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January ReleasesPrime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama today designated the first parcel of land deposited in the Land Bank under Governments Land Reform Initiative for the Nawailevu Bauxite Mining. Acting Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources Mr Filimone Kau said this will be leased to Xinfa Aurum Exploration (Fiji) Ltd as required under the Land Use Decree 2010. According to Mr Kau, the surface lease will give Xinfa access and exclusive possession to the land. “They cannot mine but they can start some preliminary work like building a campsite etc access, bridges, and infrastructure. They can only mine after being issued with a mining lease which will be around March this year,” Mr Kau added. In addition, all these lands are also free from all encumbrances after the partial surrender of these areas from the Fiji Pine leases to the Native Land Trust Board, reverting legal rights over these portions of native land to their respective native landowners namely the Mataqali Nalutu, Mataqali Noro and Mataqali Naicobo. Furthermore, designation of these areas would enable the Director of Lands to issue the lease directly to Xinfa Aurum Exploration (Fiji) Ltd under the powers vested in the Director through the Land Use Decree 2010. “This is a good beginning for the Ministry in facilitating investment for the betterment of the nation as a whole,” Mr Kau said. Government’s land reform initiative was borne out of the Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress and is meant to address all critical issues pertaining to land which will provide the platform for the nation to progress economically and socially. Bravery at Sea The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources today acknowledged the bravery by one of its staff, Mr Viliame Lalakai-the caretaker of Nukulau Island who saved the lives of four people this morning. The four people were travelling from Gau to Suva when their outboard engine fiber glass boat capsized this morning at around 8.00am near the Island of Nukulau. Mr Lalakai came to the rescue when two of the passengers swam to the island searching for help. After 2-3 hours ordeal at sea, Mr Lalakai managed to save the lives of the other two passengers while drifting with the boat. Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Filimone Kau also thanked Mr Lalakai’s bravery. For without him, lives would be lost. Mr Lalakai also reported the matter to the Police. The boat was also saved. The Acting Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources Mr Filimone Kau paid a courtesy call to the Commissioner Northern Col Inia Seruiratu this afternoon affirming the Ministry’s support of the rural-integrated framework as enshrined in the Peoples Charter for Change, Peace and Progress. Mr Kau is also looking at beefing up the staff in the Divisional Surveyor Northern to be headed by an Assistant Director level supported by two Principal level. “This is basically an internal restructure and we will work within the resources we have to support the Commissioner Northern as Head of Development in the Northern Division. “We are also looking at delegating some powers vested in the Director of Lands to ensure efficiency at all levels,” Mr Kau added. In response to Mr Kau’s commitment, Col Inia Seruiratu was delighted and looks forward to working closely with the Lands staff in monitoring state land and also addressing the collection of land rent arrears in the division. Col Seruiratu adds that this is a good start beginning for 2011 particularly as Government is now trying to address unutilized land under the Land Use Unit. Col Seruiratu adds that 2011 should be a good year in the Northern Division in terms of development. The Acting Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources today confirmed that the bauxite mining at Nawailevu in Bua will begin in April this year. He said the Ministry and the Land Use Unit is now awaiting the legal vetting of the regulations that will kick start mining in Bua. MR Kau made the comments in a joint meeting this afternoon held at the Commissioner Northern Office between the Ministry, Comm. Northern and representative from Aurum Explorations. "The regulations will have to be endorsed by Cabinet in a few weeks time then the surface lease can be issued. One month after being issued with the surface lease, then the mining lease will then be issued- so we are looking at by the end of April, the bauxite mining is expected to kick start the northern economy," Mr Kau adds. Mr Kau said that Government has an overarching responsibility to strike the right balance between the needs of landowners and the tenants or investors. “It is our responsibility to safeguard both landowners and tenants/investors alike,” he said. In that regard a consultation will be held this Wednesday between the Ministry and the landowning units to finalize the name of the trustees and what the communities should expect once the mining begin. Aurum Explorations is also looking forward to begin work on the site and are eagerly waiting for the regulation to be endorsed by Cabinet. As part of the lease offer- land owners will be given first preference