Wailevu Chief Perseveres at Pearl Farming

Fiji Sun News - 21 November 2010
Ratu Jone’s unique pearls
They say that starting a business is like having a baby; it’s easy to conceive but hard to deliver.
At least that appears to be the case with pearl farmer Ratu Jone Maivalili of Wailevu in Cakaudrove.
On the other hand, his neighbour Justin Hunter, a cultured pearl farmer himself, has overcome labour pains and is now reaping the fruits of his hard labour through perseverance, consistency, determination and hard work.
The two, although rivals in the business field, are still the best of friends.
In fact they are working hand-in-hand helping each other to preserve the uniqueness of Fiji’s pearl industry
With both men operating from the serene waters of Savusavu Bay, their tale of friendship is as unique as the cultured pearls they produce.
During a recent visit by the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovations (MORDI) Programme to his pearl farm on the coast of Vatulele, Ratu Jone spoke of his struggles as the lone i-Taukei pearl farmer.
“I have been struggling on my own for nine years and Mr Hunter has given me great support and the needed boost to continue,” he said.
“Mr Hunter has got the capital to operate while I on the other hand had to make use of the little I have to continue in this business.
“It’s a business but for us, but it’s also more than that; we’re working together to develop the pearling industry for the country.”
Ratu Jone is the younger brother of the Tui Wailevu Ratu Kinijioji Maivalili.
He was a former military officer with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and later worked for Air Fiji as a pilot.
Today, Ratu Jone said he would never trade his status as a pearl farmer for any other career in the world.
As the first i-Taukei pearl farmer, Ratu Jone had to start from scratch.
That includes researching for information in order to find suitable buyers for these cultured pearls.
“In the beginning, it is all about yourself and how you want to advance in this business,” he explained.
“For me, it took seven to eight years to at least get the basics right.”
Ratu Jone financed his own training and research programmes.
He made frequent trips to Japan and at the same time mastered the Japanese language to be able to find a suitable buyer for his pearls.
“One needs to have a lot of money to market Fiji pearls to the world market.
“I am just a farmer and right now I am selling at a wholesale level.”
Pointing at a grubby knapsack, Ratu Jone said, “This is what I used to transport my pearls across to the other side of the world.”
He has clients all over Europe and Japan.
Making frequent trips to these countries has enabled him to sell his pearls.
“There is no other way,” he said.
“It is not about contract-signing or anything like that.
“Most of my clients operate on trust and a pearl farmer is able to build this trust by seeing their clients in person.
“And for me it is also about quality at farm level.”
Another challenge, Ratu Jone faced is that he has to foot the costs of bringing a pearl technician from overseas.
“It is costly and for a farmer this will require a lot of sacrifice on your part to try and employ a pearl technician to come and inspect the pearls,” he said.
“I have to pay close to $1000 a day for a technician.”
Highly skilled technicians open the live pearl oysters carefully, and then surgically implant a small polished shell bead and piece of mantle tissue in each.
The shell bead serves as the nucleus around which the oyster secretes layer after layer of nacre, the crystalline substance that forms the pearl.
And Maivalili Pearls was set up on the basic information of pearling practiced by Mikimoto in Japan, about 100 years ago.
“A nucleus is imported from the Mississippi River in the USA and this is injected into the oyster to make pearls.
“The end products are cultured pearls and the uniqueness of the pearls depends on the colours.
“The sound of cultured pearls being produced on our shores takes our imagination to the lustrous jewels nestled in the oysters formed in the bottom of the ocean.
“It is regarded as one of the most beautiful and magical gems of the ocean.”
Ratu Jone hopes that in years to come, Fiji pearls will be described as just that, “beautiful and magical” like no other pearls in the world.
“Unlike Tahitian pearls, Fiji pearls are unique,” Ratu Jone said.
“Their unique colour is an asset.
“It has a sort of rainbow colour and we hope to market the pearl in a way that we’re not exploiting its value.”
Ratu Jone made his first pearl harvest in 2003 and hopes to carry out another early next year.

After nine years, Ratu Jone will finally deliver the fruits of his struggles.

