The social structure of the vanua has been affected over the years due to development and revolution.

The comments were made by Permanent Secretary for Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs Naipote Katonitabua during the Ra Provincial Council meeting at Dadamu House in Nanukuloa, Ra.

Mr Katonitabua said the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs is looking at re-activating the social structure and positions in the vanua.

These key positions include Liuliu ni Tokatoka, Liuliu ni Mataqali, and Liuliu ni Yavusa.

“The ministry of i-Taukei Affairs board has come up with the new vision; ‘Prosperous Vanua for Better Fiji’ and this vision will continue for the next three years,” Mr Katonitabua said.

“In the past five years it was ‘Enlighten vanua for a better Fiji’.”

He said the Ministry had been doing awareness in the vanua for the past six years.

“Now we are going straight to the structure of the vanua. We have seen the social structure within has been affected, because of time, development and revolution since independence.

“In the Government arms of consultation we have the Mata ni Tikina, Turaga ni Koro and we need to re-align this position to people who can serve their vanua better,” he said.

He said this was something they have been high-lighting to members of the council because they themselves appointed their reps.

“The Turaga ni Koro were appointed by villagers, while the Mata ni Tikina were appointed by the district.

“The past provincial meeting we had was welcomed by the villages and they followed up mostly on village by-laws which are formulated by the villagers themselves to safeguard culture and respect, for example, dress codes,” he said.

Mr Katonitabua said the villages were willing to reactivate these key issues.

“We are fortunate that we still have our culture and tradition intact.”

Edited by Paula Tuvuki

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