on unskilled and skilled employment provided they meet the criteria. February ReleasesMacuata Chief supports Govt. Plans Tui Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere today reaffirmed his support towards Government and in particular to the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources as it endeavor on making more land available for productive use under the under the Land Reform Initiative. Responding to the Ministry's visit this morning at Naduri Village, Ratu Katonivere is adamant that lands and mineral resources is going to kick start development in the North especially when a lot of mineral explorations is currently underway in the North; including explorations in Tabia, Nukudamu and Cirianiu. Acting Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Mr Filimone Kau emphasized to the villagers on Governments intention of making more land available for productive use. Director Land Use Unit - Mrs Laisa Raratabu also enlighten the villagers on the work of the Land Use Unit under Governments Land Reform Initiative. She also confirmed to the villagers that about 18 mataqali land has already been deposited in the land bank. She also urged the villagers to respond to Governments plans and be part of this great effort in development and in moving the nation forward. March ReleasesPM issues fresh directive for Lands & Mineral Resources Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama issued fresh directives to the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources following a briefing to him by senior officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Filimone Kau on Monday (14/3). PM Bainimarama who is now the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources urged the Ministry to prioritize several critical areas in which the Ministry could improve on, particularly as a facilitator for economic development. Strengthening State Land Administration and Management The Prime Minister noted that the Ministry has issued approximately 17000 State land leases to-date. He noted that while some lease holders have used the land for productive purposes, there were many who have not been paying their annual rent which have resulted in the spiraling upwards of rental arrears to over twenty million dollars. In addition to the rental arrears, many lease holders have also breached their lease conditions which, when quantified in monetary value, would easily reach the one-hundred million dollar mark. The Prime Minister directed that the Ministry immediately review its lease administration and management policy and specifically to introduce a proactive strategy that will not only improve Government's facilitation of access to land for productive purposes as currently being done under the land reform initiative, but also to strengthen the monitoring of leases. Land Speculators and Foreshore Development The Prime Minister also noted that some lease holders have taken undue advantage of State land by seeking mortgages from the commercial banks on the pretext of developing the land. However, once the mortgages were approved, some lease holders sell their lease interest, making a quick profit in the process. The Prime Minister also noted the status of foreshore development leases where a number of lease holders have not developed the land for up to a decade while others who have developed a portion of the land actually sell their lease interest for amounts of money that are significantly higher than the cost of development they have undertaken. The Prime Minister directed that the Ministry thoroughly scrutinize all consents for mortgages and land transfers to ensure that lease holders do not manipulate the system.
Moratorium on Agricultural Land The Prime Minister also directed that the Ministry consult other relevant stakeholders with the view to safeguarding the country's agricultural lands. A conservative assessment of the remaining agricultural land reveals that approximately twelve percent of the nation's total land area is now left for farming. The Prime Minister directed that the Ministry devise a strategy to better manage and protect the remaining agricultural land. Part of the strategy could include the introduction of a moratorium to immediately stop the conversion of agricultural land for other uses unless it has been scientifically proven that the land could no longer be used for agricultural purposes in which case the Ministry, together with other stakeholders, will need to identify the best land use option. The moratorium will not only help with the protection of agricultural lands, but it will also allow Government to consider on a case-by-case basis the need to convert agricultural land for other purposes like tourism and commercial development in support of these sectors. The conversion of agricultural land for economic development especially within the corridors of the urban centers would also be considered favorably in recognition of the need to facilitate the growth of these sectors. In addition to protecting agricultural land, the Prime Minister also directed that the Ministry closely monitor agricultural leases with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the land is actually put to productive use. He said the agencies must start working on pre-determined yields for all forms of agricultural use. The Prime Minister said the moratorium and the close monitoring of land productivity would help the nation's effort in reviving the sugar industry and also in assisting the agricultural sector where the main focus is on food security and reducing the country's food import bill.
