Rate of homeownership in Fiji is extremely low as most young people in the country don’t own their own homes - AG

Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the rate of homeownership in Fiji is extremely low.

He says most of the young people in the country don’t own their own homes.

Speaking at the Attorney General’s Conference, Sayed-Khaiyum says when you have a population-base where 50% of the Fijian population today is below of the age of 27 years and 70% the Fijian population is below the age of 40 years, it has enormous implications in terms of their empowerment and access to assets to build a strong economic base.

He says one of the key aspects of living with dignity is owning your own home at the very least one and Fiji is not doing well in that space.

The Attorney General then suggested if Fiji was mature enough for strata titling which is a form of ownership for multi-level apartment blocks and subdivisions with shared areas.

He says Fiji has strata titling but it is high end.

Sayed-Khaiyum says everyday Fijians do not own these strata titles.

He also asked lawyers to think about the ramifications of strata titling in the country.

Sayed-Khaiyum also talked about a case where a family lives in a squatter settlement but was renting out their house in another area.

Sayed-Khaiyum says those lawyers who are advising insurance companies should look at whether there are products available in the Fijian market for individualised strata titling.