Nukulau island
Written By : Ilaitia Tuiteci. Jillian Hicks of the Suva City Council (SS 3/8) said: “The Suva City Council is in a better position compared to other interested parties to engage in a tourism business in Nukulau Island”
This is a poorly thought out statement because it reflects the mentality of corporate people in our midst who think that indigenous people cannot own nor run businesses.
The traditional owners of Nukulau Island had declared their interest to the government to lease the island. The people of Rewa should be given the opportunity to venture into tourism business and the interim government should give them the lease for the island.
Over the last 20 years, SCC had been presenting all sorts of master plans for tourism development around Suva area but none had materialised. For example, what has happen to SCC foreshore tourism development plans?
Instead of vying for Nukulau Island, the SCC should ask the Ministry of Lands to give them a foreshore lease around the Suva Peninsula and develop tourism facilities that are accessible to Suva ratepayers. But leave Nukulau to the traditional landowners.
I urge the Rewa, Naitasiri and Tailevu provincial councils and the Rewa Holdings Limited to lobby the interim government to give the lease of Nukulau Island to the people of Vutia. It is their traditional land and the interim government should honor their wish to develop a business venture on it for the benefit of their present and future generations.
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