Qoliqoli owners still receive only 50 cents of the $2.18 royalty charged to gravel and sand extractors for their extraction licences but a review on this will be tabled to Cabinet for approval.
Lands and Mineral Resources Ministry permanent secretary Dr Raijeli Taga said this while clarifying an issue regarding the payment of royalties for the extraction of river gravel and sand to qoliqoli owners, during the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts sitting on the Ministry’s Compliance Audit Report Relating to COVID-19 Response.
Opposition MP Ro Teimumu Kepa said some qoliqoli owners claimed they had not received payments of royalties over the past few years and that if it was the case it would bring to light why these people were not interested about what was happening on the land.
Ro Teimumu said they had no interest in it because government was taking 100 per cent of the royalties and called on the Public Accounts Committee chairman Alvick Maharaj to look into the issue.
Mr Maharaj said qoliqoli owners received $6.25 per cubic meter because all the quarry extractors were paying that amount and government could not be receiving 100 per cent of the royalties because as far as he knew they were being paid.
He also said there were times when qoliqoli owners allowed river gravel and sand to be illegally extracted and sat there expecting to be paid royalties.
“Some of the qoliqoli owners allow illegal extractions and then part of them, they know it’s illegal extraction, are actually sitting and expecting royalties to be paid to them,” he said.
“Not knowing this there is no licence that was actually issued to the contractor to extract the gravel.”
Ms Taga clarified the royalty rate was still $2.18, with 50 cents going to the qoliqoli owners and $1.68 to the State, and that rate given by Mr Maharaj was the rate paid by the iTaukei Land Trust Board (iTLTB) — who also grant extraction licences for mineral extraction on iTaukei land.
“We have reviewed that and are seeking Cabinet’s approval to increase the rate to be compatible with the iTLTB,” she said.
“For the State it is still $2.18 and the payment is made out to iTaukei Affairs because fishing rights ownership is held by mataqali and yavusa.
“It is paid to them and they have the responsibility to distribute the royalty payments.”
