The Honorable Prime Minister and Chairman of the TLTB Board of Trustees in their meeting held on Thursday 25 November 2021, had welcomed four (4) new board members, namely, Ratu Aca Rayawa, Ratu Nemia Dawai, Ratu Inoke Momoedonu and Adi Ana Ratuilagi. He thanked them for availing themselves and looked forward to expertise and competencies in the enhancement of TLTB services to landowners and its stakeholders.
Amongst a number of iTaukei land policy matters discussed, the highlights of the meeting included the Board approval to increase Premium, Rent and Stumpage Rates for all Forestry leases. Appropriate Consultations had been held with the Fiji Hardwood Corporation Limited and the Fiji Pine Limited and have agreed to these new rates that will come into effect from 1st January 2022. This will ensure that landowners are appropriately compensated for the use of their land in growing the Forestry Sector. The rates will be subject to review every four (4) years. Tabulated below are the new rates:
| MAHOGANY |
Current Rate |
New Rate |
% increase |
| Premium |
$13.00 |
$15.50 |
19% |
| Rent |
$10.50 |
$12.50 |
19% |
| Stumpage |
10% |
12% |
20% |
| PINE |
Current Rate |
New Rate |
% increase |
| Premium |
$15.00 |
$20.00 |
33% |
| Rent |
$11.00 |
$14.00 |
27% |
| Stumpage |
7% |
12% |
79% |
| NATIVE SPECIES |
Current Rate |
New Rate |
% increase |
| Premium |
$13.00 |
$15.50 |
19% |
| Rent |
$9.00 |
$10.75 |
19% |
| Stumpage |
10% |
12% |
20% |
The Board also deliberated on current developments on informal settlement upgrading programs undertaken on 34 Development Leases at various sites across Fiji. The provision of access to iTaukei land is a great contribution of landowners to Governments Housing Policy now coordinated by the Ministry of Housing and Community Development. An estimated number of 4,000 lots are expected from the development of these 34 informal settlements where Government has been responsible for these developments through preparation of scheme plans, engineering works and all capital work expenses.
Upon completion of these project, individuals within these informal settlements will receive a 99 years cadastral title lease. The Landowners will also benefit from the projects through lease rentals at market rate and rent reassessment every 5 years until it reaches expiry.
The Board also focused on fast tracking the review of its land leasing frameworks, to streamline and automate its processes and digitise its service platforms to be more efficient and effective in its service delivery to its stakeholders. A number of digital projects are currently in motion with the ADB, which includes the TLTB on-line market place for land available and the development of a Land Price Index (LPI) and Land Rent Index (LRI) digital platform. The new on-line market place platform targeted to be launched in mid-2022 will focus on the standardisation of land rates (for land premiums and rental rates), purchasing of standard (surveyed) and clean parcels of land leases that would bring about more efficiency in TLTB’s business at the same time ensuring that the landowners get a fair return on the use of their land in a more transparent manner using the market forces of land supply and demand.
The Board also recently launched its Land Development Vetting Committee (LDVC) Portal which is an online processing platform for assessing scheme plans, subdivision and approval by TLTB, its Panel of Surveyors, Surveyor General and Department of Town Country Planning. All these digitised platforms are part of the Board Digital strategy to bring about better services to its tenants and to eradicate some of the lengthy and manual processes it has been used to in the past. To support the Board’s digital journey, a number of related policies focused on strengthening the Board IT, People Strategy and Risk Framework were also endorsed which included IT Software policy, Anti-Phishing Policy, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and its revised Estate Operations Policy framework focused to facilitate transformation to TLTB’s business operations.
As part of facilitating land availability for leasing based on various sectoral land demands, the Board also endorsed a total of 112 dereservation cases to enable residential, commercial, industrial, agriculture leases to be issued and finalised.