Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Cries haunt our heroes

Serafina Silaitoga

www.fijitimes.com - Thursday, November 12, 2009

IN the quiet of their home surroundings, our war heroes can still hear the cries for help of their fallen comrades.

They are constantly reminded of the gunshots from the 1940s and their sacrifice that changed the world and its future generations.

Ex-servicemen who fought battles in the Solomon Islands and Malaya told their stories with pride as Commonwealth countries celebrated Remembrance Day yesterday and paid tribute to those who died fighting to protect freedom.

Like 92-year-old Timoci Naitini, one of the few Solomon Islands war veterans alive today, holding two dying friends in his arms in 1943 is a memory he lives with each day.

Mr Naitini, who is from Drekeniwai, Cakaudrove, said even today, inside his quiet room, there were times he would hear sounds of repeated gunshots and the voices of his friends.

Tears streaming down his cheeks, Mr Naitini said he could still remember the patch of grass on a hill at their Bougainville base where he held two dying friends in an effort to save them from the Japanese.

Mr Naitini said he didn't want to leave his friends to the enemy and dragged them back with him as they retreated to fight another day.

Another war veteran, Cakaudrove chief, Tui Tunuloa Ratu Senio Vuicakau, said the sounds of gunfire and bomb blasts were part of his elderly life.

More than 100 ex-servicemen packed the celebration in Labasa yesterday after a march through town led by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces band.

* Click this link for more Remembrance Day pictures

Monday, November 9, 2009

Fijian Qoliqoli To be Reviewed - Watch Out!

State to review ‘Qoliqoli’ policy

www.fijilive.com - November 10, 2009|

Discontent over compensation for the use of traditional fishing grounds has prompted the review of Government’s existing policy.

The Qoliqoli Compensation Policy was established by Government in 1974 as a result of the increasing interest in foreshore development in the 1970’s.

However, that has been deemed outdated and does not address current issues, according to Minister for Indigenous Affairs Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

He said some qoliqoli rights owners have been disgruntled about the use of their fishing grounds without fair compensation.

“Likewise, investors are showing their frustrations in the delay in processing of applications for foreshore development and continual interference from qoliqoli rights owners once formal approval had been obtained from relevant authorities.”

Bainimarama said the emerging issues include “the misinterpretation of the customary fishing rights; the absence of marine resource inventory to determine value of compensation; rights of compensation; restriction of compensation to foreshore development; lack of consultations between chiefs and members of the yavusa; processing of fishing licenses and foreshore applications; and environmental issues”.

Since ceding the country to Great Britain in 1874, Fijian chiefs have continually raised their concerns with the British Government about the ownerships of reefs and foreshores.

In 2006, the Qarase Government introduced the controversial Qoliqoli Bill, which proposed the transfer of proprietary rights of qoliqoli areas (beach, lagoon and reef) from the State to the qoliqoli owners.

This meant that others such as hotel owners will be required to make payments to the ethnic Fijians holding the rights.

The Bill was strongly opposed by the military and labelled by certain civil society organisations to be biased towards the Fijian elite who were effectively the qoliqoli owners.

The Bill and other so-called pro-indigenous policies of the Qarase Government were vehemently rejected by the military leading up to the coup of December, 2006.

Unity after 30 Years

30-year rift ends

www.fijitimes.com -Timoci Vula
Monday, November 09, 2009

A RIFT that existed for about 30 years in Nakorovou Village in Rewa came to an end with celebrations yesterday.

Chiefs and villagers gathered as one to celebrate their reconciliation after their long dispute that severed ties between families, religions and with traditional leaders,

There was laughter and feasting as men, women and youths shook hands, hugged, kissed and shed tears of joy.

Differences over a chiefly title split the two chiefly clans and their members and it was never resolved for various reasons.

The first split occurred in 1983 following disagreements over certain traditional protocols during the chiefly funeral of the then late Tui Noco, Ratu Epeli Rayawa.

Village elders told the Fiji Times that at that time, there were two factions - one wanted the installation of the new Tui Noco before Ratu Epeli was laid to rest while another faction opposed it.

The villagers managed to resolve the dispute in 1987 but more problems surfaced.

In 1995, the two chiefs exchanged verbal abuse during a village development meeting and this split the two chiefly mataqali (landowning units) - mataqali Wainasue and mataqali Naqali.

It was after this meeting that the chiefly Wainasue clan split into two.

The two other sub-clans further split into three factions each with their own supporters.

The problem was further compounded when villagers decided to have two churches.

Methodist Church appointments to the division were rejected and more trouble followed

Families broke up, children failed at school and developments in the village came to a halt.

Some villagers moved their families out to escape what they felt was a curse.

Several attempts were made by some chiefs, prayer groups, and past government officials and other interested parties to bring about reconciliation but to no avail.

In 2005 and 2006, a committee established to draw up a reconciliation strategy also failed.

But prayers groups never gave up and fasted for divine intervention.

Last year, the tide turned.

Clergymen appointed by the Methodist Church were allowed in the village and villagers united in worship.

Last month, the two factions of the Wainasue chiefly clan reconciled. They were followed by other chiefly mataqali of the yavusa Vuniyavu to the church ground, where they believe all hatred, grudges and differences will be buried for good.

In Nakorovou Village yesterday, villagers who had resided in urban centres and had not returned for years did so to attend the thanksgiving service and to witness what they described as a "very important event in the history of their village

Chiefs Urged To Lead

Economist urges chiefs to lead

www.fijitimes.com - Meresini Marau
Monday, November 09, 2009

Landowners in Ba Province have been urged to give their land for sugar cane to meet the annual target million tonnes.

