Ratu Totivi is Tui Tavua

Fiji Times - Monday, May 17, 2010

THE Native Lands Commission has ruled that Ratu Totivi Kama Ratu is the rightful holder of the Tui Tavua title.

NLC chairman Ratu Viliame Tagivetaua, while delivering his ruling on Friday, told the people of Tavua that neither the commission nor the government would unite them.

Ratu Viliame said the onus rested on the villagers themselves.

The Bua chief made his ruling from the evidence he collected from Ratu Totivi, a relative of claimant Vereti Naruku and representatives from the vanua.

Mr Naruku is also of the chiefly Tokatoka Nadula, Mataqali Tilivasewa of Yavusa Bila in Tavua

Tikina representative Apisalome Ulusova said they hoped the two factions would unite and work together for sake of the people.

Mr Ulusova said the two factions were from the same chiefly clan and the vanua wanted to see them united.

He agreed that it was everyone's responsibility to ensure that there was no split in Tavua.

Ratu Totivi is the younger brother of the late Tui Tavua Ratu Ovini Bokini, who died on January 15 last year.