The Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs) wrapped up its two-day meeting at the Vale ni Bose in Draiba with traditional leaders formally endorsing a series of major resolutions aimed at addressing indigenous land rights, legal reforms, and cultural preservation.

On the final day, the three confederacies Kubuna, Burebasaga, and Tovata shared the outcomes of their internal deliberations.

Their collective recommendations were then tabled and adopted.

In his closing remarks, President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu addressed longstanding issues around the Native Land Trust Act, the Native Lands Act, and the responsibilities of Reserve Commissioners under both pieces of legislation.

He also called for deeper legal reflection on the Deed of Cession and proposed the creation of a Tribunal to oversee related rights.

One of the pressing matters raised came from the Burebasaga confederacy, which questioned inconsistencies in the registration of iTaukei children born overseas into the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB), highlighting a shift from earlier policies.

The President also traced the historical background of the Fiji Pine Trust, noting its early struggles and eventual development as a landowner-focused initiative, originally supported by the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara with assistance from New Zealand.

To explore the proposed Tribunal and other legal concerns further, a sub-committee has now been established under the Council’s guidance.