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Development Scheme helps Bua Village

Fiji Sun News - 18 November 2010

Youths having sexual relationships with relatives have forced a village in Kubulau, Bua, to implement a village by-law.This is to put an end to the relationships and make it a complete taboo.
The issue was raised by Nakorovou Village headman, Elesio Salatabulevu during a recent visit made by the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovations (MORDI) Programme review team.
He said now there were strict rules on kava and alcohol consumption within the village premises.
“This village was well known for homebrew drinking and indecent activities among young people,” he said.
“It was a challenging time for the village and youths were very disobedient to the calls of the village.
“They were having sexual relationships among close relatives and this was a worry to village elders.”
Mr Salatabulevu said with the MORDI implementing projects in the village, this had given a reason for the village to be stringent on how it runs its affairs.
MORDI implemented projects like water sanitation, bakery, and youth’s cattle farming project.
“With MORDI coming into our village, we have noticed changes,” Mr Salatabulevu said.
“These are new changes and the youths have completely given their time and efforts in ensuring that the projects are successful.”
Mr Salatabulevu said men and women had also supported the village in its income generating projects.
Head of the women’s group, Seserina Batima-tana, said the women plan to use their bread bakery as a source of income for the community.
“The money we earn will help individual women set up their own businesses,” Mrs Batimatana said.
“Some of us love to make handicrafts and the money we earn from the bakery can help us start selling our handicrafts at the market,” she said.
She said with MORDI’s training and empowerment the women had become more active in their families and in prioritising work to be carried out in the village.
The president of the village youth group, Iosefo Nabete said MORDI encouraged youths to work hard.
He said members of the youth group were more involved now than before.
“Right now our focus is to ensure that the cattle farm is looked after,” he said.
“The farm will create work for the youths to earn money and move into other income generating activities.
“It will take five years for us to reap the fruit of this project but it is better to start now than having to look back and not having anything to fall back on.

“Even some of the youths in towns and cities have left school and they will all come back to the village to try and make a life for themselves. Such projects set a foundation,” he said.

Gift to Eastgate Family by Namena Chief

Fiji Sun News - 10 November 2010

Namena chief, Turaga na Tui Nawainovo Ratu Filimoni Verebalavu yesterday gave a piece of land to the Eastgate family to reaffirm their family ties. 

The four acre land called Waileka had been traditionally given to the Eastgate family as a rest place for them.

The Eastgate family, led by Hartley and Tiko Eastgate, were at Namena Village yesterday to make traditional presentation called the “cara sala” to reaffirm their traditional ties with the people of Namena. Their great grandmother hailed from Namena village


Ratu Filimoni told the Fiji Sun at Namena yesterday that they were overwhelmed with the visit especially when the Eastgate family had revisited their Fijian traditional root. 

He said the land that he had offered them is just a token to reaffirm their traditional ties.

“They’re now free to do whatever development they want on the piece of land for the members of the family to know they they’re part of Namena village,” Ratu Filimoni said. 

He said the paper work would be done later but as of yesterday the land belonged to the Eastgate family.

The Eastgate family was accompanied by Bau chief Ratu Tu’akitau Cokanauto and the Tunitoga from Bau.


The connection between the Eastgate family with Ratu Cokanauto began years back when his late father Ratu Edward Tuivanuavou Cakobau attended Levuka Public School.

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Village by-laws not to be enforced by villages

Fiji Village News - 9 November 2010

The Village-by-Laws are only recommendations, and are not Laws to be enforced in the villages.

These were the words of Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama speaking to representatives from the various Tikinas that were present at the Lomaiviti Provincial Council today.

Commodore Bainimarama said he has received word that some villages are enforcing these by-laws, however he added that they will only be enforced, once all the feedback is received by the I-Taukei affairs and if it is passed by Cabinet.

He added that all villages should see that the chiefly hierarchy is observed and transparency should prevail amongst the villages and the chiefs, by way of regular meeting and negotiations.

Commodore Bainimarama also stressed the importance of education and for the parents of Lomaiviti to make use of the assistance given by Government for free education from Class 1 to Form 7, and also asked them to send their children regularly to school.

According to Bainimarama this will broaden their knowledge and see them managing their own business from their islands, thus contributing to the Fiji economy.

The Lomaiviti Provincial Council meeting continues in Suva.

Story by: Selina Navuso

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Dravuni Island Rakes in Fees from Landing Cruise Liners

Mary Rauto

Fiji Times - Tuesday, November 09, 2010

AN island with only one village earns $66,000 in ship landing fees per year.

