Clan heads told to register

Fiji Times - Friday, July 02, 2010

A DRIVE to have all clan and landowning unit leaders recognised by the Native Lands Commission has begun in Cakaudrove.

Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu

Provincial council officers have visited most of the 134 villages in the province, urging villagers to have their leaders acknowledged by the commission.

This week Roko Tui Cakaudrove, Ro Aca Mataitini, visited Valovoni Village in the heart of Saqani where he urged members of the mataqali Nakadruma to choose their leader.

Since Nakadruma is the leading mataqali in the village, the head will automatically be the Bolawaqa clan (yavusa) head.

The name of the chosen person is submitted to NLC for verification and confirmation.

Ro Aca said ensuring clan and landowning unit leaders were recognised by the NLC would allow the leaders to command and muster the respect of other villagers, thus fewer disagreements in villages and less confusion over traditional titles.

"As it is there is a lot of disagreement and villagers may be divided over whom to listen to because of confusion in the leadership," he said.

Most of the clan and unit leaders not recognised by the NLC are concentrated in Wailevu district where only about 25 of the 121 yavusa and turaga ni mataqali are acknowledged by the commission.

Village headmen payments on hold

Friday, July 02, 2010

PAYMENTS of quarterly allowances for village headmen (turaga ni koro) in Cakaudrove are on hold until they submit required reports.

The measure was been employed to ensure village headmen earn their $150 every three months.

Headmen were supposed to receive their payments this week.

Roko Tui Cakaudrove Ro Aca Mataitini said the measure should be viewed positively as it would obligate each headman to carry out his duties.

"It includes ensuring that the village is kept clean to ensure a healthy living environment," he said. "They must submit reports every three months if they don't they don't get their allowance.

"The assistant Roko will have to scrutinise and check their reports, I am also making a point of checking to see what they have written because what we have observed is that they say they are writing about things they say they have done but really something else is happening.

"In one particular village the headman has been very vocal but when we visited the village it was overgrown with grass so we blame the turaga ni koro. It's his responsibility there should be a special day for cleaning up and we are asking all the turaga ni koro to see that their villages are clean."

Ro Aca said village headmen also had a duty not to take sides in disputes within villages, mediate differences and see that peace was maintained within the village at all times.