A joint team from Water Authority of Fiji, the iTaukei Land Trust Board, and the Department of Lands will meet with the landowners at 6 tonight to formally present the lease arrangements and outline the way forward after the mataqali Nabukarabe of Nakama Village in Macuata threatened to close the Nasarava water catchment.
The landowners are demanding over one million dollars in lease arrears to be paid to them, and they will decide tomorrow on whether they agree with the proposal.
When contacted by fijivillage News, WAF says it is aware of the concerns being raised by the landowners regarding the Nasarava Water Catchment in Labasa, and it acknowledges the seriousness of the matter.
They say for clarity, there are two separate catchments in the area, Nasalasala and Nasarava, and they are treated differently from a land administration perspective.
The Nasalasala Catchment has been under a formal lease held by the Director of Lands with lease rentals administered and paid through the Department of Lands.
The most recent payment was made in September 2025 based on official records.
The Nasarava Catchment, which is the subject of the current concern, sits outside the original historical lease boundary.
This is a legacy land administration issue that WAF has been working closely with all key stakeholders to resolve amicably.
Spokesperson for the mataqali Nabukarabe, Osea Waqainavatu told fijivillage News that other villagers of Nakama have also agreed with the mataqali’s decision to close the water catchment after seven days from last Thursday if the payment is not made.
Waqainavatu says the water source has not been leased by WAF or any other stakeholders for water supply over the past 75 years.
He adds that the issue has been raised many times during meetings with government officials during their visits to the village, but nothing has been done to date.
