THE Ministry of Tourism’s Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill 2025 has raised questions from resource owners about how existing agreements with stakeholders will be affected.
Speaking at the recent Tourism Convention in Nadi, Nacula Village district representative Lavenia Naivalu asked whether current Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with hoteliers and other partners would be recognised under the new law.
“I know this bill is very important to us,” Ms Naivalu said.
“We currently have MOUs in place with our stakeholder partners, and the Mua i Yawini Kavua Trust (MYKT) has a very good relationship with our hoteliers.
“Will the ministry recognise the current MOUs that we have?
“My fear is that this conversation might go very much lower than the value of our current MOU.”
Ms Naivalu highlighted MYKT’s $50,000 educational scholarships partnership with South Sea Cruises and said that MOUs were also in place for more than 20 dive sites in Yasawa.
“It’s not law that they give us something back, but they do appreciate us as being resource owners.”
Legal drafter David Edward Solvalu reassured the audience that the arrangements outlined in the Bill would work for resource owners and not change existing partnerships.
The Bill proposes that ownership of State-held marine areas used for commercial tourism may be formally transferred to recognised customary marine owners through an application and approval process.
Public consultations will be conducted as the legislation is currently before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.
