NLTB defends policy

NLTB defends policy

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 - www.fijitimes.com

THE Native Lands Trust Board has defended its policy on land leases where landowners need to apply for a title of their own land even after it is returned to them by their tenants.

NLTB manager northern Joreti Dakuwaqa said that any person who wished to lease any Native land, irrespective of whether they were landowners or not would have to lodge application using the standard forms together with other personal details.

"An expired lease cannot be transferred and as such we need to process a new lease altogether to the new lessee," Mr Dakuwaqa said.

His comment comes after the Taukei Cane Growers Association raised concern on why landowners have to apply for a lease on their own land if they wanted to use it for cultivation of cane.

They also blamed the NLTB for the high presence of idle land in the division as a result of such process.

Association president Adi Sivo Ravuwale said that such situation has discouraged landowners from cultivating land as most won't benefit from any cane payments because the land title has not been transferred to them despite the expiry of leases.

Mr Dakuwaqa said the process to transfer the title to landowners who want to farm cane on their land took approximately three months to process.

"It takes long only if certain requirements in our approval conditions are not met by the applicant," Mr Dakuwaqa said

Serua chiefs discuss NLC request

Serua chiefs discuss NLC request
08 APR 2008- www.fijilive.com
Members of the chiefly Vunivalu clan of Serua are meeting in Navua to discuss a request by the Native Land Commission for the names of installed chiefs in the province.

Roko Tui Serua Vanalagi Vesikula says the request by NLC is in relation to new laws to have only installed chiefs as members of the Great Council of Chiefs.

Vesikula adds the commission has requested that the province provide information on installed and uninstalled chiefs.

The Vunivalu of Serua, Ratu Penaia Latianara, is the paramount chief of the province.

However, close to 20 chiefs in the province have either been installed or are yet to be anointed and this is a worry for the NLC.

Serua is the smallest province in Fiji with an estimated population of 5,000.

GCC taskforce chairman Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo says Serua has a good record of installed chiefs.

“This is because the province has a lot of natural resources like logging, fishing, exporting of spring water and chains of hotels,” he said.

“So if you are not an installed chief you don’t get lease money from all these benefits and that’s the reason provinces along the Coral Coast have so many installed chiefs.”

Ratu Josateki says one of the main requirements of the Interim Government is for chiefs to be installed in all provinces.

“At the moment 80 per cent of chiefs are not installed so it’s very hard to know who’s who nowadays,” he said.

Ralogaivau Forces Sister to Sign Letter

Chiefs action upsets sister

UNAISI RATUBALAVU
Tuesday, April 08, 2008

A MEMBER of the Great Council of Chiefs taskforce team is alleged to have forced family members to sign a letter to endorse him as head of their mataqali (clan) so he could be in the Great Council of Chiefs.

Adi Rasagavi Ralogaivau, the elder sister of Ratu Filimoni Ralogaivau said she was pestered by her brother at her home in Raiwaqa to sign the letter.

Ratu Filimoni is a member of the GCC taskforce four-member team. He said he did not know about the issue when he left for Bua at the weekend

Speaking in Fijian, Adi Rasagavi said her brother went to see her last week and told her to sign the letter. When she asked him what the letter was about, Ratu Filimoni told her he will be the head of their clan in Wainunu and needed Adi Rasagavi's signature.

She said he kept on telling her to sign the letter so he could be the head of the Muanaicake clan of Wainunu, Bua.

Adi Rasagavi and her sister, Vilomena Lewakulati went and complained to the Native Land Commission chairman on April 1, and was told to write a letter.

A copy of their letter of complaint obtained by The Fiji Times was addressed to the NLC chairman, Ratu Viliame Tagivetaua. The letter, dated April 2, was written in Fijian and explained how Adi Rasagavi and Mrs Lewakulati were forced by Ratu Filimoni to endorse him head of their clan. They also stated in the letter that they had withdrawn their signature because they felt it should have been discussed by the clan before they could sign anything.

The sisters said in their letter that they were tricked by their brother.

