By Mike Puia
THE Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS) is in the process of converting temporary occupation licence (TOL) to fixed term estates (FTE).
The process is good news for TOL holders. Among other things, this process will give TOL holders the ability to secure loans from any commercial bank using the FTE title as security.
Appearing before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week, MLHS’s Permanent Secretary, Stanley Wale confirmed this.
Mr Wale said so far their Ministry has converted about 300 TOL to FTE.
He said their Ministry is expected to deal with close to 3,000 TOL.
Wale said there are about 37 squatters or illegal settlements inside Honiara city boundary.
He said illegal squatting is a “big problem” the Ministry continues to face.
“Illegal squatter is all over Honiara,” Wale said.
The Land Board is the body within the Ministry that approves application for FTE.
The Commissioner of Lands, Nelson Naoapu, did not attend the PAC hearing because he was attending an important meeting that day.
