Two mataqali from Suvavou Village have expressed their support for government with regards to the construction of the Indian High Commission at Suva Botanical Gardens.
The two are mataqali Vatuwaqa and Tuirara.
In a statement, the mataqali Vatuwaqa Trust Chairman, Watisoni Ratulevu says as customary owners of the subject area, they support government’s initiative to utilise the area accordingly provided the government relooks at the plight of the real Suva people, identify and assert their traditional boundaries according to their cultural and traditional rights to land and sea.
Ratulevu highlights that the subject area according to their oral history is part of the old village site of Naiqasiqasi or Korobaba which was established by the then Tui Suva, Roko Saketa of the Vatuwaqa clan who married Adi Kanona from Bau.
He stated that the establishment of the village was built around the intermarriages of the chiefly ranks of Suva and Bau.
Ratulevu also mentioned that SODELPA’s Niko Nawaikula visited Suvavou on the 8th of February 2019 with regards to opposing the notion of government allocation of state land near Botanical garden for the Indian High Commission.
He states Nawaikula explains that they need numbers and if the numbers are high it could allow him to open a case in court to have a judicial decision and it can also trigger related Suva land issues.
Ratulevu then highlighted that there are similar cases that has proceeded in the past governments like the US Embassy at Tamavua where no consultation with the customary owners who is the Nauluvatu people by the SVT and SDL government.
He says the current government has at least set process for stakeholder to be consulted and submit expression of interest.
