DIRECTOR for Environment Epeli Nasome believes that the requirement for an environment impact assessment should be imposed before landowners decide to lease their land.
He said landowners should be aware of the real financial value of degraded resources.
Mr Nasome said the resource owners should be told of the damage done to their resources before they consent to any development project on their land. He also believes that it will help get a fair and just compensation but he said to do that, there was a need to amend the relevant legislation.The present process is that the environment impact assessment is done after leases are approved.
"I believe the assessment should be a basis for all decision-making processes," Mr Nasome said.
"This should include decisions on leasing of native and State land. It will ensure that the protection of the environment is taken into consideration right from the initial stages of considering any land for leasing or development."
He said it was sad to see that most resource owners were getting raw deals for their resources. For instance, at Momi, the vanua Nalolo were promised six community halls as compensation for the use of their qoliqoli by Matapo Limited but only three have been built so far.
Mr Nasome said the cost of repairing damage to the qoliqoli was much more than the cost of the construction of the six halls.
"After a few years you will have to repair the community halls but the damage to the qoliqoli will be for a lifetime.
"Their future generations will feel it." Fiji Visitors Bureau chairman Patrick Wong expressed the same views, saying it would benefit everyone including the property holders.
"If resource owners are happy, the developers will have a prosperous business," Mr Wong said.
He said an amicable solution should be reached between all parties involved in the contract before any development took place.
