NOT a single millimetre of native land has been lost since this government came into power, the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
Speaking in San Francisco, California United States of America today, the AG told the Fijian community there that it was not possible for the government to change native land ownership.
Responding to a question from an itaukei in the audience, Mr Khaiyum said there was a provision in the constitution though he could not say which part of it, protected land ownership of itaukei land so it could not be converted to another type of land ownership.
He said that while previous constitutions had provided for the protection of Itaukei land, it did not work.
The AG claimed that previous governments had taken advantage of loophole which existed in pre-2013 constitutions to convert Itaukei land to Crown land then to Freehold land to allow for developments to two of the country’s major tourist destinations.
“Now Itaukei Land is protected in the constitution, you cant convert it period,” Mr Khaiyum said.
“So no other law can come and supersede it because the constitution is the supreme law of the land.”