Another close family member who wants to remain anonymous said Adi Rasagavi was older than Ratu Filimoni.

"By right, Ratu Filimoni is third in line to the title, the eldest in the family is Adi Maria Irarerevaki who is in Australia.

"The second in line is Adi Rasagavi," the member said.

The family member said three people had signed the letter and has urged other family members not to do it because it was not right.

"It is immoral and unethical, Ratu Filimoni is just doing it to get into the GCC so he can get some money," the family member said.

Ratu Filimoni denied that he went around forcing his sisters to sign the letter last week.

He said he had no knowledge of the letter and did not want to comment any further. "I don't know anything about the letter," was all he said.

Ratu Viliame said his office had received the letter and they would investigate.

He said in such a circumstance, members of a clan should be consulted and should all agree on who should be their head of clan or chief before a formal letter is submitted to the NLC


Province asked if chiefs installed

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

THE Native Land Commission has written to a provincial council to clarify whether the province's chief has been installed or not.

Roko Tui Serua Vananalagi Vesikula said he would have to liaise with the Vunivalu of Serua Ratu Peni Latianara and his clan about the issue.

"It is a sensitive issue at the moment, I have been asked by NLC to submit a report on the chiefs who are installed, including their title.

"I can only give you details once I have done my findings," he said.

This follows the criteria set by the Great Council of Chiefs taskforce team, which states that only chiefs who are installed and recorded in the NLC records can be included in the new-look GCC.

GCC team taskforce team leader Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo said the criteria would push the provinces and districts to install and formalise the heads of their clan.

"Most of the chiefly titles have been vacant for some time and this criteria will ensure that the traditional titles are filled by the chiefs," Ratu Josateki said.

The GCC taskforce is scheduled to make a presentation to the Serua Provincial Council on Thursday at Navua.

Ratu Josateki said the team would only present to the council what the State had decided on the new-look GCC and ask for the 14 councils to submit three names of chiefs they think should represent them in the chiefs meeting.

He hopes the GCC will meet in June with the chairman and interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

The taskforce team will make their presentations in the Rewa and Tailevu provincial councils next week

Historical find : Deed of Cession paper discovered

Ancient manuscript to be moved to the capital

UNAISI RATUBALAVU
Wednesday, April 09, 2008

The original Deed of Cession taken at the Fiji Museum+ Enlarge this image

The original Deed of Cession taken at the Fiji Museum

A GOVERNMENT delegation will leave for Levuka next week to bring the Fijian version of the Deed of Cession to Suva to be kept at the National Archives.

Lomaiviti provincial administrator Jese Veibuli said the Information Ministry was finalising details of the tour and a small celebration would be held in the old capital.

"The government delegation will also present a traditional ceremony to the Tui Levuka before the document is brought to Suva," Mr Veibuli said.

The importance of the document was discovered last month after it had been hanging in the provincial administrator's office all these years.

Government Archivist Setareki Tale confirmed that the 134-year find.

He went to Levuka to prove the authenticity of the document and said the document was handwritten and a quill was used.

The document would be taken to Australia for further tests.

Meanwhile, Fijian Teachers Association president Tevita Koroi said they welcomed the discovery.

"The discovery is good for students to know the importance of Fiji's history and such discovery is a good thing for us and our future generation to know.

"It is also good for this generation. Many of us did not know there was a Fijian version of the Deed of Cession and was written for our chiefs at that time to understand.

"At that time, in 1874, our chiefs were illiterate and that was how Mr Wilkinson wrote the Fijian version for the chiefs' understanding," Mr Koroi said.

Rewa chief Ro Filipe Tuisawau said that in such discoveries, we should always be cautious until it was proven by scientists.

"The discovery of the Fijian version of the Deed of Cession needs to be treated with caution. It is good that a Fijian version is on hand but the normal verification process which normally applies must be put in motion to verify its authenticity. This means that not only must the paper and ink be analysed but also the handwriting.

"This type of analysis can also be done by qualified scientists who have the tools and experience to examine historical manuscripts," he said.

