Concerns raised about VKB registrations

An urgent call has been made to the authorities to relook at the process of registering children to the Vola Ni Kawa Bula.

Fijivillage has received confirmation that iTaukei parents cannot register their adopted iTaukei children in the VKB.

Some of the parents from Naitasiri have raised concern about this, saying that they have adopted children and they want them to be registered in the VKB.

They have told us that they do not see them as adopted children as they have grown up with their family and do not regard anyone else as their parents.

Concerns have also been raised on why children who have a Itaukei mother and non-Itaukei father cannot be registered in the VKB.

These children can only be registered if the father’s name is not on the birth certificate.

Some of the parents have said that this is not equal rights as Itaukei women cannot get their children registered in the VKB if they marry a non-Itaukei however Itaukei men can get their children registered if they marry a non-Itaukei woman.

Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Naipote Katonitabua says the current regulation only allows iTaukei children to be registered under their legitimate father or mother if their father is Itaukei.

Katonitabua says the father’s name has to appear in the birth certificate. In cases where the father’s name is unknown, then the children should be entered in their mother’s Tokatoka, Mataqali and Yavusa.

He says that the “Instructions for Entries in the Register of Native Landowners” as stipulated in the iTaukei Lands Act ‑ Cap 133 and the order by the Governor in 1926 clearly states that registration in the VKB automatically qualifies an iTaukei to be a native landowner under the Tokatoka, Mataqali and Yavusa under which he or she is registered.

When questioned on whether any changes are planned in the future, Katonitabua said that a draft on the VKB regulation is currently with the Solicitor General’s Office for a review.

Stay with us as we will have more on this later this afternoon.