Take the money, give us our land

Last updated 12/17/2007 -www.sun.com.fj

Twelve of the sixteen tokatokas (clans) of Sanasana Village which own the proposed multi-million-dollar Natadola golf project have refused to take thousands of dollars in lease money paid to them by Native Land Trust Board officials. The landowners refused to accept the payment from NLTB officials on Friday, saying they were unaware of a lease for Natadola, which is being developed for a world-class golf course resort. Sanasana Village development committee chairman Korowaiwai Jonetani Doro, a member of the tokatoka Koroiwaiwai, said NLTB officials told villagers that the money was for the new lease. He said they were shocked by the payment because they had not agreed to one. “How can we receive lease money on something we are not aware of?” said Mr Doro. “We told the NLTB officials money is not a priority to us, we need our land for the benefit of our younger generations.” The total area to be leased out is 1171.24 acres of land, he said. “If the land is leased, what will our future generations use for farming and other developments. Take your money and give us back our land,” he said, referring to NLTB. Mr Doro said landowners realised the importance of land and any dealing in relation to it would have to go through them. “Even though the NLTB has the right to administer our lands as stipulated in the Native Land Trust Act, it should at least consult us,” he said. “No consultation was done on the issuance of lease by NLTB and we don't know who the new lessee is.” Mr Doro said the subject land was leased by Natadola Land Holding (owned in partnership of the Fiji National Provident Fund and Hotel Pacific Property). He was informed by NLTB that the lease was terminated. “NLTB told us that the money that was supposed to be distributed was for the new lease they have issued on this same land whose lease was terminated,” said Mr Doro."They said this money was paid by the four contractors who are working on the land. "We (landowners) don't know who the four contractors are and how much they were supposed to pay." Mr Doro said anything to do with the issuance of the new lease the NLTB had to go through their lawyer, Tupou Draunidalo. Mataca stresses religious unity Last updated 12/17/2007 -www.sun.com.fj The Catholic Church promotes the unity of mankind, said Archbishop Petero Mataca at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Convention at the weekend. Addressing the subject on unity of mankind from the Christian perspective, Archbishop Mataca said the Catholic Church was promoting the unity of mankind through the restoration of unity among all Christians and giving deeper study to the Catholic Church and its relationships with other non-Christian religions. An example, he stressed, was the 1962 Pope John XXIII established secretariat for promoting Christian unity also known as Ecumenism. “Not in order to build a super-church but to accept the fact that they are members of one family and God is their common Father,” said Archbishop Mataca. “The dialogue, it is hoped, will promote the growth of brotherhood and sisterhood. At present a number of dialogues are going on. They are Anglican and Catholic, Methodist and Catholic, Lutheran and Catholic, to name but three.”

Tailevu Districts Differ on Illegal Charter View

Fiji Times - Thursday, December 13, 2007

Josefa Serulagilagi (left), Assistant Roko Sitima Naqaravatu and Ratu Epenisa Cakobau at the Tailevu provincial meeting in Nausori

THE Tailevu Provincial Council yesterday agreed to submit the individual submissions of tikina on the People's Charter to the Prime Minister's Office.

This was decided amid mixed signals on whether the charter was supported by most tikina in the province.

Council chairman Josefa Serulagilagi said while the many of the 22 tikina in the province were behind the charter, it was agreed to send the views of tikina individually, rather than in a collective statement.

"Because of the wide consultation work done by the government, it was thought best that it be done this way. In this way all the tikina views will be heard,'' said Josefa. "We want to collate all the written submissions and send them to the Prime Minister's office.''

Josefa said provincial officials who visited various tikina in Tailevu concluded that most of them supported the charter but some in the council chose to disagree.

"Most of us do not support it,'' said Tui Nawainovo Ratu Filimone Verebalavu.

Ratu Filimone said Josefa was just trying to push forward with his own views on the issue by saying that support for the charter from the tikina of Tailevu was unanimous.

