Issue No: 656; 5 April 2001

Media reports that the NLTB is now offering options for 50 year, 75 year and 99 year leases to the primary school. The school caters for students of all ethnic groups.

Only last week, the NLTB wrote to the School management demanding $90,929 payment for a 75-year lease for a 3.5ha land. There was no mention of options of 50-year or 99-year lease. Numerous conditions were also attached. Included in the sum demanded is a commission for NLTB of 16% of the sum demanded.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Trades Union has stated that the conditions which the NLTB attaches to agricultural tenants infringes human rights. The conditions require that tenants do not become members of unions. The FTUC stated: "None of these conditions will be upheld in the Court of flaw. Fiji subscribes to all the core conventions of ILO which protects human rights and these values must be upheld". It stated that the conditions breached the Constitution and an individual's constitutional rights.

According to sources in the NLTB, the NLTB is gearing to behave as "a government within government". The source, who wants to remain anonymous, stated that the NLTB is run by a "group of fanatics" who are not only "racists" but who will also "destroy the multi-racial fabric of Fiji". He claims that this group is "giving all [ethnic] Fijians a bad name and image. Look at what [Northern Regional Manager] did on the Australian TV. He has no authority to give statements like those. Most of us do not share these views. But the Board of the NLTB is totally incapable of handling the group".