About 2000 people in Wainikoro, Macuata, are without water supply since last Thursday.

This includes hostel students and teachers of Nadogo Central College, Navoalevu Primary School, Wainikoro Public School, Wainikoro Health Centre, staff of government stations and five shops.

They are calling for help because the landowners of the tribe (yavusa) Natolatibitibi, and Tibitibi clan closed the water source in Taganikula because of a dispute in land lease arrangements.

Nadogo Central College manager Solomone Catarogo said this issue has been ongoing for many years.

“The landowners would switch on and off the water source whenever Government failed to attend to their queries,” Mr Catarogo claims.

“It is sad to note that students and teachers had to face this difficulty during the first week of the third school term.”

Nadogo Central College manager Solomone Catarogo (right), with the students waiting for water in Macuata on September 13, 2023.
Photo: Shratika Naidu

He said the landowners claimed that previous governments was not paying them compensation and various government departments failed to hear their grievances.

Commissioner Northern Uraia Rainima said he was aware of the issue.

“There are ongoing discussions between the landowners, Water Authority of Fiji and iTaukei Land Trust Board about the land lease issue,” Mr Rainima said.

He said while the discussion has been ongoing the landowners decided not to wait for the outcome and chose to stop the water coming from the source.

“The Water Authority of Fiji has been carting water to the schools, government stations and health centre,” he said.

When approached for a comment yesterday, Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau said he was unaware, and would have to check.

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