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Restorative Justice Good for Fiji

Restorative justice ‘a healing process’

Last updated 12/5/2007 - www.sun.com.fj

The community plays a large part in dispute resolution and in fact is central to many of the local dispute mechanisms, says Bua Provincial Council chairman and former GCC member, Ratu Filimoni Ralogaivau. Ratu Filimoni said the community acts a monitor and arbitrator, providing an arena for private feelings to be vented in a public manner and acting as a safety measure and a sanctioning device to the confronting parties. “There are a number of traditional dispute settlement mechanisms that have existed in the Pacific societies for a very long time. Some follow simple forms of apology where minor disputes are settled informally between families,” said Ratu Filimoni. Whilst others take on a structured court like process with a formal assembly of disputants and community members presided over by a designated person or group of persons who act on behalf of the community, said Ratu Filimoni. He said restorative justice brings victims and offenders together in a safe and structured manner before the sentence was imposed. “Principles of restorative justice operate on the basis that offending behaviour may be prevented in the future if the offender is aware of the consequences of their actions and the harm caused.”

Tax privileges

Letter to Editor - www.fijitimes.com, 5 Dec 2007

Dividends from Fijian Holdings Unit Trust

A lot have been said and published in the media recently about tax privileges to Fijian Holdings Limited and Fijian Holdings Unit Trust. It is unfortunate that FHL and Fijian Holdings Unit Trust had been singled out, although the removal of tax exemption announced in the 2008 Budget Address was applicable only to the Unit Trust of Fiji. I therefore offer the following for the purpose of clarification.

Fijian Holdings Unit Trust was established in April 2001 to provide another investment opportunity to the growing investor communities in Fiji. It is open to all communities in the country and because of its low-entry level and competitive return it has become very popular particularly to our rural-based investors.

To imply that the tax exemption was enjoyed only by FHL shareholders and unit-holders of Fijian Holdings Unit Trust is a mis-statement. The fact is, all dividends paid out by the 16 companies listed on the stock exchange (and FHL is only one of them) are exempt from tax because the income has been subject to tax at the company level.

Similarly all unit-holders in the Unit Trust of Fiji, Colonial State Funds and the Fijian Holdings Unit Trust are enjoying the same privileges. These measures were part of the Government's policy to grow the capital markets in Fiji, which is consistent with measures taken in other developed markets. Funds under management in these locally-registered unit trusts have grown from over $60million in 2001 to close to $180million at end of 2006. Unit-holders in the Fijian Holdings Unit Trust only account for 21 per cent of the total 14,000 unit-holders in all the unit trusts in Fiji who enjoy such privileges.

Information with regard to dividend paid to the shareholders of FHL is available for public record at the Companies Office. Suffice to say that the company pays dividend at a rate of 20 cents per shares for A-class shareholders and 10 cents per share for B-class shareholders.

In conclusion, FHL and Fijian Holdings Unit Trust reiterate that their affairs are being conducted in accordance with law and for the benefit of their members. The companies will pursue legitimate commercial goals, and will continue to support the enhancement of the nation's economic stability in Fiji.

Jaoji Koroi
CEO - Fijian Holdings Trust Management Limited

Fijian Affairs Downgraded

Fijian Affairs surprise

Saturday, November 24, 2007

IN a surprise move, the interim Government has downgraded the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to department level.

Interim Fijian Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau declined to comment on the development.

The Budget Estimates index said the ministry was now a Department of Indigenous Affairs, Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs while Page 46 of the publication referred to the entity as a ministry.

It is understood the department will now come under the Office of the interim Prime Minister.

The Fijian Affairs Ministry was responsible for the preservation of the different cultures in Fiji, lease and land administration, education assistance and rural development.

The ministry was also responsible for the Native Land Trust Board and the Great Council of Chiefs two institutions under close scrutiny by the interim administration. Both have undergone extensive reviews.

It is understood that the restructure of the ministry is in line with the Cabinet reshuffle interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama will announce in a week's time.

The confusion was also evident in the Budget Estimates book, with Pages 44 to 45 of the book empty, with the heading 'Refer to Page 24 and 25 for Public Enterprise Reform', as last minute changes were made late last night to some aspects of the restructure and reshuffle.

Once the change is implemented, Commodore Bainimarama will take on the responsibility of implementing a People's Charter which has an allocation of $4.6million. This will also include the Department of Information, which was also downgraded in the new Budget.

The Ministry of Industrial Relations, Employment, Youth and Sports has also been merged with Youth and Sports.

