USP Electronic Research Repository

Property rights: principles of customary land and urban development in Fiji

Ben, Chethna and Gounder, Neelesh N. (2019) Property rights: principles of customary land and urban development in Fiji. Land Use Policy, 87 . pp. 2-12. ISSN 0264-8377

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

The complex nature of the various property right mechanisms towards development has remained elusive in the Pacific communities. Fiji's property rights, in particular, have a distinct cultural or ethnic dimension in the constitution. As a result, urban development is shaped by ways in which people from different cultural groups gain access to customary land either as formalized laws or enduring customary practices. This has had different implications on urban development, resource allocation, productive activities, capacity development, the opportunity to enhance the value of property, and access to land market for trade. This paper thus constructs a theoretical model based on property rights identified by Crocombe (1975) and the application of western rules that govern development of urban areas, and ultimately, resolves that policy makers need better institutional arrangements towards customary land to be able to achieve sustainability and security of property rights. The relationship of property rights, customary land and urban development is explored.

Item Type: Journal Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Fiji, Urbanization, Customary land, Property rights and informal settlement
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) > School of Land Management and Development
Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) > School of Economics
Depositing User: Neelesh Gounder
Date Deposited: 18 Jul 2019 02:24
Last Modified: 07 Aug 2019 00:40
URI: https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/11663

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item