Fiji Sun

Tenants get 2nd stage of payment

- FONUA TALEI Edited by Jonathan Bryce

Nine leasing tenants and their families have received a total of $620,000 in the second stage of the compensati­on payment for the extension of the Nausori Internatio­nal Airport.

This has come after the first stage of the project, which at the time paid $663,700 as compensati­on which benefitted 13 families.

Speaking at the payout, Minister for Infrastruc­ture and Meteorolog­ical Services, Lands and Mineral Resources Jone Usamate said the landowning units that have given their land for leasing would be receiving returns.

Government has been paying an annual rental of $50,000 for 32.4161 hectares of land under a 99-year iTaukei Land Trust Board lease since 2016.

He acknowledg­ed the collaborat­ion between Airports Fiji Limited and the Government through the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, landowners and property owners in making the payout possible.

“The Land Acquisitio­n process for the Nausori Airport Extension has been undertaken in three stages totaling a number of more than 40 affected leasing tenants of both State and iTaukei-owned land, who had willingly given the whole or part of their leased properties for this national project,” Mr Usamate said. “The ministry will continue to work in collaborat­ion with the rest of the tenants and other stakeholde­rs like TLTB and Airport Fiji Limited in finalising Land Acquisitio­n matters for the third and final stage of this project and ensure everyone is fairly compensate­d for giving their land for this project.”

He advised recipients to utilise funds wisely during this economical­ly challengin­g and critical time.

The Land Acquisitio­n process for the Nausori Airport Extension has been undertaken in three stages totaling a number of more than 40 affected leasing tenants of both State iTaukeiown­ed Land who had willingly given the whole or part of their leased properties for this national project. Jone Usamate Minister for Infrastruc­ture and Meteorolog­ical Services

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