E Dina Li Beka Nai Talanoa Oqo?

6000 people missing from registry. Wednesday, June 09, 2010

A DRIVE for indigenous registration in the Vola Kawa Bula is being done in Cakaudrove after it was seen that not all villagers were listed in the indigenous registry.
A survey discovered around 6000 of the 49, 000 indigenous persons in the province were yet to be listed.

Roko Tui Cakaudrove Ro Aca Mataitini said the lack of registration often caused problems when resolving lease issues.

"The person not listed cannot enjoy mataqali rights because he is not identified as an indigenous Fijian," he said. "Some make claims for mataqali land but they are not listed."

A provincial office team is visiting villages in the province gathering birth certificates.
"We intend to get everyone that is supposed to be listed by year end," he said.

"A 34-year-old man recently came in to get registered. They should be registered soon after birth."

Paradise turns trash island

PEOPLE of Taveuni are in a dire need for a piece of land to dispose waste materials.
This is after some residents complained of lack of waste management on Fiji's third largest island.

Taveuni Tourism Association president Allen Gortan said the improper waste disposal was present upon his start of business four years ago.

Mr Gortan is also the owner of Garden Island Resort in Taveuni.

There are 13 resorts on the island, the biggest with 30 accommodation rooms and the smallest with two accommodation rooms.

"The resort owners on the island have different waste disposal grounds but the people living here don't have any space of disposing the rubbish.

"The garbage bags are left on the road sides, scattered by dogs and the landscape of this island is such that rain washes all garbage into the sea which gets accumulated on the reef, endangering the lives of the reef-ecosystem," Mr Gortan said.

He said TTA had also sent letters to ministries requesting a dumping ground, but they have not received a response. Some people threw rubbish from open beaches but into bushes nearby.
However, the tourist numbers were unaffected by the prolonged pollution.

"The Garden Island of Taveuni is drowning in its own rubbish," said resident Natasha.
Places where rubbish was thrown included beautiful lookout points between Somosomo and Matei.