The Ministry of Agriculture has become the Ministry of Primary Industries and has merged with the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests.

The Ministry of Works has merged with Transport and Energy. The ministry was allocated $251million compared to $235million in the 2007 revised Budget.

The Ministry of Tourism has merged with Trade, Industry and Communication. The Ministry of Public Enterprise and the Public Service Commission will also come under the ambit of the interim Prime Minister's Office.

The Attorney General's office and the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Sugar remain the same.

Illegal Regime's Budget 2008

The ups and downs of State expenditure

Saturday, November 24, 2007

+ Enlarge this image

Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, right, at the press conference after handing down Budget 2008

THE State has announced a $1.52billion Budget with $1.2billion to be spent mostly on wages. Capital expenditure will take up $269million.

Allocations by department were:

-Office of the President, $1.56million (compared to $1.6million this year); Prime Minister's Office and People's Charter for Change, $5.14m ($5.64m for 2007);

-Public Service Commission and Public Enterprise, $13.7m ($13.9m);

-Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Sugar Industry, $90.24m ($104.3m);

-Ministry (Department) of Provincial Development, Indigenous and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, $45.9m ($47.2m);

-Ministry of Defence, National Security and Immigration, $5.3m ($5.4m);

-Ministry of Foreign Affairs International Co-operation and Civil Aviation, $20.94m ($21.13m);

-Office of the Auditor General, $3.17m ($2.81m);

-Elections Office, $4.24m ($707,000);

-Judiciary, $12.38m ($12.11m);

-Legislature, $1.01m ($1.48m);

-Office of the Ombudsman, $1.47m ($1.42m);

-Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, $4.6m ($3.89m);

-Ministry of Justice, $2.01m ($2.12m);

-Fiji Prisons Service, $13.7m ($13.5m);

-Department of Information, $4.42m ($6.5m);

-Fiji Military Forces, $81.5m ($80.7m);

-Fiji Police Force, $70.53m ($69m);

-Ministry of Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, $25.5m ($26.1m);

-Ministry of Health, $139.5m ($150.8m);

-Department of Local Government and Urban Development, $3.52m ($3.96m);

-Ministry of Housing Women and Social Welfare, $32.2m ($29.2m);

-Ministry of Industrial Relations, Employment Youth and Sport, $12.43m ($13.32m);

-Ministry of Primary Industries, $58.7m ($62m);

-Ministry of Lands, Mineral Resources and Environment, $40.75m ($47.9m);

-Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Trade and Communications, $31.27m ($30.6m);

-Ministry of Transport, Works and Energy, $251.1m ($235.6m).

No charter yet, says Chand

Monday, November 12, 2007

A PEOPLE'S Charter has not been formulated yet because all there is so far is a proposal to develop a charter, says permanent secretary to the Prime Minister's Office, Parmesh Chand.

He said that in that regard, there was an extensive awareness and consultation campaign under way.

"Its objective is to explain to ordinary people the processes, the steps and the deliberations which will take place," Mr Chand said.

He said these changes would help develop a People's Charter for change and Progress over a period of 12-14 months.

"The Office of the Prime Minister therefore encourages members of the public and relevant stakeholders to express their views and to be part of the process to develop the charter," he said.

Mr Chand was reacting to comments made by Rewa one of the three largest provinces rejecting the proposed People's Charter for Building a Better Fiji. The province said it disagreed with efforts to ignore the existence of indigenous Fijians.

Ro Dona Takalaiyale, the leader of the Sauturaga clan and spokesman of the Rewa Bose Vanua, issued Rewa's position in a statement last week.

Ro Dona described the charter as "a creation of non-racial Fiji and written by two foreigners without input from Fijians or their elected representatives".

He also voiced concern about interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama's statements about his desire to abolish all communal seats through the People's Charter.

"Also Lt-Col Mataitoga's statement that Affirmative Action will be abolished under the charter. Also the charter is inconsistent with the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People's Article 3-5 where indigenous people are entitled to participate in the political life of the state," Ro Dona said.

"It is inconsistent with the 1997 Constitution where race is recognised as an integral element of the nation of Fiji."

Ro Dona said the Bose Vanua resolved to boycott any referendum or election that would be influenced by the charter.