Landowner signatories delay Kadavu development, says Katonitabua
Naipote Katonitabua said at the Kadavu Provincial Council meeting yesterday that delays in development of the province were because of delayed signing and consent by landowners.
The Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs Board was responding to a concern raised by Turaga na Tui Naceva, Ratu Jone Bainivalu, who said that other 13 provinces were moving ahead of them.
Mr Katonitabua said the reason for the delay in development was because landowners delayed signing and giving in their consent. “Without the approval of the landowner from the province, development will not happen,” Mr Katonitabua told the meeting in Suva.
“Government does not own Kadavu, Government cannot carry out any development without the approval of landowners and resource owners,” he said. Chairperson, Malakai Masi, said the development was not late, it’s the planning and working towards the development that was late. Mr Masi said the iTaukei Affairs Board needed the consent percentage of the landowners as without that no development can take place.
He confirmed that there were more of them (Kadavu) living in the urban and or have migrated than those still living back in the villages.
“That is one of the difficulties we are facing as we need the specific percentage of signatories to have a development project carried out,” he said.
“We will have to go around and look for these people to sign and this is time consuming.”
Relocation of Villages
The meeting was also told that two villages will soon be relocated. They are Tubuya and Naselai villages.
Roads
Fiji Roads Authority has also confirmed they will tar-seal the road at Vunisea before the end of this year.