Integrated Approach to Rural Development The Prime Minister also supported the proposal by the Ministry officials to redeploy the Ministry's resources to the Divisions where the bulk of the work is being done. The Permanent Secretary Mr Filimone Kau proposed that the Ministry deploy its existing resources including human, financial and physical assets to the Divisions where the officers could better implement the Ministry's policies. Mr Kau said that in addition to better management, the Ministry would also be contributing towards the Government's integrated development effort in the rural areas where Government agencies work in close collaboration with the Divisional Commissioners. Part of the strategy is to upgrade the management positions in the divisions, delegate the Director of Land's statutory functions, and back these up with resources. Mr Kau said this would ultimately mean quicker facilitation of the needs of the general public including in particular the interests of local and foreign investors. He said the delegation of authority to divisional level will not only signify increasing confidence in Government officials, but will importantly promote Government's overall effort to speed up its facilitation processes for the nation's socio-economic growth. April ReleasesGovernment's efforts to increase the minerals sector's contribution to the national economy will now see the issuance of licenses to two companies for deep sea mineral exploration. Permanent Secretary for Lands and Minerals Resources Filimone Kau said the exploration licenses will be issued to KORDI Minerals (South Pacific) Ltd and Nautilus Minerals Fiji Pty Ltd. Mr Kau said the directive to instantly issue the licenses came from Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama who is also the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources. He said the Prime Minister wants the licenses issued immediately to allow the companies to start the explorations. He said these will be the first licenses to be issued since the various Governments started receiving applications in the early 1990s. “This is a reflection of this Government's commitment to improving the nation's socio-economic status through the exploration and wise use of our natural resources,” he said. KORDI Mineral (South Pacific) Ltd is a local subsidiary of the Seoul-based Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute which has the strong backing of the Government of South Korea. The company has access to technical resources and scientific knowledge covering a wide spectrum of marine and environmental science. Nautilus Minerals Fiji Pty Ltd is a Canadian registered company based in Toronto. It is a world-renowned mining giant with Tech Cominco Ltd and Anglo American plc as its major shareholders. The company is one of the leading authorities on sea floor mineral exploration and associated technology. It developed the world's first remote-operated vehicle drilling machine for exploration drilling on seafloor for sulfide systems. Mr Kau said marine scientific surveys conducted in the North Fiji Basin and in Lau indicate that there is a massive high-grade seafloor sulfide deposit in the areas. The two companies will be issued licenses to explore these areas. May ReleasesThe Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources is committed to contribute to economic growth through a greater focus on land-related and agricultural developments. The comment was made by Permanent Secretary Filimone Kau as the Ministry advertised five state agricultural leases and five designated land under the Land Use Decree 2010, in the Fiji Focus today (28/5/11) - Government newspaper inserted in the Fiji Sun. "We are hopeful that investors will take up the opportunity and use available lands for the benefit of the people. "The same goes to state agricultural leases. We encourage individuals to apply and use the opportunity to cultivate the land and contribute to the overall objective of Government of reducing imports and ensuring food security," Mr Kau adds. In addition, Mr Kau adds that over one thousand investors (1 000) have registered their interest in undertaking development work through the Land Use Units Land Bank. Mr Kau went on to say that the Ministry will have to give priority to parcels of land where there is already an interest from investors. Apart from the interest shown by investors, it is also interesting to note that a number of landowning units in the province of Ba, Rewa, Naitasiri and Ra have shown interest to have their land deposited into the Land Bank. "In these provinces, we are looking at 4261.1714 hectares of land for which different land owing units have given the sixty percent consent for Developments and leasing by the land Use Unit as stated in the Land Use Regulations," Mr Kau added. As Government has an overarching responsibility to