Peceli Naviticoko 
Yaqona farmers in the North are being urged to focus on the contents of the proposed Kava Bill rather than on a name printed on the draft legislation.
The call follows strong reactions and concerns raised during consultations in Labasa, where many farmers said they did not support the proposed Bill because the name of former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum still appears at the end of the draft document.
Lead consultant Losalini Leweniqila clarified that legally, the name cannot be removed until the Bill is finalised for presentation in Parliament.
She explained that all amendments including changes to wording and the removal of the former minister’s name will be done in one process once consultations are completed.
“That would include all the feedback that we have received, largely positive, and a few that don’t support the bill. In more than one instance, they have disagreed with it because of the name, and we’ve explained that all will be changed once the bill is in its final stage for presentation in Parliament. That’s when the name of the Minister for Agriculture will be inserted.”
Leweniqila added that the concerns raised in Labasa were not isolated, as similar feedback was also received at other consultation venues around Fiji.
She confirmed that the name of the current Agriculture Minister, Tomasi Tunabuna, will be inserted once the consultation process is complete and the proposed Bill is ready for tabling in Parliament.
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