YOUR VOTE COUNTS Land swap deal

Development began with their elders – landowners

THE landowners of Denarau, Y3 Kofera Trust have once again reiterated that the development of the tourist hotspot began with their elders in 1968.

In a video posted on social media, Y3 Kofera Trust Trustee Samuela Tuidraki explained in detail how their land was developed into what it is today through the late Tui Nadi Ratu Luke Dawai – the father of Ratu Vuniani Navuniuci, chairman of Y3 Kofera Trust.

Mr Tuidraki said while most of the native land was owned by three landowning units, some parcels of land were State and freehold land.

He said the State land was mostly mangroves.

He said a Japanese developer was recruited in 1970 to carry out the main works while sub-contracts were awarded to smaller companies, including landowners, to assist in the land reclamation project.

He said about 2.5 million cubic metres of soil was transferred to fill up the land where the Denarau Golf Course, Denarau Marina and Hilton Hotel are located today.

He said the project hit its first bump in 1971 when the development went into receivership as a result of one of its main developers losing millions of dollars.

Mr Tuidraki said the project gained new interest in 1992 when two new investors agreed to continue the development.

He said among the new contracts awarded by the new developers was the one to Air Pacific, which took over land development works on the site where Sofitel Resort is currently located.

“They came in and continued the works left behind by the previous developer,” he said.

“In 1992, the Denarau Golf Course was opened. From there, the land swap was done because within the State land and where the Golf Course were a few small islands that belonged to us so we agreed with the developer to move those pieces of land to the foreshore where all of the native lands are.

“Our elders at that time saw that we needed to carry out that land swap because they saw that if our land remained as it was, we would not be able to make any money from it.

“That is where the land swaps or land exchange was carried out. We did not physically move the small pieces of land but we took the amount and reclaimed it at the foreshore where mangroves were and created more space for Hilton.

“The land swap on Denarau Island was carried out with the view that the landowners would always benefit from it.

“We are now benefitting from it and also collect lease monies.”