Thousands, perhaps even millions of dollars, are changing hands on iTaukei land illegally without benefitting landowners, according to Jone Vodo, principal consultant of Optimal Development Pte Ltd. This company is behind the development of Waisasa Settlement in Tacirua, which is currently occupied by around 100 families now facing eviction.
Vodo has urged the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) to stop sending mixed messages and use the iTaukei Land Trust Act, 1940, to clear the 16-acre land so development can begin.
“We found that there are three categories of occupants there,” Vodo explained, who has partnered with landowner Isikeli Nakoivalu from Mataqali Nawavatu in Kababu Village.
“The first category is minimal, around 10 percent, and includes those who originally asked landowners for land. The second category consists of individuals who have bought houses there—these homes have been sold multiple times for prices as high as $30,000 to $40,000. The third category includes renters.”
Vodo noted that during a 2021 survey in Waisasa, a shop owner reported a weekly turnover of $5000, none of which benefited the landowners or TLTB.
“All over Fiji, illegal occupants on iTaukei land are channeling large sums of money while iTaukei landowners live in poverty,” Vodo stated.
He emphasized that while Part 5 Section 27 of the TLTB Act allows TLTB to evict illegal occupants to protect landowners, TLTB has been slow in enforcing it in Waisasa.
“The director of lands has been outspoken about squatters on State land. Where does TLTB stand?” Vodo questioned.
TLTB chief executive officer Solomoni Nata noted they are discussing relocation with Mataqali Nawavatu, possibly to Cunningham.
“We aim for minimum disruption and hardly any relocation, as seen in Waidamudamu in Koronivia, where squatters now have land titles. In Waisasa, there is resistance from families and Mataqali members. TLTB seeks the best outcome for everyone—for occupants to secure titles and for landowners to receive their fair share,” Nata said.
Vodo mentioned that he and Nakoivalu have secured a financier for their project, increasing the urgency to clear the land for development to begin. The project includes two stages: the first for commercial lots and a supermarket, and the second for 54 residential lots.