Landowners Say No Means No

Members of four tribes (mataqali) in Navunikabi village, Namosi, have refused that a feasibility study for a proposed hydro dam by Energy Fiji Limited be conducted in the Wainikoroiluva River.

Heated exchanges broke out at a consultation in Navunikabi Village on Wednesday with landowners expressing their dissatisfaction for a feasibility study and the prospect of a hydro dam by EFL in their river.

More than 70 landowners, men, women and children, gathered at the Navunikabi Village hall in Namosi to speak their mind. Navunikabi village is situated just 200m away from the banks of the Wainikoroiluva River.

The i Taukei Land Trust Board ( i TL TB) was seeking approval from the four mata,qali(s) of Navunikabi Village for a feasibility lease to be granted for three years, so that EFL would carry out a feasibility study in the Wainikoroiluva River, a site earmarked for the hydro dam.

iTLTB wants to lease within the land perimeter that is part of the mataqali's traditional entitlement (kanakana) and can only be leased through the consent of 51 per cent of the landowners.

"After today's presentation by EFL, we hope to come back next week to meet with the four mata,qali(s) separately for one on one conversations so that we could hear you out if you are willing to lease out your land," iTLTB officer Osea Bola told the villagers.

"For the feasibility lease, iTLTB will just lease it within the number of years agreed upon and after the work is carried out we will return the land to you," he said.

"If the lease needs to be extended we will return to get consent from you all.

"The Government needs your assistance, there is a need for more renewable power sources, demand for power is enormous but renewable power source is not enough."

Mr Bola clarified that the feasibility lease was only for a feasibility study and not development. Energy Fiji Limited EFL awareness staff Varanisese Veitala spoke on the need for the feasibility study to be carried out to get the responses of the villagers and also investigate the impacts that the project would have on the village and the villagers.

"The approval to carry out the study is on your hands, we will only work if you give the approval through the lease," she said.

LAMA

Lomani Au Maroroi Au (LAMA), an association of made up of landowners (Namosi and Naitasiri province) chairman Sipiriano Nariva told EFL representatives and iTLTB that they do not approve the feasibility study to be carried out.

Mr Nariva then asked that those who agree to the leasing of their mataqali land to raise their hands, not a single hand was raised.

"We have done our studies and we have also spoke to the experts, we know beyond you and we are not going to give you the lease," Mr Nariva told EFL and iTLTB o f ficials.

"We know that this would cause a lot of problems, we have fought for no mining in Namosi, and we are now fighting for our land.

"Your explanation is really shallow, if weset up a dam here there will be flooding here while you will be relaxing at your homes.

"LAMA will be speaking on behalf of the landowners."

Mareta Naiadi, 61, has depended on the Wainikoroiluva River all her life for herbal medicine, food and sustenance and she would not allow anything to get in between, not even a feasibility study or a hydro dam. Mataqali representatives told iTLTB officials that they were not needed for a meeting next week.

More than 50 landowners including mataqali leaders have signed a petition stating that their disapproval for a lease to be issued for a feasibility study:

Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj