THE owner of River Tubing Fiji, William Danford, is calling on Government to stop issuing licences for gravel extraction in the Navua River because of the adverse environmental and economic impact of the activity on villagers and people who use the waterway.
He said villages such as Sabata, Namuamua, Wainikai, Nuku and Melita use the river on daily basis to collect freshwater eels and mussels for food.
Mr Danford further claimed that gravel extraction activities made travel difficult for villagers living upriver.
“I am speaking on behalf of the people that are afraid to speak up against the impact of gravel extraction and how it has made the river shallow, making it hard for us to manoeuvre our boats when travelling up the Navua River,” he said.
“This is an environmental issue that needs to be addressed because it has affected a lot of people. “We have written petitions to the authorities to stop gravel extraction in the Navua River, but it’s all falling on deaf ears.
“I am requesting Government to stop issuing gravel extraction licence to these companies.”
Speaking in the iTaukei language, Nakavu villager Esava Duasua of yavusa Nabukebuke said no consultation was conducted before the start of gravel extraction a few years ago.
“Na ka e leqa ni keimami sega ni raica dua na veivakatorocake taki kina na neimami bula yadua ena gauna mai caka kina na keli qereqere (The issue is we have not seen any benefits or improvements in our lives from the gravel extraction ever since it started).”
Jone Vosailagi, 31, of Melita Village says he uses the river daily to transport villagers to the upper Navua River.
“It’s really hard for us to travel up the river nowadays because it’s getting shallow,” he said.
“Sometimes it takes us three hours to reach some of the villages because people have to get off the boat and walk on land while we try to carry the boat through shallow waters.”
When approached outside Parliament on February 13, Tui Namosi Ratu Suliano Matanitobua said anyone having issues on gravel extraction in the Navua River should highlight them during the provincial council meetings.
