RATU Sir Lala Sukuna was a great statesman who spent his entire fortune on other people and had only 50 cents to his name at the time of his death.
This was highlighted by Ministry of Sugar director operations Praneel Naidu during Ratu Sukuna Day celebrations at the Sugar Cane Growers Fund (SCGC) head office in Lautoka yesterday.
“Although he passed away in 1958, he laid the foundation for our independence. His foresight and vision had a massive impact on our nation,” he said.
Mr Naidu said the iTaukei Land Trust Board’s existence today was because Ratu Sukuna had established the then Native Land Trust Board.
“TLTB is here because someone decided to do something about it and that man was Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna.
“There are some standards and values that he has set for us as leaders and individuals that we need to follow and reflect on his life.
“In countries like New Zealand and Australia, the land is mostly state-owned, however, in Fiji, he fought for the land.”
Mr Naidu said Ratu Sukuna established a system in which the indigenous iTaukei population would still have ownership of the land so that future generations could benefit from it.
