[Photo: FILE]
Namosi landowners are demanding answers over how their concerns will be reflected in Fiji’s mining law reforms.
The call comes as the review of the Mining Act 1965 and Quarries Act 1939 moves forward.
The Namosi Landowners Committee Lomani Au Maroroi Au (LAMA) stated that the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources’ announcement on the ongoing review of the Mining Act 1965 and Quarries Act 1939.
LAMA states the review is a major opportunity to update Fiji’s mining laws and ensure the rights and interests of customary landowners are protected.
LAMA Chair Sipiriano Nariva says landowners want to know how their views raised during public consultations have been considered in the review process.
Nariva said the Ministry and the Fiji Law Reform Commission should release the findings from the consultations, the recommendations received and details on which proposals will be included in the new legislation.
LAMA is also calling for stronger protections for customary landowners, including the right to give free, prior and informed consent before mining activities begin.
The committee wants stronger environmental protections, fair returns for affected communities, and better monitoring of mining activities.
LAMA adds that landowners should be treated as partners in decisions involving their ancestral land as Fiji works towards modernising its mining laws.
