Source: http://www.paclii.org/vu/legis/num_act/clta2001263/
Timestamp: 2019-06-18 08:41:20
Document Index: 133311169

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 4', 'ART 5', 'ART 6', 'ART 7', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'arts 6', 'art 7', 'art 8', 'art 6', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'ART 3', 'art 2', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'ART 7']

Customary Land Tribunal Act 2001
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Assent:	3 December 2001
Application to coastal sea and other waters
Arrangements outside the Act
PART 2 VILLAGE LAND TRIBUNALS
PART 3 CUSTOM SUB-AREA LAND TRIBUNALS
Single custom sub-area land tribunals
Joint custom sub-area land tribunals
PART 4 CUSTOM AREA LAND TRIBUNALS
Single custom area land tribunals
Joint custom area land tribunals
PART 5 ISLAND LAND TRIBUNALS
PART 6	PROCEDURE OF LAND TRIBUNALS
PART 7 QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS AND SECRETARIES OF LAND TRIBUNALS
Determinations of boundaries and lists for island with one custom area
SCHEDULE 1 CUSTOMARY LAND DISPUTE PROCESS
SCHEDULE 2	LAND TRIBUNALS ALLOWANCES TABLE
SCHEDULE 2	FORM FOR RECORDING DECISION OF LAND TRIBUNALS
Commencement:	10 December 2001
An Act about customary land disputes, and for related purposes
The object of this Act is to provide for a system based on custom to resolve disputes about customary land.
(1)	For the purposes of this Act, each island is divided into custom areas. Larger islands are divided into many custom areas. By way of contrast, very small islands may consist of only one custom area. Custom areas are subdivided into custom-sub areas. The procedure for resolving disputes about customary land varies depending on whether the land is situated wholly or partly within a custom area or a custom sub-area.
(2)	This Act covers the following main topics:
(3)	Part 2 sets out how a village land tribunal is to resolve a customary land dispute. A village land tribunal can be a single or joint village land tribunal depending on whether the land in dispute is situated in one or more than one village. If all the parties accept the decision, the dispute is resolved. If not, there is provision for appeals to custom sub-area land tribunals (see Part 3), custom area land tribunals (see Part 4) and island land tribunals (see Part 5).
(4)	Parts 6 sets out the procedures to be followed by land tribunals. The procedures are substantially the same for each kind of land tribunal.
(5)	Part 7 deals with qualifications for members and secretaries of land tribunals and Part 8 deals with miscellaneous matters.
(6)	The flowchart in Schedule 1 broadly summarises the procedures for resolving disputes about customary land under this Act.
(1)	In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears
chairperson means the chairperson of a land tribunal.
custom area means an island or part of an island having a substantial identity of custom, and under the customary regulation of a custom area council of chiefs.
custom area land tribunal means a single or joint custom area land tribunal.
custom sub-area means a subdivision of a custom area that is under the customary regulation of a council of chiefs separate from the custom area council of chiefs, and includes such a subdivision known on some islands as a ward or district.
custom sub-area land tribunal means a single or joint custom sub-area land tribunal.
customary land means land owned or occupied, or an interest in land held, by one or more persons in accordance with the rules of custom.
Director means the Director of the Department responsible for lands.
elder means any person with important communal responsibilities within a village, regardless of his or her age.
Island court means a court established under the Island Court Act [CAP 167].
land tribunal means:
member means the chairperson or any other member of a land tribunal, but does not include the secretary of a land tribunal.
village land tribunal means a single or joint village land tribunal.
This Act extends to the waters within the outer edge of any reef adjacent to customary land.
5	Pending court proceedings
(2)	The Supreme Court or an Island Court may:
(3)	To avoid doubt, if proceedings before the Supreme Court or an Island Court relating to a dispute about customary land are pending, the dispute cannot be dealt with under this Act.
6	Arrangements outside this Act
(1)	Nothing in this Act prevent a person or persons resolving a dispute about customary land in accordance with the rules of custom or in any other lawful way.
(2)	Subsection (1) applies even if the way in which the dispute is resolved is inconsistent with the procedures under this Act for resolving disputes.
7	Notice of disputes
(1)	If a person or a group of persons:
(2)	The notice must be given
(a)	if the land is situated wholly within the boundaries of a village - to the principal chief of that village; or
(b)	if the land is situated within the boundaries of more than one village - to the principal chief of each of those villages.
