Issue No: 782; 22 May 2001

In an article published in the Fiji Sun, Dakuvula relates the case of a two cane farmers who are cousins of a prominent professional in Labasa. He writes:

"Two of his cousins, who were cane farmers, had their leases expired last year and wee not renewed. They chose to stay in their houses and take residential leases on their one-acre compound."

"They had to pay $5,000 premium to the NLTB for this privilege, but recently a family from the indigenous Fijian landowners had moved into the compound and built a shack there. They are now demanding another $5,000 premium or they will forcibly move into his house."

"The NLTB will not mediate. Some of those ex-farmers families have become dependents of my professional friend. In fact he told me he has many Indo-Fijian families who are kinsmen because used to be neighbours, come to his office to "kerekere" for money to buy food, pay school fees, bus fares etc and often he is not in a position to help them because he is in heavy debt himself."

The cases highlight the perils of residential leases.

The Fiji Labour Party has publicly opposed the replacement of agricultural leases by residential leases.