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STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES REVIEW OF THE CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL REPORTS FOR THE MINISTRY OF LANDS & MINERAL RESOURCES 2014 & 2015 PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI Parliamentary Paper No: 68 of 2022 August 2022 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Published and Printed by the Department of Legislature, Parliament House, SUVA Table of Contents CHAIRPERSON’S FOREWORD ..............................................................................................3 LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................5 RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................................5 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................5 1.1 PROCEDURE AND PROGRAM ...................................................................................6 2.0 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP ............................................................................................7 3.0 ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF LANDS & MINERAL RESOURCES ..............................8 4.0 FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE ....................................................................................9 5.0 COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................9 6.0 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ......................................................................10 6.1 GENDER EQUALITY ANALYSIS – SDG 5 ...............................................................10 7.0 THE MINSITRY’S OVERALL PERFORMANCE ...........................................................10 8.0 CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................................10 9.0 COMMITTEE MEMBERS E-SIGNATURE ....................................................................11 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................12 2 CHAIRPERSON’S FOREWORD I am pleased to present the review report on the Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources 2014 and 2015 annual reports.
The Committee is grateful to the Management and staff of the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources for their commitment that enabled the Ministry to achieve its key mandated objectives for the periods under review.

During the period under review, the committee noted that the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources administrates all state lands and regulates all mineral resources in Fiji with the aim to ensure that all state lands, minerals and groundwater sector is sustainable.
The Ministry has two departments, Lands & Survey Department and Mineral Resourced Department.
The Lands Department’s programs and activities are designed to provide the administration, development and management of all State Land including the foreshore while the Mineral Resources Department division works towards providing access to available groundwater resources that is present for human consumption and developed through, properly conducted hydrogeological investigation and assessment with quality boreholes.
In addition, managing groundwater resources to ensure sustainability with minimum impact on the environment.

The two departments were supported by the Corporate Service Division and the Policy & Research Unit (Policy & Reporting).

A highlight of the division during the years under review, was the Ministry’s Corporate Division was the preliminary work facilitated on the review of the organizational restructure and the decentralization of authorities on finance and budget implementation.
The division also set up a training unit to coordinate human resource management, and post processing unit to simultaneously review all Job Descriptions and advertised vacancies accordingly.

In conclusion, the committee reviewed that the Ministry’s overall performance in 2014 and 2015 was satisfactory.

It was noted that during those operational years, the Ministry met the challenges which enabled the Ministry to promote and improve their service delivery.
The committee noted the dedication by all staff of the Ministry in both the years, 2014 and 2015 that had enabled the Ministry to implement its programs that were budgeted for and more importantly in achieving its targets.

The Committee wishes to commend the Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources and the Senior Officers of the Ministry for their contribution towards the final compilation of the Committee’s report to Parliament.
3 Last but not the least, I wish to extend my appreciation to all the Honourable Members of the Committee namely Hon.

Jale Sigarara, Hon.

Alexander O’Connor, Hon.

Mitieli Bulanauca, Hon.

Jese Saukuru and the Secretariat Staff for the successful compilation of this bipartisan report.

------------------------- Hon.


Sanjay Kirpal Chairperson 4 LIST OF ACRONYMS OHS Occupational Health System PCCPP People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Prosperity SO Standing Order of Parliament RDSSED Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development RECOMMENDATION The Standing Committee on Natural Resources has conducted a review of the Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources 2014 & 2015 Annual Reports and recommends that Parliament take note of its report.
1.0 INTRODUCTION The Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources 2014 and 2015 Annual Report was tabled in Parliament during the April sitting Parliament sitting and referred to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources for scrutiny.

The committee proceeded with its mandatory function legislated under Standing Order 109(2) (c) which allows the Standing Committee on Natural Resources to examine matters related to forestry, agriculture, mining, environment, fisheries, water and marine services.
Standing Orders 110(1)(c) further authorizes the Standing Committee to scrutinise the government departments with responsibility within the committee's subject area, including by investigating, inquiring into, and making recommendations relating to any aspect of such a department's legislative program, budget, rationalization, administration, restructuring, functioning, organization, structure and policy formulation.
legislation or proposed A standing committee must report to parliament any other matter referred to or initiated by the committee, as soon as it has completed its considerations and deliberations as stipulated under SO 121 (1) (b).

5 1.1 Procedure and Program The committee proceeded with its scrutiny and formulated questions which were sent to the Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources for their response.
The questions were basically on the challenges faced by the Ministry during the period under review, achievements, operational review, legislations in place and progress on the Ministry’s initiatives.

The Ministry’s responses were received by the members and were incorporated into the committees’ report for final presentation to parliament.