Historical find : Deed of Cession paper discovered

UNAISI RATUBALAVU-www.fijitimes.com
Tuesday, April 08, 2008

A historical document, the original copy of the Fijian version of the Deed of Cession, was found in Levuka last month by government officials.

Lomaiviti Provincial Administrator, Jese Veibuli said the Government Chief Archivist Setareki Tale who went to Levuka to inspect the document confirmed it as the original copy of the Deed of Cession.

Mr Veibuli said the historical document would be taken to Suva and kept at the National Archives.

"The document is written in Fijian, in a frame hanging here in my office," he said.

"An officer with the National Heritage saw it in the office and mentioned how important it was. It was written by one Wilkinson.

"The document is a Fijian version of the Deed of Cession, it states to the chiefs what they were signing," he said

He said it was written in 1874 for Fijian chiefs to understand what they were signing.

He said the Government Archivist was contacted and he proved the authenticity of the document.

Mr Tale yesterday confirmed the 134-year-old find. "The document was in a pretty good condition considering the time it was written," he said.

"It was handwritten and a quill was used to write the document.

"I don't know the kind of paper used." The document would be taken to Australia for further tests.

Interim Minister for Education and Heritage, Filipe Bole said he would comment later.

Historian, Tevita Nawadra said the discovery was a big thing for the people of Fiji.

"That is good news and I am looking forward to seeing that document," he said.

Mr Nawadra said David Wilkinson, the chief interpreter who translated the Deed of Cession in Fijian was the first chairman of the Native Lands Commission after Fiji became a colony.

"Mr Wilkinson, used to stay in Bua and was the secretary of Ramasima, one of the chiefs in Bua at that time," he said.

"The Colonial Government was looking for someone who was fluent in Fijian and our culture, so Mr Wilkinson became the first NLC chairman," Mr Nawadra said.

He said this was something special for the people of Fiji, especially the indigenous people with the current political turmoil facing Fijian institutions.

He proposed that a big celebration be staged to highlight the importance of such a document.

The Deed of Cession was signed on October 10, 1874 by 13 chiefs of Fiji and Sir Hercules George Robert Robinson, the British Government representative at Nasova in Levuka.

Ratu Epenisa Cakobau, a descendant of Ratu Seru Cakobau, one of the chiefs who signed the deed of cession, said he was eager to see the document.

"I would love to see the document and I would prefer to comment after I actually see," he said.

"I'm really happy that such a document has been found."

Tui Namosi, Ratu Suliano Matanitobua was delighted to hear the news, but preferred to comment after seeing the document.

Levuka mayor, George Gibson said he was thrilled about the discovery but at the same time sad because the document would be kept in Suva.

"I would have hoped that it remains here in Levuka, because the signing of the Deed of Cession was done in Levuka," he said. He was informed about the discovery last month and said such a document proved the history of Fiji in the pre and post colonial era.

Tui Macuata urges chiefs to sit in the GCC and lead

Tui Macuata urges chiefs to sit in the GCC and lead

Friday, April 04, 2008 - www.fijitimes.com

A CHIEF has urged other chiefs to take the opportunity to sit in the next Great Council of Chiefs meeting so that democracy returns as soon as possible.

Tui Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere said chiefs should think of their people and better future for everyone.

"As chiefs we should think of our people and a better future for everyone.

"We want to move on and everyone wants democracy to be restored as soon as and if this is a doorway to it, then why not grab it?" he said.

Ratu Aisea however expressed reservations on the criteria that chiefs who are eligible to join the new look GCC should be installed first.

"For us in Macuata, this title I'm holding we don't go through the installation process, it just passed down to me after my father passed away.

As for the Tui Labasa title, she will be installed and I will be a key figure in that installation process," Ratu Aisea said from his village in Naduri yesterday.

He said not all chiefs were installed because different districts and provinces had their own customs.

GCC taskforce team leader Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo said his team was mindful of the issue and would consider the chiefs who didn't get traditionally installed.

