BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS), Jamie Vokia says his ministry is working towards streamlining customary land recording across all sectors in the country.
The Minister said so in parliament yesterday, when answering a question asked by MP for East Malaita constituency, Manasseh Maelanga, on plans of the Ministry to streamline land recording process to all sectors.
He said although different sectors are governed by different regulations and policies, the MLHS is working to streamline the land recording process across all sectors.
“The vision is that every single development happens on customary land will have to come through the customary land recording process to identify ownership of customary land,” Vokia highlighted.
He said the process of identification of customary land holding groups is scattered within different ministries, and the challenge is that the identification of customary land holding groups is carried out in different forums, panels and for different purposes.
“Now, in recognition of this challenge, the Ministry of Lands is working closely with relevant stakeholders to streamline the process of customary land recording to make it more effective, efficient for customary land holding groups,” Vokia emphasized.
Additionally, he said the ministry is currently working with two provincial governments – Guadalcanal and Malaita, to establish land recording offices in the respective provinces.
“For Malaita, my PS just arrived back yesterday. We planned to open the land recording office in Auki before the year concludes. And so, we’ll be going to Auki in the next two or three weeks.
“We’ll be looking at how our parliament sits and then we’ll go across and open the land recording office.
“After Malaita and Guadalcanal, the streamlining process will continue to other provinces, as it is already captured in the budget for 2026,” he said.
Furthermore, the Minister emphasized that the process will touch women and youth, who will be represented when the program is negotiated in community settings.
“So, if you are disabled or voice of young people and women. Our team will hear you when they go into various sections of the community to do and complete all these recordings,” he said.
The Minister explained the land recording process can take about six months before the actual recording certificates will be given out to the respective communities.
He said several customary lands in the country have been recorded and the latest was in Makira province.
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