Sivaniolo Lumelume 
Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Pita Tagicakirewa
A major concern in the Traditional Knowledge, Culture Expressions, and Intellectual Property Bill consultation in the Western division is fair funding methods.
This has been highlighted by Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Pita Tagicakirewa.
Tagicakirewa says this relates to how the owners of traditional knowledge and the custodians of certain cultural expressions can be compensated because of what they possess.
“That is an issue that will be sorted out as the consultation continues because central to this are the business houses and those who benefit, right now, from all those traditional handicrafts and traditional knowledge.”
The Permanent Secretary confirms that a lot of resource owners in the West want this bill to go to parliament as soon as possible.
Tagicakirewa says that the iTaukei Affairs Ministry will do justice to the whole process by consulting all relevant stakeholders before returning the draft bill to cabinet.
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