The whole scheme (99 years and the pension threat) probably came straight from Aiyaz. He no doubt thinks that that the 99 year leases will build a constituency for the illegal regime. They know that they are hated by cane farmers who can see they're wrecking the sugar industry by throwing away EU aid when it's needed most.
What Aiyaz doesn't understand is that most cane farmers who use native land will not necessarily welcome the 99 year leases announcement. It looks like theft of land and they will know it and fear that they will be blamed. Those farmers who've just got new thirty year leases, the ones who get along with their landowners, don't need all these extra years now.
This is a desperate gamble that seems bound to fail. Maybe the announcement in the Fiji Times by Qetaki means that Frank wants to be able to walk away from it.
--
Epi D
chief strategist
Solivakasama Worldwide Movement
www.solivakasama.org
