Head of the Burebasaga Confederacy Ro Teimumu Kepa has made revelations surrounding the decision to exclude the three traditional confederacies from ceremonies for the royal visit last week.

In a statement, she says while planning was still underway for the country to host the Duke and Duchess, the Itaukei Affairs ministry visited her to make customary presentations to invite the Burebasaga confederacy to participate in the welcome ceremony of the royal couple.

Ro Teimumu adds she accepted the invitation to be part of the welcome ceremony adding that the Kubuna confederacy had also accepted the invitation to be part of the ceremony as well.

The Roko Tui Dreketi says the ministry officials had also indicated they were going to invite the Tui Cakau as head of the Cakaudrove confederacy.

However, three weeks later, the ministry officials visited Ro Teimumu again but this time to inform her the invitation had been withdrawn and references to the President and the Prime Minister would be mentioned in the royal programme instead of the confederacies.

She claims Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama was involved in this by ordering the withdrawal of the traditional invitation to the Kubuna and Burebasaga confederacies.

The Roko Tui Dreketi is calling on Itaukei Affairs Permanent Secretary Naipote Katonitabua to stop misleading the public and blaming the people of Vuda who accorded the traditional welcome ceremony for the royal couple.

She has given her assurance that the indigenous culture and traditions will remain intact.