THE vanua of Tailevu will support one of the prominent sons of the province, former deputy prime minister Manoa Kamikamica, and respect the rule of law.
Council chairman Semi Matalau said the chiefs have their own opinions over the matter but the council has reiterated the law must be respected.
“I know our chiefs and the vanua will have their views but we all know what has happened and we respect his (Mr Kamikamica’s) decision and the law,” he said.
“We will let the law take its course and we will respect whatever the outcome is.”
Mr Kamikamica was at the meeting over the past two days.
He resigned from his position as deputy prime minister and minister for trade, communications and public enterprises after FICAC charged him with perjury and lying to a civil servant.
Clan heads await their allowances
GOVERNMENT allowances for 176 clan heads (turaga ni yavusa) in the 22 districts of Tailevu have not been paid out to them.
Earlier this week, the same issue was brought up at the Lau Provincial Council meeting at which many clan heads said they were yet to receive their allowances.
Yesterday, at the Tailevu Provincial Council meeting at Buretu Village, the same issue was raised resulting in different views expressed by council members.
One said the Government had promised through a past budget to pay clan heads allowances to financially help them with their work.
“If I was a turaga ni yavusa, I wouldn’t want that allowance because it would make me an employee of the Government,” he said. However, council chairman Semi Matalau said the Government made a good move with the budget announcement to pay clan headmen.
“Let’s be realistic. Life is hard now and these turaga ni yavusa need to be paid to help them fund expenses relating to their duties,” Mr Matalau said.
“So, I don’t think this is a political move by the Government. It’s a genuine decision to help not only yavusa headmen but village headmen as well.
“They need bus fares to travel to government offices in town and do paperwork and that requires money.”
Mr Matalau said the issue has also been made known to government officials.