"We will refer to the Native Land Commission records on who is the rightful chief in districts and provinces. I know in some places, the chiefly title is passed down through generations

Cultural Understanding Vital

Need to understand cultures is vital says chief

Wednesday, April 02, 2008-www.fijitimes.com

Update: 10.59am TUI Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere yesterday told participants of a community based workshop there was a need to learn new ways of understanding people of many races, cultures and religions.

His comments come as participants at the Sustained Dailogue on Identity and Belongingness in Fiji workshop were encouraged to work towards finding a sense of belongingness and identity for the people of Fiji.

"We need to seriously survey the landscape of our mindsets and entrenches patterns of interaction from which we view ourselves as insiders and outsiders.

"Today, we can begin to recognise and acknowledge the challenges that threaten to blight our efforts of becoming a people and of building a common destiny," Ratu Aisea said.

He encouraged participants to use the seminar as a platform of bringing people together to build a better Fiji.

"This opportunity can be an opportunity for us to use to increase dialogue about issues related to identity and belongingness in Fiji.

"We readily accept ethnic separateness as normal part of our national life in a way that our mutual fears and distrust have become greater than the risks of forging real bonds of friendship, collaboration and unity," Ratu Aisea said.

Cakaudrove Supports High Chief - Tui Cakau's Stand

People stand by Tui Cakau

Wednesday, April 02, 2008-www.fijitimes.com

THE province of Cakaudrove will not join the newly restructured Great Council of Chiefs because the interim regime has already said their paramount chief, the Tui Cakau, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu is not an eligible member.

Speaking on behalf of Ratu Naiqama, provincial spokesman and matanivanua (traditional herald) Epeli Matata said if Ratu Naiqama could not become a member of the council, it was disrespectful for other chiefs in the province to become members.

"We will not join the GCC if our high chief Ratu Naiqama cannot join because that will be disrespectful to our chief.

"In fact, we have three representatives from the province to the GCC and Ratu Naiqama is a member so if he is not allowed to join by the regime, then there will be no other reps from the province," Mr Matata said.

He said for the 14 chiefs of the province, only three were traditionally installed, including Ratu Naiqama.

"In the province, out of the 14 chiefs of the 14 districts, only three are traditionally installed including the Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Tui Vaturova Ratu Wilisoni Matakibau and Tui Nasavusavu Ratu Suliano Naulu," Mr Matata said.

"We will only join if the regime allows our high chief to become a member of the GCC."

Mr Matata said if the regime does not change its stand, the province would not be members of the council at all.

He said the new council would not have many members as a handful of chiefs had not been traditionally installed in Fiji.

"Who are the installed chiefs in Fiji, hardly any chiefs are installed traditionally so that will definitely affect the membership of the new GCC."

"But the province all know that whatever the Tui Cakau says will be followed and according to the interim regime's review of which he cannot be a member of the GCC, the other two installed chiefs will not join also.

"This is what we call "domo dua" which is one voice and that is the voice of Ratu Naiqama and if he cannot be a member then why should other chiefs in the province join," Mr Matata said.

He said the province has not changed its stand on the People's Charter in not recognising the initiative by the regime.

"In fact we waited for a team to arrive in our tikina meeting two weeks ago and no one came because if they had come, we will tell them straight that they were not welcome in the 14 villages of the district.

"We have not changed our stand on the Charter and will remain that way as our high chiefs has said so," Mr Matata said.


GCC under scrutiny

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

A CHIEF has labelled the new-look Great Council of Chiefs as meaningless because three paramount chiefs of three provinces would be ineligible to join.

Rewa chief Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the Roko Tui Dreketi, Tui Namosi and Tui Cakau would be ineligible to join the GCC because of the seven-year stand-down period "that was designed to exclude these three and any opposed to the interim regime".

"Which other chief from Rewa, Namosi and Cakaudrove will come in? It is just designed to divide and rule and to appoint a Vice President they already have in the sidelines. Their game plan is so obvious that even kids can see it," Ro Filipe said. He added that the new-look GCC would be a puppet for the interim Government and he urged Fijian chiefs to boycott the meeting.

