๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ – ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐: The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (โMinistryโ) wishes to advise the public, stakeholders, and all marine resource users that the Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill 2025 (โthe Billโ or โCUMA Billโ) is ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ. The ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ and will only come into force after it is debated and passed by Parliament and subsequently gazetted as an Act.
๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ
The draft CUMA Bill is a proposed legislation that seeks to repeal the Regulation of Surfing Areas Act 2010 and replace it with a fair and transparent framework that reverts proprietary ownership of marine areas used for commercial purposes to customary owners.
The Bill introduces a fair mechanism for this reversion process, upholding the rule of law and principles of natural justice, with all affected parties actively involved. It also seeks to empower existing indigenous institutions to play a central role in the administration and oversight of these marine areas.
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐:
1. The ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ, and continues to govern matters relating to surfing areas and related commercial activities. Therefore, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฅ๐ for the use of marine areas for commercial tourism purposes.
2. ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ, will there be a process to determine and negotiate compensation schemes between customary owners and interest holders in accordance with the law.
The Parliament Standing Committee on Justice, Law, and Human Rights, supported by the Ministry, will conduct nationwide consultations on the draft Bill to ensure inclusive participation and broad stakeholder input. Dates and venues for these consultations will be announced soon.
We thank our stakeholders for their cooperation and encourage active engagement as we work together to develop a fair, modern, and sustainable approach to the management of Fijiโs marine areas for commercial tourism use.
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐
๐๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง๐๐จ๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐พ๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐ผ๐ซ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ
slot gacor situs toto