strike the right balance between the needs of the landowners, tenants and investors alike, Mr Kau said, "it is our responsibility to safeguard both landowners, tenants/investors alike." The newly established Land Use Unit has issued four leases under the Land Use Decree and is expected to issue another five leases in the coming months. The Ministry, however as administrators of state land has more than 17,000 state leases to administer. Russian Company UC RUSAL has expressed interest to explore potential bauxite mining and export opportunities in the country. Led by John Hannagan, Chairman of the RUSAL Australia, the three member team was received by the Acting Permanent for the Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources, Mr Pene Baleinabuli together with senior officials of the Ministry. Established in March 2007, following the merger of assets of three companies; RUSAL, previously the third largest global aluminum company; SUAL, one of the world's top ten players in the aluminum business; and the alumina assets of Glencore (Switzerland), UC RUSAL is now the world's largest producer of aluminum. Act. Permanent Secretary, Mr Baleinabuli assured the delegation that the Ministry will look at options to accommodate their interest. Mr Baleinabuli expressed gratitude to the team in their interest to invest in Fiji. "Your interest will greatly boost the mining sector in the country, something that we are banking on to greatly assist the nation in terms of socio-economic development," Mr Baleinabuli added. Acting Director Mineral Resources Dept. Mr Venasio Nasara, highlighted that there are some prospect areas of Bauxite in the region which is located between Ba and Lautoka. UC RUSAL's assets include bauxite & nepheline ore mines, alumina refineries, aluminums smelters, casthouse business for alloys production, aluminum foil mills and production of aluminum packing and materials as well as power-generating assets. Spread across 19 countries in five continents, the operations and officers of UC RUSAL employs about 72,000 people. Strategically, UC RUSAL, both an energy & metals company, has further plans for growth by utilizing its access to power resources, exceptional in-house research & development capabilities and the expertise of its highly-qualified personnel June ReleasesThe Acting Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Mr Pene Baleinabuli, is encouraging the public to visit the upcoming Ministerial display at the Government Information Referral Centre in Suva from Monday 20 June to Saturday 25 June. "This will be an opportune time to see the different types of products and services offered by the Ministry. We also encourage students to enquire about career opportunities in the Ministry," Mr Baleinabuli said. He said the Ministry will display information on how state land is being administered, developments in the Land Bank and importantly the developments within the Mining Sector, which is expected to be a major contributor to the nation's economic growth. "Native landowners in particular could enquire with our Land Use Unit on the processes of leasing their idle land through the Land Use Decree 2010 so that the land could be made more productive for the betterment of landowners, investors and the country as a whole," Mr Baleinabuli added. The Ministry will be showcasing the following: • Government's land reform initiative • Mineral resources developments • Governments mapping services The acting Permanent Secretary for Lands & Mineral Resources, Mr Pene Baleinabuli, revealed that the Ministry is currently finalizing the review of its strategies for state land administration and management. He made the comments as the Ministry collected close to $6million of revenue from State land in the first five months of 2011. Mr Baleinabuli has also urged lessees to visit their offices in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa if they have not been receiving their rental statements. "We are reviewing our land administration system so that we could better manage State land in line with Government's expectations of making more land accessible and of maximizing the use of land. " This includes implementing a more systematic approach to state land management by dividing our leases into manageable estates, delegating the Director of Lands authority to senior officers in the division, and redeploying resources to where they are most needed," he said. At the moment, the decision-making authority and the bulk of the resources are centralized in Suva. "These have been the major causes of delays in our processes and frustration for our clients and members of the public, including in particular the investors." "We are introducing changes to help improve our service delivery," Mr Baleinabuli said. • "Importantly, these changes are done within the existing resources. We are not asking for additional human resources or finances. It is just a matter of reviewing how we deploy resources," he said. In terms of revenue collection, Mr Baleinabuli said the Ministry is currently engaging a team of police officers to help collect the arrears. The Police/Lands Taskforce has been visiting clients with arrears in all the divisions. "We will now move to the next level