Ratu Asiveni Dawai grateful that the courts have decided on the Tui Nadi title

Ratu Asiveni Dawai, the son of the late Ratu Isireli Rokomatu Namulo, is grateful to FA and Company Law firm and the Fa family for not giving up on them in their battle for the truth on the judicial review application on the rightful holder of the Tui Nadi title.

The Lautoka High Court on Tuesday granted an order that the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission declaration of Ratu Vuniyani Navuniuci as the rightful holder of the title of Tui Nadi is irregular, void and of no effect.

Speaking to the media on the High Court decision, Ratu Asiveni lawyer’s Isireli Fa says the decision of the High Court highlights the problems created by the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission against his clients from Narewa, Nadi, that they have had to battle the government for more than 30 years to arrive at this result today.

He says this case started back in 1994.

Fa says they had lost their case in 1994 and appealed the decision at the Fiji Appeals Court where it instructed the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission to conduct an inquiry in accordance with the law.

He adds that the Commission ruled against Ratu Isireli in 1997, and they took the matter to the High Court, where they won their case.

The lawyer says the High Court was very critical of how the iTaukei Land and Fisheries Commission conducted the inquiry.

He says the High Court gave the Commission the direction on how the inquiry should be conducted in the future to ensure fairness and that everybody is heard properly.

Fa says in 2004 the Commission then set again to determine this matter, but they did not want to follow the guidelines of the High Court and Ratu Isireli’s brother, Ratu Kaliova, then challenged the Commission.

He says at the end of the hearing in 2007, the Court agreed to guidelines on how the inquiry was to be conducted but the Commission did not follow the guidelines.

He adds there have been comments that the court cannot challenge the decision of the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission, which is totally incorrect.

Ratu Asiveni acknowledged the dedication put in by Fa & Company and the Fa family for not giving up on their case, as it took more than 30 years to get to the truth.

He also acknowledges his family and the Vanua of Narewa for their support in this case.