Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is urging landowners to use the National Resource Owners Meeting to dialogue and identify resource based needs and required tools, processes and mechanisms that empowers resource owners to better manage their resources.
While opening the meeting at the Pearl Resort today, Rabuka says the meeting should raise awareness on the importance of protecting Fiji’s biodiversity and ecosystem services as an intricate web that maintains balance and support life on earth.
He says it should also update the National Resource Owners Committee with available resources and legislative tools in government that assist in the sustainable management of the natural resource.
The Prime Minister says it should support efforts to build a resilience of the national resource owners community against climate change and natural disasters.
He adds they should promote the capacity development of the National Resource Owners of the 14 provinces in Fiji to make informed decisions on the sustainable management of their natural resources that affects their livelihood and development; and encourage full participation of the resource owners in the decision making process on matters that affect their natural resources.
Rabuka says the meeting should also facilitate efforts of the National Resource Owners in monitoring and reporting on the utilization of their natural resources; and in the identification of relevant key issues or challenges that requires government interventions.
The Prime Minister says since the inception of the association, it has created awareness through participation in meetings, empowered the resource owners representatives in conservation work in their respective provinces; and they have worked closely with Provincal Conservation Officers who are the vital link to the vanua and to the government ministry.
The meeting was attended by the staff of the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs, Department of Environment, representatives from World Wildlife Federation and resource owners.
