Landowners victory

Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi

Members of the Yavusa e Tolu from Narewa Village in Nadi must be congratulated for their High Court case victory in Suva.

It is the first for Fiji in seeking clarity and assistance from our justice system, and the verdict is clear cut relevant to their grievances highlighted in this newspaper some four weeks ago.

Justice has prevailed for Queen's Counsel Julian Moti and the resource owners, but iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) will now have to pay for the landowners costs as determined by the court. This is a landmark decision because it gives these iTaukei landowners recognition and respect for their rights. Landowners' complaints against TLTB specifically in the suppression of information from where they had given up their land for very important tourism, commercial and industrial developments that will have positive impacts in our country and its economy.

I do hope the attitude of those at all TLTB offices around the country - from its headquarters in Suva through to all its regional offices - will now change or they will see a new wave of court cases for the same.

The landowners have rightfully earned the respect.

The positive aspect in all this is that the

Yavusa e Tolu received their birthday present for free where all their legal costs will be paid by TLTB.

What have we learnt here?

Very simple! They said [TLTB] it is a private business dealing between private Fiji registered investment companies and it should be left at that. Wrong, those businesses are thriving from the very consent given to them and TLTB in the first place by those landowners and they have every right to know what transpires on their land full stop their right to information.

Power to the landowners.