100 Years of Sustenance from Vanua Levu

Directors on the board of the country’s forest stewards have turned the ship around to make history, by taking its first board meeting - under new management - to the people.

The board of Fiji Pine Group of Companies are in Vanua Levu, where it will host the company’s first board meeting away from Drasa, Lautoka.

Executive chairman Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure justified the decision to host the meeting in the North, with the premise that Vanua Levu would sustain Fiji’s forest industry for the next 100 years.

“And it is critical for the directors to make decisions for the way forward,” he said.

“The board members will now understand “the breadth, length and width” of what the company does in terms of what Fiji Pine is doing and will do.

“This acknowledges them, and will enable them to make (company) decisions faster and better. The challenges continue to increase in the forest industry particularly around infrastructure – how to move logs, how to farm logs, for all types of wood species, all other value-added species for our future.”

Fiji Pine executive chairman Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure (right) with Fiji Pine Group director and Fiji Airports chief executive officer, Mesake Nawari. Photo: Fiji Pine

Ratu Rakuita said Northern forests had sustained the company, and the economy, in the last four years, and will do so in the next six years.

“Drasa needs logs, not only from Viti Levu; Drasa cannot survive from Viti Levu only but from all its forests, and the North has the products that the company needs for sustainability,” Ratu Rakuita said.

The board meeting will encourage directors to see all logistics involved in all facets of logging.

“It’s good for the directors to see where the logs are coming from, the processes involved and the final results.”

“They will see first hand the logistic challenges and costs involved. They will then make critical decisions about steps taken to move forward.”

The board meeting will take place at the company’s Bua Station in Wairiki today and tomorrow.

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