Exile of villagers discussed by Cakaudrove Provincial Council and Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs

The Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs and the Cakaudrove Provincial Council are having discussions on whether they should remove the exile agreement which was discussed at the Cakaudrove Provincial Council meeting in Yaroi, Savusavu earlier this month.

Under the conditions of the agreement all villagers involved in the cultivation of marijuana will be asked to leave the village boundary.

Late last year 3,500 marijuana plants were uprooted by Police from farms in the Province of Cakaudrove while early this year a few villagers from Levuka in the Wailevu District and Viani village in the Na-vatu District were told to leave their villages.

Roko Tui Cakaudrove Sara Bulatani said they have suggested to the council to consider other avenues.

According to Bulatani, there has been an increase in marijuana cultivation in the province of Cakaudrove over the last 10 years.

He said this is why the council is deeply concerned and taking the necessary measures in place to try and address it.