published 29 March 2001

Media Release

The Native Lands Trust Board and the police must take responsibility for the forced closure of the Sabeto Primary School yesterday.

“One can imagine the impression such an incident must have left on frightened little school children who were forced to leave their classrooms,” Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said.

“This is not the first time police have allowed such acts of lawlessness to take place on the pretext that it is a civil matter. Anyone who enters a property unlawfully is committing a criminal act,” he said.

There are scores of examples of police inaction in dealing with landowners unlawfully entering and seizing property, in what are clear cases of criminal activity. Tenant cane farmers have been major victims of such harassment.

“While the landowners were wrong in taking the law in their own hands, the blame for their unlawful action lies with the Native Lands Trust Board which failed to keep them informed of its agreement with the school committee,” Mr Chaudhry said.

The NLTB also failed to keep to its agreement with the school management to issue a consolidated lease.

According to the school manager, the school committee had paid an exorbitant renewal premium of $35,000 four years before the lease was to expire. This money was accepted by the landowners at the time and they agreed to renew the lease. They are now demanding an additional $70,000.

“This is sheer extortion. Schools are non-profit making organisations and should not be subjected to such extortion,” he said.

Mr Chaudhry said failure to curb acts of lawlessness prevalent in Fiji since May 19 last year was frightening and sent negative signals to investors, quite apart from feelings of insecurity it caused among the people here.

“It is sad that the very people, including those in high office, who are responsible for upholding and enforcing the law are fostering such lawlessness through their own conduct and disrespect for the rule of law,” he said.

Mahendra Chaudhry,
Prime Minister

END
29 March 2001
People's Coalition Office
Suva
Fax: 380985.