Graham Leung
Parliament session in Suva on July 29 2021.
Picture: Parliament of Fiji
Earlier this month, the government, in the middle of its annual budget process, introduced a Bill (‘Bill 17’) to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act (TLTA) the “iTaukei Land Trust (Budget Amendment) Act, 2021”.
It has met with strong protest from many chiefs, the Methodist Church and some members of Parliament, including SODELPA main opposition party. A petition by thousands of people to withdraw the Bill (which is expected to be debated today), has been rejected by the Speaker of Parliament.
The ‘Bill’ seeks to amend section 12 of the TLTB Act by the creation of a new subsection (1A) which removes the requirement of obtaining the consent of the TLTB Board for any mortgage, charge, pledge or caveat on a lease under the Act or for any such lease to be dealt with by any court of law or under the process of any court of law.