Maximise Lakeba Pine Scheme Potential, Rebuild Better Houses: PM to Lau Reps
Prime Minister and Minister for Forestry, Honorable Voreqe Bainimarama has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building a better Fiji and ensuring that no Fijian is left behind, including those living in the Lau Group.
Mr Bainimarama commended the Lakeba Pine Scheme’s progress, encouraging the Lau Provincial Council to work together with the people to maximise the scheme’s potential.
In light of this, last week, Mr Bainimarama handed over a new portable sawmill, a seven-tonne truck, a loader and a 4x4 Toyota landcruiser to the Lau Provincial Council as part of the Ministry’s Maritime Pine Package project.
The Ministry of Forestry has spent a total of $2,651,595 on timber treatment chemicals and equipment in the province of Lau since 2015. This was also part of Government’s build back better programme following Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016.
The Ministry’s most recent purchases were in 2020, when it purchased the truck, loader and landcruiser. These vehicles were deployed to Kadavu where the Government had, and continues, to undertake a massive housing rehabilitation programme.
The Ministry has helped villages rebuild homes that were completely or partially destroyed by severe TC Harold with over 500 housing frames prepared and delivered to the villagers.
“We appreciate your patience in solidarity with those Fijians who were in need of urgent assistance. Today, after a successful rehabilitation effort in Kadavu, I am proud to handover those vehicles to you, together with a new portable sawmill,” Mr Bainimarama told the council.
In Lakeba, the PM said the Ministry’s team on the ground has already assessed five out of the eight villages on the island and identified a total of 80 houses to be renovated or rebuilt.
“I hope that the new portable sawmill will be put to good use immediately to build all the houses that you need. That same team is also coordinating tree-planting as part of Fiji’s 30 million trees in 15 years national target,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“Financial institutions are beginning to value that planet-serving role accordingly, and I am proud to see that the Lakeba Development Committee –– which has pledged to build homes on the island –– will be dedicating portions of the plantation to carbon trading –– a sector we are unlocking through our Climate Change Act.
“So, rather than cutting down forests to keep people employed, it means that people are paid to maintain and expand carbon sinks in recognition of the service they provide the planet and all of humanity,” Mr Bainimarama added.
PM’s assurance
Prime Minister Bainimarama said the Government has assisted the Lakeba Pine Scheme with harvesting a portion of the plantation, generating sawlogs, posts and poles and even conducting resin tapping, all of which generated more than $355,000 in 2015 alone before TC Winston hit our nation.
Mr Bainimarama said to ensure that the forestry sector stays on a sustainable path, the Ministry, together with Fiji Pine Limited and Fiji Pine Trust, have joined efforts to conduct a resource inventory of the pine plantation in Lakeba to assist islanders in managing their scheme, which includes harvesting and replanting.
“The old model of development introduced in the colonial era only placed a value on trees when they were cut down. But we know that forests serve a vital role when they stay planted in the ground,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“We look forward to working with you all in restoring your forests, creating housing, and monetising your natural resources to benefit your people and our climate. I will continue to follow the progress of your province closely and personally. Not out of favour over any other part of Fiji, but out of the same commitment to service that I have always believed every province in Fiji deserves.
“Just like forests or fish, we must manage them sustainably and keep a very close eye on the health of the population,” the Prime Minister said.
About Lakeba Pine Scheme
The Lakeba Pine Scheme was established in 1968 with the aim of supporting the communities’ housing needs and enhancing the quality and aesthetics of the island’s environment. It is a vanua based scheme, meaning that all the pine plantations that were established under the scheme are owned by the people whose lands have been planted with pine.
In support of the idea, the Tikina Council, committed villages around Lakeba to planting pine seedlings as their contribution to the afforestation plan.
Consequently, Lakeba now has a pine forest spread across 1,573ha of land with an estimation of 1.7 million standing trees.
The current inventory aims to validate this data.
So far, Lakeba has the biggest and the oldest pine plantation under the pine scheme in Fiji registered under the Fiji Pine Trust.
In 1980, the scheme began logging and processing mature stands for the post and pole markets.
However, it was continuously plagued with a lack of capital, knowledge and skills to effectively manage its business resulting in frequent changes to the scheme’s management.
The renewed efforts by Government through the Ministry of Forestry, Fiji Pine Trust and Fiji Pine Limited are geared towards supporting not only the Lakeba Pine Scheme, but also all the other pine schemes in the country.