 |
 |
 |
  |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
PRESS Statement - BOSE NI TURAGA 16-17 DECEMBER 2008, QEB, SUVA 1.0 The Bose ni Turaga was convened for its 6th session at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks and met on the 16 and 17 December 2008. 2.0 The meeting was formally opened by His Excellency the President who is also Tui Vuda and a member of this Forum, on the morning of Tuesday 16th December. His address has been extensively reported in the media. 3.0 The meeting was convened to allow the Prime Minister to inform the chiefs of Government’s road map to returning the country to Parliamentary rule. 4.0 INVITATION 4.1 The Prime Minister broke protocol in that he personally wrote to all 225 chiefs inviting them to the meeting; the invitations were then delivered by Roko Tui of the provinces. On previous occasions, chiefs came together for this meeting following a general announcement by Government and visits by relevant Roko Tui. 4.2 Personal invitations from the Prime Minister were addressed to chiefs who are, according to records at the Native Lands and Fisheries Commission (NLFC), Turaga iTaukei. These are the traditional heads of the Vanua and these Vanua to a large extent translate to the District what the Government requires to be done or plans to do for the better administration of the province. In Fijian society they are never regarded as “sub chiefs” or that they hold “insignificant” positions. To regard them as such shows a complete lack of knowledge and respect and is an insult to all the Turaga iTaukei in Fijian society. 4.3 In addition, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs invited other prominent chiefs who although not Turaga iTaukei, nevertheless occupy senior positions in Fijian traditional hierarchy and who have influence and enjoy traditional allegiances with Fijian villages in their provinces. Members of the NCBBF were also invited by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. 4.4 Of the 225 chiefs invited by the Minister, 125 attended or were represented; all the provinces were represented at that meeting. Some of those invited could not attend because the positions were substantively vacant or under dispute. What was heartening though was that those chiefs who attended did so despite the intense lobbying by certain chiefs and including personal visits and appeals in the press that they should not attend. They however, attended in their capacity as traditional heads of their Vanua and did so in their own free will. Invitations were sent to individual chiefs and the individuals responded, despite the call by some not to attend. 4.5 As Turaga iTaukei, these Fijian chiefs are all equal in rank and although they cherish the allegiances they owe to their paramount chiefs, they are at the same time independent and protective about their independence. This was particularly evident in Tailevu where despite the efforts of some Bau chiefs for them to stay away, many came. 4.6 The meeting was convened to allow the PM to inform the chiefs of Government’s road map in returning the country to parliamentary rule. No formal recommendations were made to the meeting and consequently no formal resolutions were passed. 5.0 PRIME MINISTER’S ADDRESS 5.1 The Prime Minister, in his address, outlined to the chiefs Government’s roadmap for returning the country to Parliamentary rule and the milestones on that road map. They included the political leaders’ forum which was convened on 27 October 08 and the President’s political forum which is still to be held. He also spoke of matters that needed to be addressed, as part of that roadmap, before elections could be held; they included amongst other things the need for electoral reforms as highlighted in the Peoples’ Charter. He stated that only after all those matters have been addressed, would instructions be issued to the Electoral Commission to start preparing for elections. He added that the preparation period could be 12 to 15 months. 5.2 The response from the meeting after that address by the Prime Minister was both positive and supportive. All the provinces represented at the forum spoke and supported Government’s roadmap and the way ahead and expressed their confidence in the Prime Minister and his Government in returning the Government to parliamentary rule. The Vunivalu of Serua however suggested that the 12 to 15 months preparation period night be too long and he requested that that be reduced to 6 months. At the end of his address however, he confirmed that the final decision was the Prime Minister’s and his Government and he, therefore, urged them to take the country forward. 6.0 CHARTER 6.1 The PM’s address was followed by the presentation by the NCBBF, led by Filimoni Kau and was delivered to address the concerns that were aired by the Fijian people during the consultation process in the preparation of the Charter document. Those issues concern native land ownership, the Vola ni Kawa Bula, fishing rights, the electoral reforms and the common name for all citizens of Fiji. 6.2 The chiefs were assured that existing indigenous rights would be protected and would not be removed. The concerns on the use of the term “Fijian” as a national name was satisfactorily explained by the NCBBF. In the end the presentation was well received. 6.3 The chiefs have accepted to commit themselves to lead and support the implementation of the change programmes, in the Peoples’ Charter in their Vanua, in the villages and the other respective areas when needed. 6.4 The meeting, affirmed that participants wished to be inclusive and reach out in dialogue with those Chiefs that were not able to attend the meeting. 6.5 The Bose ni Turaga supported the commitment of the Peoples’ Charter to develop and strengthen good leadership of chiefs in national life and within the Vanua. 7.0 OTHER PRESENTATIONS 7.1 On the second day of its meeting the chiefs were brief by the officials of the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs about their work programmes. 7.2 The meeting was briefed by the Permanent Secretary on changes that have been made regarding the structure and membership of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, representation at provincial councils and a redirection of the work of the Fijian Administration. 