Members of the mataqali Vico and Namara from Vunivaivai Village, Nakelo, Tailevu, have halted operations at the Goodman Fielder Vunivaivai Plant by staging a roadblock, citing long-standing grievances over their native reserve land.
Turaga ni Mataqali Vico, Jiutasa Bilavucu, 46, expressed frustration with the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) for leasing qele kovuti (land reserved for their mataqali) to the company.
“This land is a native reserve for our mataqali,” he said.
“We are worried that there will come a day when this land will be sold for good.”
He explained that the native reserve was established in 1950, with its original lease expiring in 1955, after which the TLTB had no authority to grant leases.
The landowners claim TLTB has already awarded two leases on the site since 1950.
The dispute has persisted over two decades, since Goodman Fielder built its poultry plant in 2003.
“It’s been 23 years now for us, the mataqali, that we’re fighting for our rights.”
Questions sent to Goodman Fielder on the concerns raised by the mataqali remain unanswered.
