On April 17, 1985 this newspaper published that Suva’s night people were in for a surprise at the Stinson Parade waterfront by the end of May of the same year.
After spending 35 years in the hotel industry, Tiko Eastgate, with the support of his wife, ventured into their new dream — a lifetime desire.
The report published how final works were being carried out on what was then known as Tikos Floating Restaurant, now known as Seafood Tikos Steak house.
The former owner said on Friday the idea of having a floating restaurant surfaced when he was studying for three years in the San Francisco Bay area. The 68-year-old said that he had managed to secure employment at a seafood restaurant.
“I knew Fiji was ready for a restaurant and the fact it was on a boat made it even more special, I gathered as much information through my school years up there and so I have always had the idea of having a floating restaurant so that’s when the idea started.”
He returned in 1980 and worked in several hotels and resorts around the country even to the extent of working at the family property on Gau island, as he puts it, “helping my father out cutting copra”.
The idea of having the floating restaurant remained and in the early 1980s he managed to purchase the first ever Blue Lagoon-owned steel boat for $17,000.
“When I bought it, it was a condemned hull as it was a 30-year-old boat and they had dismantled everything.
“It was in 1983 that we started work on it, cutting the nightclub out and also the top restaurant, the wheel house was converted into a kitchen and at back, the dining was converted into the restaurant.”
The boat Lycianda was then renamed Queen Mere and was later officially opened by the former president Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and Adi Koila Nailatikau.
“The response from the public actually hit the button, I was so surprised, like in every business it was a hit when you have the local patronising your business, you know you were on the right track
“The nightclub was a hit but was not as successful as the restaurant.”
However as Mr Eastgate puts it “every good thing comes to an end”, so he focused on his long-term goal which was to return to the land.
“Sometimes I drive past the boat and I look back at the many beautiful times we spent there, money was great but money is not everything, so my wife who backed me in everything, we decided to come here.”
In addition to the many special people who once set foot on the boat, Brooke Shields also graced the then Lycianda while shooting the movie Blue Lagoon which was shot in Fiji in 1980.
The Eastgates now enjoy their stay looking after their 265-acre dairy farm at Savu in Naitasiri
Government officials
inspect and supply rations
to flood-hit Ovalau
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr Mosese Qionibaravi, travelled to Ovalau to inspect the damage brought fourth by flash flooding. The flooding caused coastal and structural damage and landslides around the island. The government vessel Tabu Soro was also headed to the island to supply rations for people whose houses and supplies were washed away by the floods.
Brothers sentenced to life
Two brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of taxidriver Indar Vir in Malau, Labasa. The brothers, Asaeli Rokoiri and Viliame Nagia, were both found guilty of murder and were sentenced to serve a minimum of 15 years imprisonment each.
Sir Timoci criticises
Fiji Law Society
The Chief Justice, Sir Timoci Tuivaga, has criticised the Fiji Law Society for objecting to the temporary admission of a Queen’s Counsel from Sydney to represent the Government in an appeal case recently.
Dirty Raiwaqa
Residents of Raiwaqa vented their frustrations to the Suva City Council for failure to clear out rubbish. Heaps of rubbish lie scattered on the roadside in nearly every part of one of the most densely populated areas in Suva.
Nadi airport PSA members
warn of strike force
Public Service Association members at Nadi Airport have given the PSA a list of grievances with the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji. The PSA says it will issue a 28-day strike notice if talks with the Minister of Civil Aviation fail to produce a settlement.
Big construction
deal signed
An $865,000 deal was signed in Suva between Vinod Patel and Company Ltd, Narain Construction Co Ltd and Murray Cockburn Partnership to build a four-storey complex for Vinod Patel. The building will house a hardware store, nine shops and four offices at Stewart St.
