The Macuata Provincial Youth Council is calling on traditional leaders to provide stronger support, insisting that a shortage of resources is hindering their ability to serve young people across the province. Council president Jitoko Vulava said internal divisions between villages and the lack of basic backing from traditional authorities continue to pose major obstacles.
“These differences make it difficult to carry out our duties,” he said. “We also do not have paid members and often have to fund our activities out of our own pockets. We also do not have an office space to operate from, nor do we have access to transport, and this makes it hard to reach remote communities and engage with youths there.” Vulava added that the backing of traditional leaders would make their work easier and more effective. “We need their support. It will be easier for us to carry out our work if the traditional leaders are behind us,” he urged, asking leaders to collaborate with council executives to improve the lives of young people in the province.
The call comes amid a broader regional push to strengthen leadership and youth engagement in Macuata. In nearby Cakaudrove, the Youth Council there has also pressed for greater support, highlighting efforts such as a Christmas fundraising drive that raised substantial funds for youth initiatives and ongoing programs aimed at rehabilitation, prevention, and community welfare. The Cakaudrove council has showcased the importance of partnerships with elders and community heads to ensure outreach succeeds, a theme echoed by provincial governance leaders.
This moment of focus on leadership and youth aligns with recent discussions in Macuata about strengthening governance and resource management. For example, the iTaukei Affairs Ministry has noted vacancies in traditional leadership positions, stressing that filling these roles is essential for unity and development across tribes and districts. Leaders have pointed to opportunities to turn local resources into sustainable wealth, with potential support from partners such as Merchant Finance, Fijian Holdings, and the iTaukei Trust Fund.
What this could mean moving forward is clearer collaboration between traditional leaders and youth councils, backed by clear funding and logistics—such as office space and transport—to empower young people to participate in land use, resource management, and community development. If traditional leaders rally behind youth initiatives and formalize support structures, Macuata could see stronger youth engagement, more cohesive communities, and tangible improvements in regional welfare.
Summary
The Macuata Provincial Youth Council is appealing for stronger traditional-leader support to overcome resource shortfalls, with leadership divisions and lack of basic infrastructure cited as key barriers. The move mirrors broader provincial efforts to bolster youth empowerment and leadership across Macuata, including calls to fill traditional leadership vacancies and to deepen partnerships that convert resources into opportunities for families and communities.
Summary in Fijian
Na macawa taucoko na Macuata e kania na veitaukei ni vanua me ra vukea na gone, ka vakadeitaka na leqa ni madigi kei na isau. Saa ni levu na leqa ni veitokoni vakaitaukei, e cake tale ga na nomu ofisi kei na vakasama me rawa ni vakalewai na cakacaka ni gone. E kerea na veika tukei mai vei ira na veitaukei ni vanua me baleta na tubu ni gone kei na veika e baleta na vanua. E vuravura talega na veiika mai na macawa ni veiliutaki e Macuata me baleta na vakacuruma na ivakarau ni veiwatini kei na tubu ni veika vakaitaukei. Ena yasayasa vata ga na veika ni bula ni veiqaravi kei na veivakabulai ni gone, kei na veivuke mai na veitaukei ni vanua kei na vuli vei ira na gone ena rawarawa cake kina na cakacaka. Me vaka ga, na vuravura e baleti Macuata ena tiko kina na veidinadinati me vakatovolei na veivuke ki na gone, kei na veivanua me tubu tale, ena vukea na vanua me ruvatuva, kei na kena mai tuvanaka na nodra vakabauta kei na nodra marautaki na gone.
Additional note
– This piece acknowledges related regional efforts to empower youth and strengthen leadership, underscoring the potential for cross-council collaboration and partnerships to advance young people’s access to resources and opportunities.
– If you’d like, I can add direct quotes from the Cakaudrove context or outline a proactive plan (short-term funding, an office space proposal, transport arrangements) to strengthen the Macuata Youth Council’s operations.
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