The main issue is encouraging iTaukei abroad to reconnect with their heritage and register in the VKB - iTaukei Affairs

The main issue is encouraging iTaukei abroad to reconnect with their heritage.

Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs Jone Navakamocea made these comments during the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Affairs’ public submission on the Ministry’s 2022–2023 Annual Report today, when asked about challenges faced in overseas Vola Ni Kawa Bula or Native Land Register registration.

Navakamocea adds that the Ministry has been working on long-term plans to digitise the VKB registration system, enabling secure online access for Fijians abroad through Fiji’s embassies and high commissions.

The Ministry of iTaukei Affairs has also acknowledged ongoing challenges with data preservation and budget constraints.

Deputy Secretary for Operations Paula Tione said the Ministry earns revenue through VKB registration certificates and board fees, though the amount collected is not enough to directly impact iTaukei community development.

Tione says the Ministry relies primarily on its annual budget, approximately $15 million in the 2022–2023 financial year, to fund capital projects supporting economic and social empowerment across communities.

Tione says the teams had successfully conducted registration visits in the United Kingdom and Australia this year, registering thousands of diaspora members — some now into their third generation overseas.