Members of the Yavusa Ketei in Savusavu have more than a reason to celebrate this festive season after they received their first premium payout of $115,700 from the Land Bank.

While handing out the cheque, Minister for Land and Mineral Resources, Ashneel Sudhakar says this was made possible through the 2010 Land Use Act where landowners deposit their vacant land to the Government for development purposes while retaining the full ownership of the land.

Sudhakar added that these land areas are then developed by the Government and the resource owners receive payments from the land once leased.

He told the people that this is not a land grab, where the Government comes and takes their land away from them.

Sudhakar added the land still belongs to the people.