Bulitavu says FijiFirst is not anti iTaukei

Our two major ethnic communities in Fiji have always lived in harmony together and as national leaders we must set the tone so that many of our political followers can spread the same message.

Opposition MP, Mosese Bulitavu stated this in Parliament in reply to the President’s address saying Ratu Wiliame Katonivere shared his experience as a youth in Macuata spending time with Indo-Fijian farming families during the sugarcane harvesting season.

Bulitavu says the Speaker will be very familiar with this experience having served at the then NLTB in the Western and Northern division.

He says most of the iTaukei in the Western and Northern division speak fluent Hindi and even the Indo-Fijian community speak the local dialect.

The Opposition Member says unfortunately, many of them sitting on his side of the house and their supporters face direct racial and discriminatory attacks online.

Bulitavu says keyboard warriors constantly label FijiFirst as an Indo-Fijian party or anti iTaukei.

He says the reformers post 2006 coup reviewed the iTaukei institutions under the process of the People’s Charter so that the iTaukei Affairs Board, TLTB Board and the iTaukei Trust Fund Board play the role of the Great Council of Chiefs in formulating policies that were for the good governance of the iTaukei people.

The Opposition Member says many saw these changes, not done with the prior and informed consent of the indigenous community as anti-iTaukei.

He says the FijiFirst government expanded the iTaukei Trust Fund investment portfolio and many benefitted in terms of leadership training at Nadave, indigenous studies, publication of traditional writing etc.

Bulitavu also says this has enabled the iTaukei Trust Fund to explore heritage tourism, partnering with UNDP under the Business Ready Support Scheme and more importantly funds that were invested by FijiFirst for the iTaukei people has now been used to host the GCC meetings.

He says the FijiFirst in 2015 rolled out the iTaukei Land Development grant, and in 2017 it established the Seed Fund Grant for iTaukei Landowners to provide an opportunity for them to participate in any income generating projects of their choice.

The Opposition member says now the coalition government has established a Wealth Fund from 10% of TLTB’s annual earnings to allow landowning units to buy properties and start business ventures.

He says the FijiFirst introduced the equal lease distribution policy, now the coalition government has reintroduced the percentage distribution for the Turaga iTaukei, Turaga ni Yavusa ánd Turaga ni Mataqali.

Bulitavu says the landowning unit members still get their share on equal basis and the minors fund for children to withdraw at the age of 18 introduced by the FijiFirst is continued by the coalition government.