8	Single village land tribunals
(1)	If the principal chief of a village receives a notice of a dispute about customary land under paragraph 7(2)(a), the principal chief must, within 21 days after receiving the notice, establish a single village land tribunal to determine the dispute.
(a)	a person under paragraph (2)(b) or subsection (3) unless the person is qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
(b)	a person as the secretary under paragraph (2)(c) unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary and is willing to do so.
9	Joint village land tribunals
(1)	The principal chief of each village who receives a notice of a dispute under paragraph 7(2)(b) must, within 21 days after the last day on which a principal chief receives the notice, together establish a joint village land tribunal to determine the dispute.
(a)	subject to subsection (3), the principal chief of each village if he or she is qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; and
(a)	under paragraph (2)(b) or subsection (3) unless the person is qualified to adjudicate the dispute under this Act and is willing to do so; or
(b)	as the secretary under paragraph (2)(c) unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary and is willing to do so.
10	Resolution of disputes
(1)	If all the parties to a dispute accept the decision of a village land tribunal (see Part 6 for procedure for resolving disputes), the dispute is resolved and no further action needs to be taken under this Act by any of the parties.
(2)	If any of the parties to a dispute do not accept the decision of a village land tribunal, that party may appeal under Part 3 or Part 4 (whichever applies) against the decision.
PART 3 – CUSTOM SUB AREA LAND TRIBUNALS
This Part applies only to decisions of a village land tribunal under Part 2 about customary land that is situated in whole or in part in a custom sub-area.
12	Appeal notice
(1)	If a person or group of persons:
13	Single custom sub-area land tribunal
(1)	If the chairperson of the council of chiefs of a custom sub-area receives a notice of appeal under paragraph 12(2)(a), the chairperson must convene a meeting of the council within 21 days after receiving the notice.
(5)	A person must not to be appointed:
(a)	under paragraph (3)(b) or subsection (4) unless the person is qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
(b)	as the secretary under paragraph (3)(c) unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary and is willing to do so.
14	Joint custom sub area land tribunal
(1)	Each chairperson of a custom sub-area or custom area council of chiefs who receives a notice of appeal under paragraph 12(2)(b) or (c) must, within 21 days after the last day on which a chairperson receives the notice, together establish a joint custom sub-area land tribunal to determine the appeal.
(a)	subject to subsection (3), the chairperson of the council of chiefs of each sub-area or custom area if qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; and
15	Resolution of disputes
(1)	If all the parties to a dispute accept the decision of a custom sub-area land tribunal (see Part 6 for procedure for resolving disputes), the dispute is resolved and no further action needs to be taken under this Act by any of the parties.
This Part applies to the following decisions:
17	Appeal notice
(a)	is a party to a decision referred to in paragraph 16(a) or (b); and
(a)	if the land is situated wholly within one custom area - to the chairperson of the council of chiefs of that custom area; or
18	Single custom area land tribunal
(1)	If the chairperson of a council of chiefs of a custom area receives a notice of appeal under paragraph 17(2)(a), the chairperson must convene a meeting of the council within 21 days after receiving the notice.
(a)	subject to subsection (4), a chairperson who is to be the chairperson of the custom area council of chiefs if he or she is qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
(a)	under paragraph (3)(b) or subsection (4) unless the person is qualified to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
19	Joint custom area land tribunal
(1)	Each chairperson of the council of chiefs of a custom area who receives a notice of appeal under paragraph 17(2)(b), must, within 21 days of the last day on which a chairperson receives the notice, together establish a joint custom area land tribunal to determine the dispute.
(a)	subject to subsection (3), the chairperson of the council of chiefs of each custom area if qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; and
(b)	2 other chiefs or elders from each custom area are appointed by that custom area council of chiefs; and
(a)	under paragraph (2)(b) or subsection (3) unless the person is qualified to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
(b)	as the secretary under paragraph (2)(c) unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary.
20	Resolution of disputes
(1)	If all the parties to a dispute accept the decision of a custom area land tribunal (see Part 6 for procedure for resolving disputes), the dispute is resolved and no further action needs to be taken under this Act by any of the parties.
(2)	If any of the parties to a dispute do not accept the decision of a custom sub-area land tribunal, that party may appeal under Part 5 against the decision.
21	Application of Part
This Part applies in relation to the following decisions:
22	Appeal notice
(a)	is a party to a decision referred to in paragraph 21(a), (b) or (c); and
23	Island land tribunals
(1)	The chairperson of the island council of chiefs must convene a meeting of the council within 21 days after receiving a notice of appeal under section 22.
