Mataqali Offers Land To Veikara Family For Temporary Relocation

A member of a landowning unit has stepped in to help one of the families who were evicted from Veraisi Settlement in Nadera.

Koroi Tuibeqa, of the Mataqali Matanikutu - Tokatoka Vusoi, said he agreed to give Josefa Veikara and his family a piece of land after hearing his plight.

But this gesture is only temporary until such time the family find a permanent place to relocate to.

The area is located close to Mana Place in Nadawa.

“There was no cash exchanged and we were just trying to help him and his family,” he said.

“The agreement was if an opportunity for development opened for the 10-acre land (owned by the mataqali), is announced, they would have to move."

“And he (Mr Veikara) has agreed to it.”

Mr Tuibeqa said the 10-acre land was previously under Government and was returned to the Mataqali Vusoi. This was gazetted in 2016.

It is now classified under reserve, a document that was provided by Mr Tuibeqa.

In an interview, Mr Veikara confirmed: “We were given this piece of land by the landowners to temporarily settle on before we can find a permanent place to move to.”

Resident Complaint

But a resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and lived outside the land, claimed that Mr Veikara was illegally settling on the said property.

It prompted the resident, who claimed he was speaking on behalf of the residents in the area, to file a Police complaint.

The resident claimed that there was no access road and access to utilities.

“If people start building their houses overnight on the reserved land they have to cross two residential compounds,” the resident claimed.

“A Police report has been lodged with regards to the family resettling on the reserved land, this issue was also brought to the attention of a relevant government ministry but they haven’t come up with an action plan,” the residence claimed.

Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro, was yet to confirm this when this edition went to press.

Mr Veikara said: “Building my house on the designated site, given by the landowners, has been put on hold by the Police until they sort the issue."

“If everything falls into place then I will have to make a temporary access road on the opposite side of my house where its built so my family and I wouldn’t be crossing the neighbours’ house because it will be considered as trespassing.

“My children haven’t been to school for a week now because we are trying to find an alternative place to stay and also we are given until this Tuesday to move all our housing materials before it will be seized.”

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