About the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey
The Ministry of Lands, Housing & Survey under the Solomon Islands Lands and Titles Act (Cap 133) has the following mandate:
- Hold, manage and administer lands for and on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government and in the national interest of the people of the Solomon Islands.
- Source, administer and manage Ministry resources.
The Ministry is headed by the Permanent Secretary, and supported by the Commissioner of Lands and two Under Secretaries with inputs from the respective Departmental Heads.
Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey
Welcome to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey.
Our Mission is to ensure land dealings are fair, transparent, impartial and according to appropriate and relevant laws of the Solomon Islands.
Our Services
Ministry services include:
- Deliver effective land administration
- Registering land transactions
- Ensuring that land rents are based on fair and transparent principles
- Ensuring timely collection of land rents
- Meeting the statutory requirements of surveying, valuations and physical planning
- Keeping land records secured
To achieve its mission, the Ministry delivers services through its six (6) Divisions.
Essential Services
Land Issues
Divisions and Departments
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey consists of 7 Departments, 6 Divisions and 2 Units.
Administration Division
The Administration Division is headed by the Human Resources Manager (HRM) and is responsible for managing all aspects of the Ministry’s human resources and administration requirements, including staffing and recruitment.
Accounts Division
The Accounts Division is headed by the Financial Controller and is responsible for developing, spending and managing control of MLH&S budget in consultation with the Permanent Secretary and various Heads of Departments.
Land Administration & Management Group (LAOG)
This Department is responsible for the core land administration functions and processes of the Ministry of Lands, Surveys and Housing. It plays a vital role in supporting the Commissioner of Lands.
The Rural and Urban Division supports the Commissioner of Lands under LAOG in the executing of its functions under the Lands and Titles Act.
Geographic Operations Group
The Geographic Operations Group (GOG) provides technical support to other core functions within the Ministry of Lands, Housing & Survey.
It has work teams in the Cadastral Information Division and the Geographic Information Division. Equipped with modern equipment and staff trained in its use, the group has well defined Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Geographic Information Division
The division is responsible for collecting, analysing and managing all geographically referenced data that is collected by the Cadastral Information Unit. They also liaise with other Government Ministries and Departments, as well as the private sector that work with spatial data.
They deliver timely responses to external demands for up-to-date land data and special thematic maps on a semi-commercial basis and to provide technical support to mapping programs.
Cadastral Information Division
This division comprises of two units, Survey and Cartographic.
Survey Unit – involves in matters relating to Land Surveying and issuing of Survey Instructions (I to S) to Private and Government Surveyors; receiving and examining returned Survey Instructions.
Cartographic Unit – manually plotting the newly surveyed lots on to standard cadastral plans.
Valuation
The Valuation Department is headed by a Valuer General and is generally responsible for the valuation of properties and the revision of Land Rental and Property Rates to reflect current market values.
The department also monitors outstanding land rental forfeiture, updating of provincial land rent for property rates, and the updating of provincial and Honiara valuation maps.
It plays a vital role in supporting Government national projects especially in terms of valuation.
Government Housing
The Government Housing Department ensures that the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey and other relevant agency capacity is strengthened to manage Government’s housing assets.
In pursuing this, one of the key roles of the division is to identify strategies to effectively manage and monitor Tenancy Agreements under the Public Service Rental Scheme.
Physical Planning
The Physical Planning Department exists to ensure that land in the Solomon Islands is developed in accordance with properly considered policies that are formulated on adequate information and are directed to promote the welfare of the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands and others living here.
The department works along with Civil Engineering, Architecture, Land Surveying, Land Administration, Environmental Building, and Social Planning in the course of its planning process.
It is also responsible for providing quality advice to the Permanent Secretary as well as to the Minister on the activities of Town and Country Board, including gazetting, of new local area plans and changes in board membership to ensure that the activities are in accordance with the Town and Country Board Act.
Land Reform And Research
The Land Reform and Research Department was established purposely to implement Government policy on Alienated and Customary Land. Its intention is to deal with the country’s long standing problems of both alienated and customary lands. The overall objective is to provide security of title for land owning groups.
Location
If you’re in the Solomon Islands and wish to visit us, our office location is provided below for your convenience. We look forward to welcoming you.