. Nor could the plaintiffs succeed in their personal claim to the equitable remedy of an injunction.

Judgment for the defendant Board.

F.M.K. Sherani for the plaintiffs.
D.M.N. McFarlane for the defendant.

HAMMETT, J. [27th August, 1956]-

In another Supreme Court decision in the case of Dikau v Native Land Trust Board [1986] FJSC 7; [1986] 32 FLR 179 (9 May 1986) which Justice Rooney concluded that:

There is nothing in that section which gives a right to any member of a mataqali to challenge the action of the Native Land Trust Board established under the Native Land Trust Act, Cap. 134. The section seeks to regulate the rights of Fijians in accordance with native custom. This is not a suit in which the question of the tenure of land amongst native Fijians is relevant. It is an action in which a group seeks to assert a right on the basis that they have a beneficial interest in land owned by the mataqali of which they are members.

The common law and the rules of equity cannot be applied to a system of land holding which is alien to and independent of the law of England as the received law of this Dominion. In the result there is in existence a system of legal dualism.

A mataqali cannot be equated with any institution known and recognised by common law or statute of general application: The composition, function and management of a mataqali and the regulation of the rights of members in relation to each other and to persons and things outside it are governed by a customary law separate from and independent of the general law administered in this Court.

In the case of Native Land Trust Board v Narawa [2004] FJSC 7; CBV0007.2002S (21 May 2004) may have also placed the issue of mataqali rights under a new light by overturning the ruling by Justice Rooney in the case of Dikau VS NLTB (1986).

The excerpt of the Appeal Courts Judgement is as follows:

Reasons for Judgment of the Court of Appeal

16 The Court considered the legal position of the mataqalis. It accepted as “clearly established” that an individual member of a mataqali could not sue and recover damages personally where damage had been suffered by the group – Meli Kaliavu v Native Land Trust Board (1956) 5 FLR 17; Naimisio Dikau No 1 & Ors v Native Land Board & Anor CA No 801/1984; and Waisake Ratu No 2 v Native Land Development Corporation & Anor (1987) Civil Action No 580 of 1984.

The Court referred to divergent views expressed by Rooney J in Naimisio Dikau No 1 and Cullinan J in Waisake Ratu No 2 on the question whether the traditional interests of a mataqali could be recognised under Fijian law. In the latter case, Cullinan J said that he did not consider that a mataqali or a tokatoka was an institution alien to the applied law of Fiji. It did not require judicial ingenuity to equate either of these bodies to an unincorporated association. Their members shared a communal proprietary interest. While land holding might be individual in places they were nonetheless communal proprietary rights such as those over the veikau or forest. Cullinan J had said:

1.

“Such groups are of common agnatic descent, the individual membership and leadership and the physical location and proprietary rights of which are by statute recorded in the Register of Native Lands, preserved by the Registrar of Titles. Not only has the mataqali been recognised as a central proprietary unit by the statute law of Fiji for over a hundred years now (to the extent indeed that the law provides for the devolution of the lands of an extinct mataqali), so also have all the individual divisions of the Fijian people by the act of statutory registration. How then can any of those groups be regarded as alien to such statute law?”

17 The Court of Appeal referred to various authorities relating to the common law recognition of customary title including In Re Southern Rhodesia [1999] AT 211; Amodu Tijani v The Secretary of Southern Nigeria [1921] 2 AC 399; and Mabo v The State of Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1. The Court then said:

1.

“These and other authorities to which we were referred put beyond doubt the proposition that native customary rights and obligations may be recognized by the common law and enforced in the courts. More particularly, in the case of mataqali, it may, by representative action or by action brought by all those belonging to the mataqali as an unincorporated association, bring proceedings in the court seeking common law or equitable remedies for any breach of rights it is able to establish.”

18 The Court took the view that, in reaching his conclusion that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the proceedings, the learned primary judge had relied, at least in part, on the principles stated by Rooney J which the Court of Appeal found to be incorrect. His Honour had thereby erred in law. As will appear from these reasons it is unnecessary in this case for the Court to express any view on the matter which is of considerable importance and is best considered in the light of findings of fact after trial.

