Saimoni Waibuta

With over 3,000 vacant chiefly titles across Fiji, the iTaukei Affairs Ministry is guiding communities with the selection process for these positions.

Deputy Secretary Saimoni Waibuta says this has been a long-standing issue.

Waibuta says the absence of a person in authority at the village level hinders the implementation of development projects by stakeholders.

He adds the Ministry aims to assist the Vanua in electing its Chief and the chiefly installation process in this financial year.

“The iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission is continuing to embark on that. They just returned last week from Yasawa, they have planned activities throughout this financial year to continue talks with the vanua and try and ascertain this for these traditional titles to be confirmed.”

Waibuta says this activity has been incorporated into the Ministry’s upcoming roadshow and community awareness sessions.

“In the next two week we will be going to Koro, we will be visiting all the 14 villages on this motive just to inform them of the importance of traditional leadership and to confirm the traditional titles holders.”

The Ministry roadshow team will now visit villages in Gau, Batiki, and Nairai guiding them on the installation of the Turaga Ni Mataqali, Turaga Ni Yavusa and Turaga Ni Vanua.