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.
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