1.

19 The Court considered the representative character of the action and whether the primary judge was right to conclude that the plaintiffs lacked the standing necessary for them to bring the proceedings in a representative capacity. It referred to Order 15 rule 14 of the High Court Rules noting that the only requirement of the Rule is that persons intending to be represented have “the same interest in the proceedings”. Counsel for the Board submitted to the Court of Appeal that if an individual litigant, a member of a proprietary unit, wanted to pursue an infringement of a communal right he would need the majority support of the unit which he sought to represent before he could pursue such proceedings. The Court of Appeal did not accept that submission. There was nothing in the Rule to suggest that requirement. The cases made it clear that the person seeking to bring an action in a representative capacity did not have to obtain the consent of those whom he purported to represent – Markt & Co Limited v Knight Steamship Company Limited [1910] 2 KB 1021 at 1039.

1.

20 Their Lordships concluded that the plaintiffs should be permitted to bring their proceedings on a representative basis. All of the members of the mataqalis had a common interest in ensuring that their agreements are being properly administered by the Board and that they receive whatever is due to them from their agreements. If the agreements had not been properly administered and Timbers (Fiji) were guilty of breaches for which damages had been payable but had not been claimed, the members would also have a common grievance. Whether that were so in fact could only be determined at trial. It was also apparent from affidavits filed that a substantial number of members of the mataqalis supported the plaintiffs in their action. It was also apparent that a substantial number did not. But they did not appear to be advocating a different course of action, rather they favoured taking no action at all. If the action were to succeed they would share in its fruits. If it did not, they would not be liable for costs.

1.
21 There was, in any event, no other course open to the plaintiffs. They could not sue personally nor bring an action as an unincorporated association because they would not obtain unanimity. In addition, the plaintiffs were persons of standing. The Court accepted that they were likely to have acted responsibly in bringing the proceedings.

1.

The Grounds of the Petition

22 There were some twelve grounds of appeal some of which were of little substance and arose out of references by the Court of Appeal to the views of members of the group, the status of the respondents/plaintiffs and the availability of other remedies. It may be said immediately that none of these would warrant the grant of special leave to appeal. Of the remaining grounds, 2.1 to 2.7 were in the following terms:

1.

“2.1 in reversing the judgments of Rooney, J in Naimisio Dakai No 1 & Ors v Native Land Trust Board & Anor Civil Action No 801 of 1984 and Timoci Bavadra v Native Land Trust Board Civil Action No 421 of 1986, by holding that a Mataqali may by representative action or by action brought by all those belonging to the Mataqali as an unincorporated association, bring proceedings in court seeking common law or equitable remedies for any breach of rights it is able to establish;

2.2 in holding that Rooney, J was wrong in holding that a tokatoka or a Mataqali are institutions alien to and not recognised by the common law and in agreeing with the views expressed by Cullinan J in Waisake Ratu No 2 v Native Land Development Corporation & Anor (1987) Civil Action No 580 of 1984;

2.3 finding that the proceedings instituted by the Respondents/Plaintiffs were properly constituted representative actions, contrary to Fijian custom and in dimunition of customary law when such rights, custom, laws and usages are constitutionally recognised and protected under sections 6(b) and 186 of the Constitution;

2.4 holding that the Respondents/Plaintiffs had the necessary locus standi to bring or continue the present proceedings against the Petitioner on behalf of their own and other Mataqali, when the respective Mataqali had no authority under customary law to do so;

2.5 in failing to consider that the decision making process of Mataqalis generally, and specifically in relation to the issue of whether to institute a court action or not, is according to customary law through a process of consensus, thus disregarding customary law;

2.6 in applying John v Rees [1970] 1 Ch 345 and Markt & Co v Knight Steamship Co [1910] 2 KB 1021 at 1039 to the circumstances of the present case, by holding that the person seeking to bring an action in a representative capacity including native Fijians does not have to obtain the consent of all or some of those he purports to represent;

2.7 in finding that the members of the Mataqalis had a common interest, common grievance and that if the causes of action were made out, the relief obtained would likely to be beneficial to the members or at least most of them;”

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