Members of Parliament have warned that the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts is facing critical funding shortfalls that undermine its ability to protect cultural heritage and deliver services to indigenous Fijian communities. Iliesa Vanawalu, chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Affairs, told lawmakers on Tuesday that revenue from Vola ni Kawa Bula registrations and board fees remains low, leaving the ministry heavily dependent on central government allocations, according to a review of the ministry’s 2022–2023 Annual Report.
Vanawalu said the committee acknowledged positive steps in modernising the ministry’s records, noting progress in digitising the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB) — the official register central to iTaukei customary identity, land and title processes. The move to digital records, he reported, has been matched by an expansion of registration services for iTaukei living overseas, a development the committee welcomed as an important service to diaspora communities. Despite these advances, Vanawalu cautioned that boosting public participation and ensuring secure, reliable digital access remain significant challenges.
Preservation of traditional paper records and protection of physical heritage sites were raised as pressing concerns. The committee flagged the need for urgent and sustained investment in places such as Levuka, which Vanawalu said require targeted funding to safeguard their cultural and historical values for future generations. Alongside site protection, the ministry was urged to develop stronger systems for conserving manual VKB documents even as digitisation continues, to prevent loss during the transition.
The committee’s review also highlighted recent policy changes that reshape iTaukei governance. Vanawalu pointed to the re-establishment of the Great Council of Chiefs and the introduction of the Fiji National Cultural Policy as important steps, but warned that realising their potential will demand “stronger funding and wider stakeholder engagement.” The report noted ongoing efforts within the ministry to build leadership capacity and promote gender equality in customary governance, but said these initiatives need sustained resourcing and clearer implementation plans.
Despite progress, the review identified persistent gaps in several core areas. Performance reporting remains uneven, customary title resolution processes require strengthening, and rural development strategies for iTaukei communities are underdeveloped. To address these weaknesses, the committee recommended measures to increase the ministry’s financial autonomy, tighten governance, accelerate digital upgrades, and enhance protection and maintenance of cultural heritage sites and records.
The committee’s findings form part of a formal report that Vanawalu said will be debated at a future parliamentary sitting. The debate will give MPs the opportunity to test the committee’s recommendations and press the government on concrete funding commitments and timelines for implementing digital and heritage-protection measures outlined in the review.
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