Dravuni Development Committee spokesman Radike Qereqeretabua said 10 to 12 P&O cruise vessels visited his island home per year.

"The landing fee is $5500," he said. "Cruise vessels have been coming to our little island for over two decades.

"We have a tiny pontoon but government has stepped in to finance a $.5million pontoon.

"This according to shipping agencies should encourage more ships to come to the island."

He said the $66,000 did not include sales from other islands

Dravuni is the perfect example of what an island can accomplish if everyone works together.

"Our people get a lot of money from the sales of T-shirts, sulu, beach massage and bu," he said.

"All these have come out of hard work by the people."

Speaking at the donation of 23-foot fibre glass boat to Dravuni Education Committee last week, European Union ambassador Wiepke Van der Goot commended the people of Dravuni for their hard work.

"I have heard of and read a lot about your development projects, your networking activities and your efforts to protect the biodiversity of your island home for the benefit of the future generation.

"There is an old English proverb that says 'a drop of knowledge is greater than an ocean of strength'. It seems to me that this proverb could have been written in Dravuni."

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Chiefs Refuse to Share Money

Sai's Comments:

• I am not surprised at all that Ba chiefs have responded the way they did to the proposal by the illegal regime. The proposal is naive and lacking proper historical and cultural appreciation of the Fijian social system and values.

• Firstly, the manner and circumstance in which such a dramatic change to the sharing of lease money is being approached, is sufficient to raise the ire of chiefs. Changes are being proposed by an illegal regime without any popular mandate to an arrangement that has been in place for a very long time. It is nothing more than a grab for a populist agenda to appease Fijians, especially in difficult economic times.

• Secondly, it must be understood the existing system is a delicate balancing between entitlements and rights of Fijians against the structuring of their social systems which makes them who they are. Woven around the Fijian social system is the concept of reciprocity, wherein each person has obligations and duties to the rest of the family and land owning unit for amicable and peaceful co-existence. 

• At a practical level, chiefs have a leadership and oversight role over their subjects in return for the respect, homage and loyalty by the people. When properly discharged, this exchange provides the glue to what being Fijian is all about, especially at a village setting. Further, for the above to work, remuneration by way of entitlements from commonly owned assets such as leasing of land, need to reflect the differing roles and responsibilities of members. Thus it would make sense for chiefs to have a greater share of lease money in order to carry out their duties.

• It is no different to the illegal PM receiving greater share, though fraudulently, of the commonly owned asset (state tax money paid as his salary) than others in his illegal regime, as they perform different roles with different responsibilities.

• Thirdly and critically important, historical dimensions also play a role in how lease money has been distributed among land owning members. Chiefs right to decide life and death of members as well as entitlement to sell land pre-dated modern day government. Fiji's history is littered with land sales and relocation of whole villages resulting from a chief's decision, most of which were later upheld following the Cession in 1874. These rights and entitlements have since been pegged well back and in most cases vested in the State. In fact chiefs have given up such birth rights and entitlements in order to facilitate and agree to the introduction of modern statehood and government. In some ways, their share of lease money is in recognition of what they have given up. Take it away and you're creating a new set of injustice. Only worse when such an unjust situation will negatively impact the compact between chiefs and the people - the glue that binds Fijians.

• In the case of Fijian fisheries, it has yet to be returned to the people, like their land, as is their right. The Qarase government had begun to do this, but it was the Fiji Military in league with resort owners, who had opposed it. 

• Therefore the proposal to alter the sharing of lease money will impact disproportionately on chiefs than the people. Reduction in their share of lease money will belittle their standing among their people, make it difficult to meet their responsibilities as chiefs, which in turn will be a slight and insult on their people. In essence, it reduces chiefs to the position of commoners. It becomes a zero sum situation where ultimately begs the question; Why have chiefs in the first place when we can all be the same? THAT IS WHAT COMMUNISM IS ALL ABOUT.

by MACIU MALO

Fiji Times - Friday, November 05, 2010

CHIEFS from the country's biggest province do not want the lease distribution system changed.

The issue was discussed for almost an hour yesterday after Commissioner Western Commander Joeli Cawaki told a meeting of the Ba Provincial Council that the Government was proposing to distribute lease monies evenly among all landowners. Under the proposed system, the turaga i Taukei and the turaga ni mataqali will no longer be receiving their normal 5 per cent and 25 per cent shares respectively.

