Pine landowners in Bua receive building materials

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama handed over $120,000 worth of building materials to Pine Landowners in Bua.

Pine Group of Companies Chairman Ratu Wiliame Katonivere says Bainimarama had asked him to explore on how the Pine Landowners can be assisted specifically to rebuild their houses.

Ratu Wiliame says they took that on board and facilitated this through the annual dividend and levies that the pine landowners receive.

He adds for 2020, they had a balance of $1.5 million for the Bua and Macuata landowners.

Ratu Wiliame says the allocation for respective landowners was based on the dividend distribution methodology.

He says they immediately set aside this fund and deployed a team to Vanua Levu to carry out damage assessment to the landowners houses and this was jointly carried out with the Ministry of Forests.

Bainimarama applauded the Pine Groups vision and mentioned that the industry has been re-strategized and reinvented.