The iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) is initiating a comprehensive assessment and valuation of all iTaukei land that it administers. This decision came during the board’s recent meeting, where the objective was outlined to create a complete valuation record for the lands managed by TLTB.
Solomone Nata, the TLTB CEO, emphasized that the goal of this initiative is to enhance accountability, transparency, and land asset management. This involves collating data from various landowning units, including yavusa (tribes), mataqali (clans), and tokatoka (sub-clans), as well as identifying the tenure status of land parcels—whether they are leased, unleased, reserved, or non-reserved. TLTB currently oversees 12,762 land titles, spanning 116,197.40 hectares, of which 56,700.478 hectares are reserved and 43,312.224 hectares are leased.
Further steps in the valuation process will include the compilation of verified land parcel data across different communal divisions and the commissioning of independent property valuations. The CEO noted that an important aspect of the assessment will be the inclusion of intangible asset valuations tied to Native land titles. To ensure consistency in the evaluation methodology, comprehensive guidelines will be developed.
This initiative is not isolated but follows a broader trend in TLTB’s ongoing efforts to empower landowners and rectify historical land ownership issues, such as those highlighted in previous announcements where 91 percent of Schedule A and B lands have been successfully returned to their rightful owners. As TLTB continues to work on these progressive initiatives, it reflects a commitment to fostering economic opportunities and community empowerment within the iTaukei population.
With a focus on sustainable land management practices and improved economic prospects, the TLTB’s latest initiatives present a hopeful outlook for the future of the iTaukei community, reinforcing the importance of both cultural heritage and responsible resource management.