Chiefs Support Bainimarama

You told us to go drink homebrew under the mango tree yet we are here in support.

These are the sentiments of the Vunivalu of Burenitu of Soa in the Ra province Ratu Jo Nacola, who recalled that before the takeover in 2006, Commodore Frank Bainimarama had told Great Council of Chiefs members to go and drink homebrew under the mango tree, but that has not stopped them to come in numbers for the Bose ni Turaga because they believe he is the right man to take Fiji forward.

Nacola went on to call on Bainimarama that leaders are chosen by God and for him to keep on doing the good work he has been doing for the past 2 years, as the chiefs fully support him.

Speaking in the Ra dialect, he said the chiefs of the 4 tikinas in the province of Ra have all attended the meeting to hear from the interim government the road back to democracy which they now fully support.

Nacola started off saying the treatment received by the chiefs at the Army Barracks is the best ever to be accorded to them, which is a clear sign in Fijian tradition that the interim government thinks about their chiefs and the people.

He added with the plan to have the People's Charter in place before the next general election, they now fully understand that Fiji belongs to the indigenous Fijians and it will not be taken away from them and also the land will always remain in their hands.

Today the Bose ni Turaga will discuss the NCBBF report and also the Fijian institutions like the Native Land Commission, Fijian Affairs Board and the Nadave school.

Over 100 chiefs from around Fiji are part of the 2 day meeting which continues at the QEB today.

Meanwhile, a Fijian Affairs Ministry official Joeli Luvu was told by the military officials to stop restricting journalist's access to the main ceremony ground or he would be taken out of QEB.