Ro Filipe said the new criteria set for the new-look GCC had been forced upon the people without proper consultation.

He added that the move by the interim Government was contrary to most provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights.


Province snubs GCC

SERAFINA SILAITOGA
Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - www.fijitimes.com

THE province of Cakaudrove will not join the restructured Great Council of Chiefs because the interim regime has already stated that their high chief, the Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, was not eligible to be a member.

Speaking on behalf of Ratu Naiqama, provincial spokesman and mata ni vanua Epeli Matata said that if Ratu Naiqama could not become a member of the GCC, then it was disrespectful for other chiefs in the province to join the council.

"We will not join the GCC if our high chief will not join because it will be disrespectful.

"In fact, we have three representatives from the province to the GCC and Ratu Naiqama is a member.

"So, if he is not allowed to join by the regime, then there will be no other rep from Cakaudrove province," Mr Matata said.

He said that for the 14 chiefs of Cakaudrove province, only three had been installed including Ratu Naiqama.

"The others are Tui Vaturova Ratu Wilisoni Matakibau and Tui Nasavusavu Ratu Suliano Naulu.

"We will only join the GCC if the interim regime allows our high chief to be a member."

Mr Matata said if the interim regime did not change its stand, then the province would not be members of the council at all.

He said the new council of chiefs would not have many members because a handful of chiefs have not been installed in their provinces.

"Who are the installed chiefs in Fiji? Hardly any chief has been installed traditionally so it will definitely affect the membership of the GCC.

"The whole of Cakaudrove province know that whatever the Tui Cakau says or wants will be followed and according to the interim regime's review that he cannot be a member of the GCC, the other installed chiefs will not join too.

"We call it domo dua which means one voice and which is the voice of Ratu Naiqama.

"If he cannot be a member of the GCC, then why should the other chiefs in the province join?"

Mr Matata said Cakaudrove province had not changed its stand on the People's Charter proposed by the interim regime.

"In fact, we had waited for a charter team to arrive in our tikina meeting two weeks ago but no one came.

"If they had come, we would have told them straight that they were not welcome in the 14 villages of Cakaudrove.

"We have not changed our stand on the charter and will remain that way as our high chief has said."

Two weeks ago, a group of villagers in Cakaudrove had stated that it was more important to obey their high chief than to acknowledge the proposed People's Charter.

Fiji doomed unless VP appointed: Chief

Fiji doomed unless VP appointed: Chief
31 MAR 2008 -www.fijilive.com
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A Fijian chief believes the country could become a ‘crisis’ zone unless the position of Fiji Vice President is filled and the appointment of members of the Great Council of Chiefs done as soon as possible.

GCC taskforce chairman Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo told Fijilive it is imperative that members of the GCC are appointed soon otherwise the country is doomed.

“With all due respect, what if something goes wrong with the head of government and his position is left vacant?

“We will have no choice but to have the interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama take over his position because the VP and the GCC has not been appointed yet.

“That’s the reason we are trying to appoint the chiefs to sit in the council, but a few provinces have turned renegade on us. They don’t realize the consequences that will follow.”

Nawalowalo was referring to five provinces that have not shown support for the military-led interim Government and its initiatives.

He said that resentment of the interim Government will not get any better if the Prime Minister decides to become the head of government.

“So why don’t the chiefs and the people come aboard and support the interim Government and let life go on because if they continue to drag this then surely a crisis is imminent.

“It’s now or never and its time to make a wise choice for the people of Fiji.”

He is also pleading with the 14 Fijian provinces not to hesitate in appointing their high chiefs as their respective representatives to the GCC, so that the appointment of the VP is done.

“Our priority is to appoint the Vice President as soon as possible to fill the vacant position.”

He said the taskforce is confident that the new-look GCC will be ready to convene in two months.

“We are planning to hold the first meeting in June.”

Meanwhile the taskforce will be visiting the province of Serua next on April 10 to present to them the interim Cabinet’s decision on changes to the GCC.

The Naitasiri Provincial Council last week rejected the changes.