The Minister of Lands, Hon. Polycarp Pae, recently announced that the first customary land recording office under the Customary Land Recording Program will be built in Auki, Malaita, in 2025. This initiative, which has already secured funding of SBD 5.5 million in the government’s budget, aims to establish a formal system for recording customary lands across the country.
The Customary Land Recording program is the first program that aims to help tribal land-owning groups record their land and resources. This is important to minimize land disputes and to prepare land for development programs suitable for their land.
“This program is aimed at securing land ownership for traditional landholding groups while enabling them to utilize their land for investment and economic development,” Hon. Pae said back in September.
This process enables landowning groups to record and apply for registration as “Customary Land Perpetual Estates,” which differ from standard estates since they are held in the group’s name and cannot be transferred.
The Customary Land Perpetual Estates cannot be sold outright and the law prevents individual control over the land, ensuring it remains with the group across generations while allowing for leasing, subdivision, and other uses to promote security and attract investment.
The Ministry of Lands is planning to roll out this program in collaboration with the Ministry of Provincial Government Institutional Strengthening, the Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and the Ministry of Rural Development to cover all 50 constituencies.
Once recorded, these customary land areas are then linked to each Provincial urban center through specialized economic development programs supported by a whole of government approach.
The new office in Auki will serve as the primary center for recording all customary lands in Malaita, helping to streamline land registration and improve land tenure security. The program will initially focus on urban centers and constituency development areas, ensuring that land records are properly documented and accessible.
Looking ahead, Hon. Polycarp revealed that similar land recording offices are planned for Guadalcanal and Western provinces, with construction expected to begin in 2026. This move is part of the government’s broader efforts to enhance land governance and support sustainable development across the Solomon Islands.
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