The Attorney-General, Minister for Industry and Trade and acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, yesterday addressed the participants of the third Fiji Business Forum. He briefed them on the various sections in the 2013 Constitution. Photo: MINFO NEWS
By RACHNA LAL and RANOBA BAOA
The Attorney-General, and acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, used the Fiji Business Forum as a platform to highlight some of the key points from the 2013 Constitution.
He addressed almost 200 participants yesterday gathered for third Fiji Business Forum organised by the Suva Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Holiday Inn Suva.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said a specific regulatory framework for the Government of Fiji was needed to set out a legal framework.
He said the new Constitution puts to rest issues such as price control and how people get treated by the bureaucracy.
“We can then concentrate on improving the processes, the system, improving the economic growth and increasing employment,” he said.
One of the major issues highlighted was that for land and protection given to people as far as land ownership is concerned.
Of course such protection on a broader perspective can be seen as an encouragement for investment.
“Almost 91 per cent of all the land in Fiji is iTaukei land, about four or five per cent is state and the balance is freehold,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“For 95 per of land in Fiji which can be leased, there is now protection for existing tenants and tenants in future.
“No government can in any way undermine the legal or tenancy agreement you have in place with your landlord.
“No government will come along and say – you went into an agreement with iTaukei Land Trust Board and we will now increase the rent by 500 per cent or we will cut short your tenancy.
“The entire tenancy is governed by the tenancy agreement.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum emphasised the Bainimarama Government is fixing up decades long problems and remain committed to do so.