Economist in the Prime Ministers Office Viliame Gucake made the plea to the chiefs of the province and stressed to them the industry's importance to the country.

Mr Gucake said the chiefs had a major role in ensuring all native-owned land was well utilised. He said that they could contribute a lot towards the resurrection of the industry by offering land which they were not using.

Mr Gucake said that one of the realities of our land tenure system was that land leases would one day expire.

With most leases expiring, Mr Gucake said the only way to ensure that more land was utilised for the industry was to give to tenants those portions of land the landowners did not feel like developing.

He reminded the Ba chiefs that about 200,000 people depended on the sugar industry for their livelihood.

"That is about 20 per cent of the total population of this country," he said.

Mr Gucake said the State was confident about the future of the industry.

He also informed them of industry reforms.

Mr Gucake said that one of the major reason for the reform was the drop in the sugar price.

He reminded them that Fiji no longer enjoyed preferential pricing under the Sugar Protocol. He however assured them that the Fiji Sugar Corporation had struck a deal with Tate and Lyle that would expire in 2015.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Mesake Shall Not Forget

We shall not forget

www.fijitimes.com - Timoci Vula
Sunday, November 08, 2009

MORE than 50 years ago, a young man who once lived at Topline in Lautoka was among a group of men who found themselves in a boat, not knowing they were headed to war against the Japanese in the Solomons.

The last Mesake Soli could remember of Fiji then was the Lautoka harbour slowly disappearing on the horizon.

The next thing the 92-year-old man of Vorovoro in Dawasamu remembered was seeing the group of island he later found out to be the New Hebrides.

By this time, amid missiles and bombs being dropped on them in the water, Solomon canoes were approaching their boat to take them ashore.

Mr Soli told his story as he prepares for Remembrance Day which will be celebrated around the world on Wednesday.

"Then we were told we were going to war, even by then firing of guns and missiles was already in play."

Mr Soli could not fully recall the sequence of events. "It was a long time ago and I am getting forgetful".

In parts, he told his story to the Fiji Times making sure he was relating events as they happened.

He paused now and then to recollect.

Mr Soli cannot remember the exact number of people who made up their platoon but said there was a good number of Fijians from all over Fiji.

He said they were then taken to Malaita where he saw beautiful dark Solomon women walking around with naked upper bodies.

"That time, malaria was rife in Malaita and the people there suffering from the disease." He said they fought with pride and courage, saying Fijian men were indeed brave and courageous.

He recalled that he fought alongside Sefanaia Sukanaivalu, who was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Mr Soli said the atmosphere was tense and all they could think of was home.

It was a time when they listen to, supported and protected each other.

"We were fired at and we fired back."

Mr Soli remembers that they spent about 11 months in the war before they came home. Remembrance Day will be celebrated on November 11 -- the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tui Vuda Ratu Iloilo Welcome Home

Ba Province to welcome former president

www.fijitimes.com - Wednesday, November 04, 2009

THE people of Ba will welcome one of their high chiefs, former President and Tui Vuda Ratu Josefa Iloilo, in a traditional homecoming ceremony today. The traditional ceremony will also mark the opening of the provincial council meeting.

Roko Tui Ba Ratu Vananalagi said that it was the opportune time for them to welcome Ratu Josefa who had returned to his village in Viseisei after being the President of this country for the last nine years.

"This is the opportunity for the province to thank him for his vast contribution to the development of this nation," he said.

Ratu Vananalagi said that the province was honoured and proud that one of their high chiefs had been right to the top of the leadership rank of this country.

"We will have the traditional ceremony in Viseisei," he said.

Ratu Josefa would be opening the two day meeting.

After the ceremony, all the members of the provincial council would have a morning with Ratu Josefa before heading to Ratu Iloilovatu House for the meeting.

Ratu Vananalagi said that various government departments and the Fiji Pine Trust would be presenting today.

Tomorrow the council would be addressed by those from the tourism and the sugar ministry.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Retiree banks on pearl farm

www.fijitjmes.com -Saturday, October 31, 2009

BANKING on the sea, the country's first indigenous pearl exporter has called on more indigenous farmers to join him in farming the highly sought after jewellery.

Ratu Jone Maivalili, who exported pearls to Japan for the first time last year, said landowners -- especially those living along the coast -- should start thinking outside the box of traditional crops.

"We are so used to dalo and yaqona that we feel safe in farming them," he said.

"That's why we are reluctant to try something new and challenging.

"There should be a movement now on exploring alternatives like pearl farming which can rival any other crop in terms of the return income."

Ratu Jone, a former pilot, took the leap into the unknown when he started farming oysters in 2001.

"I used to get my oysters from diving on the reefs and when I started I knew little about pearl farming," he said.

"But that was the best thing about it because I'm learning new things every day like building my own base at sea, implanting nuclei, identifying the quality of pearl and so forth.

"There was a lot of trial and error before the finished product eight years on."

Ratu Jone -- who farms within three bays Matuku, Urata and Mua Bay in Savusavu -- has almost 70,000 oysters and exported 3000 pearls to Japan last year.

"This is my bank in the sea," he said.

The 55-year-old farmer said financial assistance should be available if indigenous farmers are to be encouraged into pearl farming.

"I wouldn't have been able to make it this far without the financial assistance I received from the Northern Development Program this year," he said.

"The initial investment is high in terms of capital and technical support but the return is high so it is a good type of farming for coastal villagers because it would create employment."

Senior Fisheries Officer Cakaudrove Joji Vuakaca asked the provincial council to consider encouraging landowners into this type of farming as well as just fishing