Commander Cawaki had said an awareness program would be conducted so all chiefs acould fully understand the concept. A majority of the chiefs present at the meeting said the lease distribution system had been in place for years and there was no need for the system to be changed.

Ba provincial chairman Ratu Meli Saukuru said the chiefs and council have decided to submit their concerns and objection to the Office of the Prime Minister.

"The council members have agreed to take the matter to the Prime Minister and we will be liaising with the Ba provincial office to file our submission on the issue," said Ratu Meli.

"Most chiefs are against the idea and we will be following proper procedures to address their concerns."

Chiefs that were present at the council meeting were Marama na Tui Ba, Taukei Naua of Saunaka, Tui Tavua Ratu Totivi Kama, Tui Vitogo and Tui Nawaka.

The meeting ended yesterday.

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Land Lease Arrangements to be Reformed

FBC News - Tuesday, November 02, 2010

The Strategic Framework for Change Coordinating Office is now focusing on land reforms to ensure a win-win situation and equal benefits for both landlord and tenants.

Framework for Change public relations director – Joe Besetimoala says reforming current leasing arrangements is required for conditions to improve.

Besetimoala says Arbitrary rules such as the Unimproved Capital Value requirement under ALTA should be replaced by a market based framework which allows independent assessment and room for negotiation between parties.

He says the focus will be on native land as all landowners need to equally benefit from native land rental through a transparent mechanism.

Native land alone accounts for approximately 90 percent of the total land area in Fiji and NLTB administers over 31,000 leases which cover 24 percent of the total native land.

Report by : Sekope Toduadua

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Cakaudrove recommends banishment under bylaws

FIJI VILLAGE NEWS - 01 NOVEMBER 2010

Some villages from Cakaudrove have proposed at the Provincial Council meeting last week that the end result of someone not adhering to the village bylaws after three consecutive warnings is that the person will be told to leave the village.

Roko Tui Cakaudrove Ro Aca Mataitini said discussions were held at length on this, and a villager will be told to leave, if all avenues to try and help him change, are not followed.

Concerns were also raised on issues like the dress code in the village and the consumption of alcohol, and the penalties to be given.

It was agreed that the “Turaga-ni-Koro” should report anyone drinking in the village, or anyone who enters the village drunk and is disturbing the villagers, to the police. 

With regards to dress code, Ro Aca stressed that the way people dress depicts the kind of people they are, and anyone entering the village should respect the dress code there.

He added that the main issue with the bylaws is for the government, the Provincial Council and the village chiefs in all the provinces to work together, as this will be the only way to move forward.

Story by: Selina Navuso

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Saunaka Chief Keeps Taukei Naua Title

by Maciu Malo

FIJI TIMES - Saturday, October 30, 2010

RATU Ponijese Lou is the official title holder of the Taukei Naua after the Native Lands Commission appeal tribunal ruled in his favour at Saunaka Village on Thursday night.

Photo: Courtesy Fiji Sun

Ratu Ponijese's chiefly position was challenged by his fellow mataqali (clan) member but of a differenet tokatoka.

The appeals committe, which included former magistrate Aminiasi Katonivualiku, Ro Epeli Mataitini and Ratu Inoke Seru, met the two parties and handed down its decision after careful consideration.

A relieved Ratu Ponijese said through his spokesman, Tukai Lagonilakeba, that he was satisfied the decision had been reached amicably and looked foward in continuing from where his older brother and the late Taukei Naua, Ratu Josateki Sovau, had left off.

Mr Lagonilakeba said the two factions reconciled after the ruling and the people of Saunaka were satisfied. He said the matter had been a drawback in their daily village life and the ruling marked a new begining in the village.

"We are very happy with the outcome of the Appeal Tribunal ruling and I beleive that the 'vanua' of Naua are satisified," said Mr Lagonilakeba.

"It was a good hearing as both parties co-operated with the tribunal team.

"It's a new start for us and the Taukei Naua is looking foward to leading his people well."

Mr Lagonilakeba said the Saunaka chief's main aim was to safeguard the welfare of his people.

The yavusa Naua is one of the biggest landowners in the country, receiving substantial lease monies from their land. Some big business located on their land include the Nadi International Airport and hotels along the Wailoaloa beach.

Ratu Ponijese is a retired senior fire officer with Airports Fiji Limited.

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