Government can only develop 43 out of the more than 250 informal settlements in Fiji, says Housing and Community Development Minister Premila Kumar.
She made the comment during a public consultation on the draft Informal Settlement Lot Allocation policy in Sigatoka yesterday.
“We have over 250 informal settlements and we have development leases for only 43 informal settlements out of the 250,” Mrs Kumar said.
She said despite Government’s intention to ensure housing for informal settlements, they could only develop 43 informal settlements at the present time.
“Majority of the informal settlements are on iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) land, and out of those 250 informal settlements, only four are located on state land.”
She said since the majority of informal settlements were on the TLTB land, each mataqali needed signatures from at least 60 per cent of its landowners for it to be transferred to the Housing Ministry.
“People ask why are we not developing the land. We have to first acquire the development lease and secondly, the development itself is a very long process and also very complicated as well.”
