A human rights activist and lawyer, Laisa Bale Tuinamoala said there is nothing wrong in a woman using the masi design for the new Fiji Airways logo and it is also acceptable for the airline to lodge an application to trademark the design.
The Fiji Women's Rights Movement and Soqosoqo Vakamarama have publicly opposed the trademark application saying it will affect the women using the masi designs.
Women's Rights Movement Executive Director Virisila Buadromo said they are against any attempts to commercially trademark cultural designs.
Buadromo claims it is directly violating various articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW.
However Laisa Bale Tuinamoala said this is not the case.
Tuinamoala said no one's rights are being breached in this situation.
She said it is about time for people to support women like Makereta Matemosi who created the masi designs for the Fiji Airways logo.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
