Be wise as an owl

from w
A warning about going into negotiations about your land comes from an expert, Paula Raqeilai, and is addressed to the people of Kia Island who recently declared they are willing to lease part of their island.
from Fiji Times Features:

'Wise' land reforms

Paula Raqeukai
Thursday, August 19, 2010

While I commended the initiative by the mataqali Burewaqa of Kia Island to give their land to the Land Bank of Fiji I strongly advise the landowners and their local consultants or representative (including NLTB) to seek an independent professional advice on the development feasibility of this multi-million proposed land project.

My humble advice to the landowners to seek address on the following areas before surrendering their land interest to the Land Bank of Fiji for an uncertain period of time:

(i) What is the estimate residual land value for acquisition or disposal purposes based on the hypothetical development (proposed 12 allotments of 4.16 acres each on the 50 acres site development)?;

(ii) What is the estimate financially appraised of this property development and at the same time test its viability or feasibility against the value of the total land resources and the people of Kia Island (tangible and intangible values)?

(iii) What is the best model of joint venture debt/equity arrangements to adopt for the landowners (sideline head lessor) or in this case the government (head lessor) on the proposed development;

(iv) Has the Fiji land reform unit or it reps evaluate multiple development options on the proposed site to determine its highest and best use?

(v) Has the Fiji land reform unit or its reps analyze the possible risks involved in such high magnitude land development using sensitivity testing and probability analysis via the usage of any aided computer software available to land professionals?

The above are some of my concerns that any prudent landowners should be aware of when seeking to invest in land for an optimum return during an unspecific period of investment.

Land reform elsewhere in the world has both its positive and negative effects and in certain countries like Somalia and Thailand the very people who were supposed to be benefitted from the land reforms become much worse off today.

In my opinion land reforms are not bad if the full consultancy of all stakeholders (including the native land resource owners) are involved and arrive at a consensus.

As a landowner I would not like to see what happened in Somalia (land grabs as a result of non-consultation of the landowners/breakdown of structured government) and Thailand (the priority shift of land reforms from landowners to tenants; land reform controversy; the distribution issue; the implementation problems) to happen in Fiji in the next 30 years. Remember a wise land reform decision made today will certainly have an everlasting effect on the generations to come until the return of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ whom all land reforms on this earth are vested.

* Paula Raqeukai is the president of the Pacific Islands Landowners Consultancy Group, an organisation set up in 2005 by some of the region's land management graduates for the purpose of offering advice and awareness programs to the Pacific Islands land and resource owners on how best to use their tangible assets to realise maximum returns and sustainability.

Labasa girls study in boys' career

from w
It's good to see that girls can now enter professions that were formerly described as only for the men, just as young men are now entering professions such as nursing which used to be thought of as for the girls. Way to go.
from today's Fiji Sun
Girls in a male dominated territory

8/19/2008

Meet Melania Tabuakula and Maraia Kalouvou who are automotive engineering course students at the Labasa Arya Secondary School. They have quickly adjusted to the real world of work in automotive engineering where they find it challenging and interesting.

Melaia who hails from the island of Kia in Macuata spoke on why she decided to pursue a career in a profession that dominated by males.

Q: What made you choose this course as most females would like to work in offices and take up lesser masculine work?

Melania Tabuakula: I took up the challenge and I want to prove that females are as good as males.

Q: How do you find the course?

MT: Challenging and interesting. I’m learning something new.

Q: What do you plan to do after completing the course?

MT: Find a suitable job and also pursue further studies

Q: How will this course be relevant to you?

MT: We travel by outboard motor vessel to our island. The knowledge I gain from here will enable me to maintain and repair outboard motors anywhere, anytime.

Q: What kind of support you get from your male colleagues and teachers?

MT: They are indeed very supportive and helpful at all times.

Q: What advise would you give to other females who might be interested to take up this course?

MT: Take up the challenge. Don’t give up. Stay focus and rely on God to pull you through.
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Note: Kia Island is west of Labasa, not far from Vorovoro Island.

tribewanted visit Kia Island

from w
There's an island west of Mali and Vorovoro Islands called Kia, not to be confused with Kioa which is near Rabi, north of Taveuni, and a home for migrant Tuvalu people.

I noticed in the tribewanted site that some of the guests on Vorovoro went to Kia and had a good time there. the people of Kia are experts in catching fish and turtles - not that the latter are on the menu much these days. Peceli has been in the Labasa area for two weeks but I don't think he had time to visit Vorovoro this time because he had so much to do about distribution of goods from the Geelong Rotary Donation in Kind container that we sent months ago to Labasa.

from the chief's blog:
KIA!

The hill on the horizon. The island of fish. The place where Api comes from. Kia.

Last time we made the cross-channel trip to Kia Island was with Chief Wildgeeza back in Janaury and Api and his family have been asking the tribe to return ever since.

Departing at dawn from Vorovoro we sped across the flat ocean in two fibre punts, landing on the white flour sandy beach of Ligau on the Western side of KIa an hour and a quarter later.

A morning session at the village primary school, was followed by a steep climb to Kia's rocky ridge. Steep, slippery scree and grass, the climb was a good physcial challenge for the tribe and built and appetite for the four meals we managed to eat during the day.

Tui Wasi (Ryan) and the Kia boys dived for our lunch and dinner; meals of fresh curried fish and soup was interspersed with games of rugby, playing with the children on the beach and a long night of kava and meke-ing before all passing out on one mat together.

As more members visit Vorovoro we hope to visit this stunning island and friendly people more, and start to support the school as we do in Mali. And everyone should climb that mountain.
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from Peceli
Yes, I did visit Vorovoro.
I met Ben the main man and he is the Tribe founder in Vorovoro. Vorovoro looks a million dollars in the moonlight. I was with 15 tribe members and more then 40 people welcoming and farewelling people in the traditional manner outside the front or the Fijian Bure. I visited my favourite spot where the turtles laid eggs more than fifty years ago as in Timaima's song. And they told me on Vorovoro that the turtles still lay eggs there, even just last two months ago. I later spent a night with Tui Mali in his house in Vuo village.