(4)	If the chairperson of the custom area council of chiefs is not qualified under this Act to adjudicate the dispute or is not willing to do, he or she must appoint another chief or elder from the custom area as the chairperson.
(7)	A person must not to be appointed:
(a)	under paragraph (3)(b) or (5)(b), or subsection (4) or (6), unless the person is qualified to adjudicate the dispute and is willing to do so; or
(a)	as the secretary under paragraph (3)(c) or (5)(c) unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary and is willing to do so.
24	Rehearing
(a)	an island land tribunal determined an appeal against a decision mentioned in paragraph 21(b)(“the original decision”); and
the person or group must give a notice of a re-hearing under subsection (2).
(4)	The island council of chiefs must establish another island land tribunal to rehear the dispute. The island land tribunal is to conduct the rehearing as if it was hearing and determining the dispute for the first time.
(6)	A person who was a member or the secretary of the island land tribunal that has already determined the appeal cannot be appointed under subsection (5).
(7)	A person cannot be appointed:
(a)	under paragraph (5)(a) or (b) unless the person is qualified to adjudicate the dispute under this Act and is willing to do so; or
(b)	as the secretary under paragraph (5)(c)unless the person is qualified under this Act to be a secretary and is willing to do so.
25	Notice of hearing
(1)	Within 21 days after the establishment of a land tribunal, the secretary of the land tribunal must give notice under subsection (2) to the parties to the dispute.
(a)	be in writing in Bislama, French, English or another language of the one or more of the parties to the dispute; and
(c)	the place of meeting of the land tribunal, being a place which is convenient having regard to the location of the land, the residences of the tribunal’s members, the residences of the parties and the availability and security of meeting places; and
(d)	the name and address of the secretary of the land tribunal; and
(e)	if applicable – the grounds of the appeal.
26	Start of hearing and objections
(1)	The land tribunal must, so far as practicable, meet to hear a dispute at the time and on the date and at the place specified in the notice given under section 25.
(3)	Subject to subsection (4), the chairperson must consider any objection, and if he or she considers that the objection is justified, he or she must disqualify the person concerned and adjourn the meeting to enable another person to be appointed.
(4)	If the objection is to the chairperson of the land tribunal, the other members of the tribunal must consider the objection, and if they consider that the objection is justified, they must disqualify the chairperson and adjourn the meeting to enable another chairperson to be appointed.
(5)	If a party to a dispute fails to follow any of the procedures under this Act, another party to the dispute may apply to the land tribunal for an order directing the party to comply with the procedure.
27	Hearing of dispute
(1)	The chairperson of a land tribunal must:
(b)	on completion of that party presenting his or her case - invite the other party or parties to present their cases and specify the order in which parties are to do so if there is more than one.
(2)	In presenting his or her case, each party must be allowed an adequate opportunity to present arguments, produce evidence and call witnesses.
(3)	Each party and his or her witnesses may be questioned:
(1)	A land tribunal must determine the rights of the parties to the dispute according to custom.
(2)	The parties may at any time try to reach an amicable settlement of the land dispute, and the tribunal must encourage and facilitate any such attempts.
(3)	The chairperson may adjourn the hearing of a land tribunal for a period not exceeding 10 days to enable an amicable settlement to be reached.
(4)	However, if there is no amicable settlement within that time, the chairperson must recommence the hearing.
29	Decisions of land tribunals
(1)	After the hearing of a land tribunal is completed, the chairperson must adjourn the meeting of the land tribunal to enable the members to make their decision. The decision must be made within 21 days after the completion of the hearing.
30	Orders
A land tribunal may as part of its decision make one or more of the following orders:
31	Customary reconciliation ceremony
The parties may enter into a customary reconciliation ceremony after a land tribunal announces its decision.
32	Allowances and costs
(1)	Before a land tribunal sits on any day (“the sitting day”) to hear a dispute, the secretary of the land tribunal must work out:
(a)	the sitting allowances to which the chairperson, each other member and the secretary is entitled to for the sitting day in accordance with Schedule 2; and
(b)	the reasonable transportation and communication costs of the chairperson, each other member and the secretary for the sitting day.
(2)	Each party to the dispute must pay to the secretary an equal share of the total of the amounts worked out under paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) before the land tribunal meets on the sitting day. For example, if the total amount is VT 9,000 and there are 2 parties, each party must pay VT 4,500.
