RESEARCH ANALYSIS: WHY THERE HAS BEEN A RISE IN FIJI’S SQUATTER SETTLEMENT IN URBAN SECTOR

Squatter settlement in Fiji has been increasing, becoming a national issue. Many young and old move away from the rural sector due to a lack of development and resettle in urban areas seeking better jobs and lifestyles. Hence, only some are fortunate to purchase land or build a dream house. Many choose to reside in areas where it is deemed cheap. The paper will highlight the importance of urban development when it comes to growth in housing and sanitation. The main aim is to determine the extent of securing property rights in the urban sectors. Every year and continuously, rural and urban migration drift is happening, and with the significant rise, many try to find employment in either the formal or informal sector. Therefore, this leads to an increase in people living in urban areas and the need to seek property to live in. This migration creates a high demand for property in the formal or informal sector. The paper will establish the salient link between informal and formal property rights and the importance of property rights issues in the urban sector. The article will also highlight the institutional constraints to economic development and how they can be strengthened. There are issues about having informal property and how it affects the formal sector and the economy’s growth.