6 2.0 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP The substantive members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources are as follows: Hon.

Sanjay Kirpal Chairperson Hon.


Jale Sigarara Deputy Chairperson Hon.

Mitieli Bulanauca Opposition Member Hon.

Alexander O’Connor Government Member Hon.

Jese Saukuru Opposition Member 7 3.0 ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF LANDS & MINERAL RESOURCES IN 2014 & 2015.
During the period under review, the committee noted that the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources administrates all state lands and regulates all mineral resources in Fiji with the aim to ensure that all state lands, minerals and groundwater sector is sustainable.

The Ministry through its two departments, namely the Lands Department and Mineral Resources Department ensures that these activities are carried out in an effective and efficient manner.
The two departments were supported by the Corporate Service Division and the Policy & Research Unit (Policy & Reporting).

Department of Lands & Survey The department’s programs and activities are designed to provide the administration, development and management of all State Land including the foreshore.
The department takes its cue from the targeted outcomes of the government of the day’s manifesto, namely; the Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development [RDSSED) 2010 -2014, the People’s Charter for Change, Peace, and Progress (PCCPP).
Department of Mineral Resources The division works towards providing access to available groundwater resources that is present for human consumption and development through, properly conducted hydrogeological investigation and assessment with quality boreholes.

In addition, manage groundwater resources to ensure sustainability with minimum impact on the environment.

Corporate Services Division The Corporate Services Division provides policy and administrative management support to the ministry.
It was also responsible for ensuring that all human resource management and financial services were aligned to the legislations and policies of the government.

These corporate functions were implemented through the following sub-sections.

The Human Resource Management/Development and Administration Section was responsible for the activities relating to recruitment and selection, employee relations and customer and secretariat services.
OHS and training and registry functions; and the finance unit oversees all financial aspects of the ministry including all ministry projects ensuring compliance to the government’s Financial Management system and related policies and guidelines.

8 4.0 FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 The existing draft Mineral Exploitation & Exploration Bill (MEEB) is in its 11th draft.
The Committee appreciates the development and update of the National Land Use Master Plan (NLUMP) which is now available.

The Committee appreciated the achievement on the targeted surveyed mahogany plantations.

Lack of training on Cabinet submission, policy development and report monitoring.

Projects – Outdated and absence/incomplete of relevant data.

Lack of technical equipment for field survey works.

Lack of skilled staff and officers.

5.0 COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS 1.


RECOMMENDATION Timely submission of the Ministry’s annual reports to Parliament, within five (5) months after the closing of accounts for the preceding financial year.

2.

RECOMMENDATION Facilitation of the early enactment of the Mineral Exploitation & Exploration Bill (MEEB).

3.

RECOMMENDATION The National Land Use Plan is currently demand-based however the Committee recommends a more proactive approach.

i.e.
i.e.

Provincial, Tikina, Village, Yavusa, Mataqali and Farm based.

4.

RECOMMENDATION The survey of land boundaries is to be accelerated as payment of stumpage is payable on trees harvested on each landowning unit land.

5.

RECOMMENDATION Officers recommended for further studies and supported for scholarship application.
9 6.0 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 6.1 GENDER EQUALITY ANALYSIS – SDG 5 There was no information on gender provided in the annual report except for the eight (8) Gender Policies achieved by the Ministry during the period under review.

However, the Committee noted a significant improvement in Gender participation in the Ministry as a whole.
7.0 THE MINISTRY’S OVERALL PERFORMANCE In conclusion, the committee viewed that the Ministry’s overall performance in 2014 and 2015 was satisfactory even with the limited resources in place.

It was noted that during those operational years, the Ministry met the challenges which enabled the Ministry to promote and improve their service delivery.
The committee noted the dedication by all staff of the Ministry in both the years, 2014 and 2015 that had enabled the Ministry to implement its programs as budgeted for and more importantly in achieving its targets.

8.0 CONCLUSION The Committee suggests timely tabling of annual reports to assist the Ministry in assessing its performance and in moving forward.

However, the overall performance of the Ministry during the years under review was satisfactory.
10 9.0 COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ E-SIGNATURE The Members of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, hereby agree with the contents of this report.

Members of the Standing Committee on Natural E-Signature Resources Hon.

Sanjay Kirpal, Chairperson Hon.

Jale Sigarara, Deputy Chairperson Hon.

Alexander O’Connor, Government Member Hon.

Mitieli Bulanauca, Opposition Member Hon.


Jese Saukuru, Opposition Member 11 APPENDICES Published written evidence Written evidence and supplementary information was received from the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources and can be viewed on the Parliament website at the following link: http://www.parliament.gov.fj/committees/standing-committee-on-natural -resources / 12