‘No site checks by officers’

Security officer takes witness stand

A SECURITY officer who worked for Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) PTE Ltd told the court he did not see nor hear of the Department of Environment officers visiting and inspecting the development site at Malolo Island.

Appearing before Suva Magistrate Seini Puamau, Rusiate Nagatalevu said he could only recognise a Department of Environment officer who visited the development site, Wacia, with Government officials for a meeting in August, 2018.

He said he saw a stop order notice issued by the department but thought it was for neighbouring Solevu Village.

He said government officials told them workers could stay back at the site to continue construction works at Solevu Village.

Building materials were transported to Wacia by a barge every week and kept there because there was no storage place in Solevu.

Mr Nagatalevu also said when he first came to work for Freesoul in May, 2018, the water channel was already dug and a fibreglass boat belonging to Freesoul was used to deliver construction materials from Wacia to Solevu.

Another witness, Marika Lewayada, a former employee of TLTB, said TLTB had approved the Agreement to Lease for Freesoul for Wacia on July 12, 2017 with special conditions.

He also said that on June 7, 2018, a notice from the TLTB was written to Freesoul because the company had failed to comply with the terms and conditions of the lease.

The lease for Qalilawa, he said, was under the Natadola Tourism Enterprise before it was transferred to Dickson International.

He also said Freesoul paid out a refundable environmental bond of around $100,000 to the TLTB in the event there was damage sustained by the environment.

Freesoul is accused of undertaking unauthorised developments and failure to comply with a prohibition notice.