Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has rubbished a video,  featuring Laisenia Qarase, and claiming that iTaukei rights and land will be taken away under the 2013 Constitution and the FijiFirst Government.

The video is circulated on social media and it is allegedly being used by some SODELPA politicians and supporters to woo iTaukei votes in the general election.

It is understood it was shot in the United States before the 2014 general election.

Mr Bainimarama referred to the video when he was speaking to hundreds of sugarcane farmers and iTaukei landowners during a public consultation in Lautoka yesterday.

He said only 15 viewers liked the video on Youtube out of the 23,000 people who viewed it while four disliked it.

“Just a few minutes ago I received a video on Qarase that the land and their rights will be taken away from the iTaukei people. That really is just rubbish,” Mr Bainimarama said.

He criticised Mr Qarase for his conviction of corruption and told the people not to believe him.

Mr Qarase, a former SDL prime minister, said last night: “I can’t remember much about that video. So I don’t want to comment on it.

“I’m not involved in politics any more and I don’t want to comment.”

Mr Qarase was sentenced to one year in jail for corruption in 2012. He was found guilty of nine charges involving the abuse of office and failure in discharging his duty when he served as a director of Fijian Holdings Ltd in the 1990s.

Mr Bainimarama said: “This current Constitution will see that the land belongs to the real landowners until kingdom comes.”

He said under Mr Qarase’s watch iTaukei land in Denarau and Momi were sold.

“So don’t believe all the words that these people are saying, we are making good in our promises.” he said.

He said the iTaukei rights and land ownership were safe under the Constitution. He said no land had been taken away since the video in question was made.

Edited by George Kulamaiwasa

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