A comprehensive audit of Fiji’s Crown Land Lease System (CLLS) tabled in Parliament this week has exposed long-standing governance, technological and operational weaknesses that put State land records and revenue at risk, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard. The Office of the Auditor‑General examined the system between January 2020 and October 2023 using internationally recognised IT audit standards and concluded the CLLS is not sufficiently secure, resilient or integrated to be “fit for purpose.”
PAC chairman Manoa Kamikamica told Parliament the audit uncovered “serious concerns,” including weak systems controls, gaps in governance and insufficient safeguards to protect critical land records from data loss or system failure. Those vulnerabilities, the report warns, raise questions about the reliability of the system that underpins management of one of the country’s most valuable public assets — State land leases.
A central finding was the lack of integration between ministries and agencies. The audit says departments continue to operate in silos, complicating coordination and slowing progress towards digitisation. That fragmentation has tangible effects: officials struggle to accurately track lease payments, determine outstanding revenue and identify expired leases. The report recommends development of a centralised mechanism to monitor expired leases and payments as an essential first step to strengthen accountability and revenue collection.
Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya described the auditor‑general’s work as a “timely intervention,” acknowledging some issues may already be in the process of being addressed but stressing the report’s relevance given problems have persisted for years. Koya told Parliament that digitisation is the key to resolving many of the systemic problems highlighted but cautioned the transformation is complex and resource‑intensive. He noted that, in some cases, physical files still must be transported between offices — an indication of the extent to which outdated processes remain embedded.
Beyond technology and process, the audit highlighted human resource shortfalls within the Ministry of Lands. Skilled professionals — particularly in specialised fields such as mineral resources — are reportedly difficult to retain as private‑sector salaries draw expertise away. The loss of specialists undermines the ministry’s capacity to implement reforms, maintain system integrity and respond to technical vulnerabilities identified by the auditor‑general.
The report also calls for stronger internal financial controls, including tighter financial management to prevent leakage and ensure accurate accounting of lease revenues. Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum agreed the findings provide valuable guidance for reform, though no implementation timetable was tabled during the session. PAC members signalled the need for coordinated follow‑up action to translate the report’s recommendations into concrete changes.
The auditor‑general’s report now sets the agenda for how government ministries address digitisation, data security and governance of State land. Its publication makes clear that preserving the integrity of land records and safeguarding revenue from leases will require both technical investment and reforms to organisational culture and staffing if the CLLS is to meet contemporary standards.