(3)	If any of the parties do not pay the amounts required under subsection (2), the land tribunal must not meet on the sitting day.
(4)	If the land tribunal meets on the sitting day, the secretary must, at the end of that day, pay to:
33	Decisions are final
34	Records of decisions
(1)	The secretary of a land tribunal must record the tribunal’s decision in the form set out in Schedule 3, and on it being signed by the chairperson and secretary it constitutes an accurate record of the decision for all purposes.
(2)	If the decision of a land tribunal is not appealed against or there is no re-hearing, the secretary of the tribunal must as soon as possible send the record of the decision to the Director.
(3)	If the decision is appealed against or there is a re-hearing, the secretary of the tribunal must as soon as possible send the record of the decision to the secretary of the land tribunal hearing the appeal or undertaking the re-hearing.
PART 7 – QUALIFICATION OF MEMBERS AND SECRETARIES OF LAND TRIBUNALS
35	Determination of boundaries and lists for islands with more than one custom area
(1)	This section applies to an island that is divided into more than one custom area, being custom areas that may or may not be divided into custom sub-areas.
(2)	As soon as possible after this Act commences:
(b)	the council of chiefs of each custom sub area must:
(3)	The council of chiefs of each custom area and each custom sub-area must:
36	Determination of boundaries and lists for islands with one custom area
(1)	This section applies to an island if there is only one custom area on the island.
(2)	As soon as possible after this Act commences, the island council of chiefs must:
(3)	The island council of chiefs must, as soon as possible after the end of each year, revise the approved lists of chiefs and elders, making such additions, deletions and amendments as it considers necessary to ensure keep the list up to date and accurate.
37	Qualifications of members of land tribunals
(1)	A chief or elder is not qualified to be a member of a land tribunal unless he or she is included in a list approved under section 35 or 36.
(2)	A chief or elder must not be appointed or continue as a member of a land tribunal if he or she:
“I swear by Almighty God that I am qualified to act as a member of a land tribunal and I know no reason why I should not adjudicate this dispute, and I promise that I will adjudicate this dispute honestly and impartially, and strictly in accordance with custom. So help me God.”.
38	Functions and qualifications of secretaries of land tribunals
(1)	A secretary of a land tribunal has the following functions:
(b)	if the decision is appealed against or there is a re-hearing of it, to forward the record of that to the secretary of the land tribunal determining the appeal or conducting the re-hearing;
(c)	if the decision is not appealed against or there is no re-hearing of it, to send the record of the decision to the Director;
(3)	A person must not be appointed as secretary of a land tribunal unless he or she is physically and mentally competent to perform the functions of a secretary.
(4)	A person must not be appointed or continue as a secretary of a land tribunal if he or she:
(1)	If a person who is not qualified to be a member or a secretary of a land tribunal participates in the proceedings of the tribunal, a party to the dispute may apply to the Supreme Court for an order:
(2)	If a land tribunal fails to follow any of the procedures under this Act, a party to the dispute may apply to the Supreme Court for an order:
(3)	The Supreme Court in determining an application may make such other orders as it considers necessary.
(4)	Subject to the Constitution, the decision of the Supreme Court on any application:
40	Responsibilities of Director
(1)	The Director must:
41	Responsibilities of local government and municipal councils
(1)	Each local government council and municipal council must encourage and assist chiefs to identify the boundaries of custom areas and custom sub-areas.
(2)	The powers under this Act of the councils of chiefs of custom sub-areas, custom areas and islands are not in any way limited by their involvement in any units of a local government council or municipal council (for example wards, districts or local government council areas).
42	Offences
A person is guilty of an offence punishable on conviction by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine of not more than VT500,000, or both, if the person:
(a)	influences, or attempt to influence, the decision of a land tribunal; or
43	Guidelines
The Minister may, after consultation with the National Council of Chiefs, issue written guidelines for the purposes of this Act. Such guidelines are advisory and are not mandatory.
44	Regulations
45	Amendment of schedules
The Minister may by order amend Schedules 2 and 3.
Name of Land Tribunal
2	Names of Members
3	Name of Secretary
4	Place of meeting
5	Date of meeting
6	Date of Decision
7	Description of land in dispute
8	Sketch plan of land
9	Identifying customary land marks such as roads, rivers, lakes, coastline, trees, rocks
21	Terms of Decision
Certified to be a true and accurate record of the decision of the Land Tribunal
URL: http://www.paclii.org/vu/legis/num_act/clta2001263