of collection which includes publicizing the names of defaulters in the media and even submitting their names to the Data Bureau if they do not respond to our appeals to clear their arrears." Mr Baleinabuli also revealed that the estimated value of breaches to lease conditions is around the one hundred million dollar mark. "This is a significant amount. It is a reflection of poor enforcement and the lack of proper administration of leases coupled with the unwillingness of the lessees to abide by the lease conditions. "These have to be stopped, hence the review of the Ministry's administration strategies," he said. He said the Ministry aims to collect all rental arrears and also penalize lease holders for the breaches. "The revenue collected could be used for national development," he said. July ReleasesPermanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments from various Government agencies visited Namosi this morning to be briefed by the Namosi Joint Venture which holds the license to explore copper in Namosi. The visit was organized by the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources in an effort to encourage a whole-of-Government approach to facilitating the project. Permanent Secretary for Lands & Mineral Resources, Filimone Kau said the visit was important as Government is now consolidating its facilitation of the project which could turn out to be of significant benefit to the landowners, businesses, and to the nation as a whole. "The NJV has indicated its intentions to progress from exploration to actual mining by acquiring a mining license in 2012. The visit today was therefore essential for the senior advisors in Government to be updated on the progress of works and to also identify their respective areas of responsibility with the view towards facilitating the mandatory requirements," Mr Kau said. He said the project, if allowed to proceed, will generate a significant amount of economic activity. "The company indicated that its investment in the project is equivalent to approximately two billion Fiji dollars (US$800million to US$1billion). This will be a huge boost to our national economy," Mr Kau said. "At the same time, Government has an overriding responsibility to ensure that the project is well managed to reduce its impacts especially on the environment. Government will certainly have to consider the impacts that a project of this magnitude will have on the economy, the landowners' socio-cultural status and the impacts on the environment, among others," he said. "On the whole, the project could be positive if managed properly from the beginning – this is the reason Government is consolidating its approach." • He said a Government Task Force is currently being considered to help play facilitative and advisory role. The Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimone Kau, today confirmed that Government is currently reviewing the Mining Act and that it is NOT waiting for the return of an elected Government as reported in the media on Tuesday (26 July). Mr Kau said the comments attributed to the Assistant Director of Mines earlier in the week were taken out of context when the media reported that mining activities will continue under the Mining Act of 1978 "until parliament is reconvened." "The instant review of the Mining Act is vitally important because it is part of this Government's roadmap to democracy and sustainable socio-economic development." "The media report was therefore grossly incorrect," Mr Kau said. "We had in fact already convened a committee within the Ministry to lead the review of the 1978 Act. Our target is to complete the review before the end of the year in line with our deliverables under the Ministry's Annual Corporate Plan for 2011," he said. He said Government is focusing its attention on the outstanding issues in the Mineral Exploration and Exploitation Bill (MEEB). Two of the outstanding issues include the compensation and royalty components. "These are very important issues that Government is now addressing to ensure that resources owners and the nation as a whole benefit from the use of natural resources." • "In addition to these, Government places significant emphasis on proper environmental management to ensure that the impact of mining activities is kept to the absolute minimum," he said. "Government's vision of the mining sector is that it has the potential to contribute significantly to the country's economic development and to the resource owners' socio-economic status. However, Government is also very mindful of the need to ensure effective environmental management practices are put in place and adhered to by the mining industry," Mr Kau said. He said the Ministry is planning a mining symposium for September this year where it will invite members of the mining industry and other stakeholders to contribute to the outstanding issues from the MEEB with the view to completing the review and producing the new Mining Act around the end of the year. He said the mining sector has the potential to generate economic activities worth over a billion dollars on an annual basis. The investors for the Namosi Copper project, for instance, have pledged an investment of approximately two billion Fiji dollars. |