Land Buy Back Scheme Debate Heats Up

A heated exchange has erupted over the Government’s Buy Back Scheme 3.0, with Hon. Jone Usamate and Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo trading sharp words about who deserves credit—and who failed landowning communities in the past.

In a statement posted to the Parliamentary Opposition Chambers Facebook page, Usamate welcomed the renewed $10 million allocation towards the Freehold Buy Back Scheme, framing it as a continuation of FijiFirst’s work and calling for safeguards to protect landowning units (LOUs). He claimed the former government had successfully reverted 168 acres of land between 2019 and 2021, offering interest-free loans and fallback leasing mechanisms to help struggling landowners.

But Vosarogo hit back swiftly, accusing Usamate of “political amnesia” and attempting to rewrite history.

“Let’s get the facts straight: the Freehold Buy Back Scheme was first introduced in 1989 by the current Prime Minister, Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka—not by FijiFirst. So no, Hon. Usamate, this isn’t your legacy. It never was,” Vosarogo stated.

He dismissed FijiFirst’s achievements as minimal, noting that only 168 acres were returned in over a decade, compared to over 3,000 acres delivered by the Coalition Government in just one year.

“That’s not continuation—that’s correction,” he said. “We are not interested in recycled rhetoric from a party that talked about empowerment but barely scratched the surface.”

Vosarogo also stressed the importance of distinguishing between land reversion and freehold buy-back, stating the Coalition is doing both—backed by significant funding and political will.

Usamate, in his statement, challenged the Government to clarify key elements of Buy Back Scheme 3.0:

Will it retain interest-free loans?

Will leasing remain an option for LOUs who fall behind on payments?

What protections will ensure LOUs retain land control long-term?

“A well-executed Buy Back Scheme can empower communities—but execution matters more than headlines,” Usamate warned.