The convincing win by the FijiFirst is a testimony that people want change, says Bau paramount chief, Ratu Joji Cakobau. “The result shows people want change and the iTaukei have got to realise that we have got to change,” he said. Speaking to the FijiSun yesterday at his chiefly residence at Mokani Village in Bau, Tailevu, Ratu Joji said it was important for the iTaukei people to take charge of this. He said the majority of the iTaukei people were reluctant to accept the changes made by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama when he took over leadership in 2006. Some changes he introduced were the removal of the Great Council of Chiefs, equal share of lease money to landowners, change of chairman of the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB), introduction of the Land Bank, and the naming of the chairperson of the respective provincial councils to mention a few. People, Ratu Joji said, enjoyed Mr Bainimarama’s strong leadership and the inclusive developments he made around the nation. However, some iTaukei and local politicians, in the last eight years, pretended they supported the new way forward, but the real fact was that they had kept their true colours that they displayed during their party campaigns. “They promoted racism and discriminatory policies. They even wanted to bring back the Great Council of Chiefs which they had heavily politicised and said the iTaukei landownership was not secured. “They were scared of changes. They should not, they should go for them.” The Bainimarama Government put in changes for the benefit of the iTaukei people and all Fijians. Commenting on the chiefly system, he said it was time that chiefs cared for their people and not people caring for the chiefs. “The chiefly system has got to go and it needs to change.” His advice to the iTaukei, “We have to come to an understanding that changes are happening and we need to accept them. You need to adapt to change.”
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 23:21:36 +0000
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