7.3 On the matter of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, the chiefs were advised that the appointing authority for members from the provinces has shifted from the Provincial Councils to the Bose ni Turaga of the province and that the chiefs of the Bose ni Turaga would be responsible for selecting their representatives to the Bose Levu Vakaturaga. 7.4 On the matter of the representation to Provincial Councils, the chiefs were advised that recent changes to the relevant regulations now make it mandatory for those representing their Tikina to be a permanent resident of their Tikina. This was done to reflect the spirit and the intent of the recommendations on the matter and which was approved by the Bose Levu Vakaturaga. 7.5 On the changes in the Fijian Administration, the chiefs were advised of the redirection of the work of the Ministry of Fijian Affairs, the Fijian Affairs Board and also the provincial, tikina and village councils, to focus their efforts on their statutory roles - to be responsible for the good governance and wellbeing of the Fijian people. 7.6 The meeting was also informed of the work carried out by the Institute of Fijian Language and Culture. This related to the preparation and publication of the monolingual dictionary and the current cultural mapping programme where the traditional knowledge and expression of culture in all 1179 Fijian villages would be recorded, to be an integral part in the safe custody and protection of indigenous intellectual property rights. The meeting was also briefed on the proposal from the Institute, to review Fijian customary practices particularly, those that were a drain on the finances of the Fijian people. The plea was made that those practices ought to be reviewed or removed to redirect resources to more pressing needs and demands. 7.7 The meeting agreed that some of these cultural practices were a strain on the capability of most Fijians. The chiefs felt however that that was something best left to the individual and could not be imposed. The meeting agreed that there were already evidence of the shift to what was suggested in the presentation. 7.8 The meeting also considered a presentation from the Institute for the preservation of Fijian cultural practices and the responsibility for the custody and transmission of those practices particularly to the younger people. The meeting heard and endorsed the concern raised by the Institute for the lack of common courtesy, respect, public decorum and demeanor of young Fijians particularly in village settings. The Institute urged the chiefs to take on the responsibility of encouraging their Vanua to observe proper protocol and accepted standards of conduct and behavior – conduct and behavior that protected the individual the family and the community. 7.9 The meeting also heard a presentation from the Native Lands and Fisheries Commission (NLC) which amongst other things highlighted to the chiefs the number of traditional headship positions which remain vacant. The chiefs were urged to inform the Commission where such positions have been filled so that NLC and NLTB records could be updated. The chiefs were also urged to use the mechanism available in the Vanua to resolve differences relating to the filling of the headship positions and to only call upon the assistance, and decision, by the NLC as the last resort. The meeting was advised, and accepted, that decisions that were reached by consensus after consultations, were universally accepted, rather than those imposed from outside the community by the Commission or the Courts. 7.10 In the afternoon session of its meeting of the 2nd day, the chiefs heard a presentation from the Centre of Appropriate Technology about training programmes conducted at the Centre, in particular the recently - introduced management and entrepreneurial training programmes which was highly beneficial to rural youths with natural resources to exploit. The chiefs gratefully acknowledged that presentation and agreed that youths in the provinces be urged to attend such courses. The chiefs also requested for an increase in the CATD’s outreach programme to ensure that as many rural youths benefited from CATD training. 7.11 The Minister for Health also made a presentation to the meeting on HIV/Aids, and she was assisted in this by the UN AIDS Special Representative in the Pacific who spoke of the rapid spread of this disease, particularly on the young Fijian population, and of the efforts being made by the Ministry to combat this scourge. They requested the chiefs to assist the Ministry and Government in this national effort as the spread of the disease could be checked by restoring good family values. The success of the use of condoms to combat HIV/AIDS in UGANDA was highlighted and the chiefs were advised that a similar campaign in Fiji could have the same successful results. 8.0 CLOSING 8.1 In the closing discussions, the chiefs once again were grateful to Government for convening the meeting and agreed that their contemporaries be persuaded to join their ranks and support Government’s efforts. 8.2 The chiefs welcomed the decision by Government to convene regular meetings of the Bose ni Turaga and agreed that that was an ideal way to convey to their peoples Government’s plans and programmes. Those were infect the intention behind Government’s decision to convene the meeting and that was for the chiefs to take back to their people Government’s plans for the country. 8.3 The chiefs from Kadavu and Naitasiri apologized to the PM and to the meeting for the intemperate public criticisms for the Bose ni Turaga from their provinces and both assured the Prime Minister and the Meeting that they were nevertheless fully supportive of Government’s plans. 8.4 It was obvious from the banter and camaraderie displayed both inside and outside the meeting hall that the chiefs thoroughly enjoyed the meeting, the facilities provided and the opportunity to meet and dialogue with their counterparts on issues of common interest. They all looked forward to meeting again next year. -End- |
|
|
 |
     |
