OPPOSITION Leader Jeremiah Manele says he believes that the passing of the Lands and Titles Amendment Bill 2016 this week is a long overdue legal issue that parliament failed to rectify since 1978.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Hongrano/Kia/Havulei uttered this, when presenting his statement during the passing of the Bill, Wednesday this week.
He specified that the Bill came as a result of a high court judgment that found the commission of lands and the Land board not having power to resume land for public purpose under section 100 of the act.
“This I believe is a long overdue legal issue that this House has not been able to rectify since we got our independence from UK more than thirty so years ago.
“While appreciating the work of the courts, especially the court of appeal in this matter, this should also give this House a reflection that we have not been able to quickly make or unmake laws to allow the country to progress in its development and service delivery.
“This is a good way to remind us that we ought to take progressive attitude in the way we govern our nation especially ensuring that our laws are progressive as we venture into modernity,” Mr Manele said.
The Leader of Opposition said, while the court has played an important part in this matter, the parliament must not be seen to wait for the courts to find abnormalities in the laws of the country before taking appropriate actions.
“As the supreme law making body of the land, it is incumbent on us to ensure that we continually challenge our law making frontiers and to continue to makes laws for peace and progress of this country and not to unnecessarily wait to be told what to do.
“This is a wakeup call to correct the wrongs in our laws so as to provide clear pathways in the way we go about addressing the issues of this nation,” Mr Manele stated.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
