Namosi landowners confronted representatives from the Namosi Joint Venture (NJV) during a heated meeting in Namosi village, successfully securing the release of compensation payments that had been withheld for months. The landowners issued a stark warning that continued failure to address their financial demands could lead to a takeover of the NJV camp.
Petero Saunivalu, the spokesman for Mataqali Nabukebuke and Director of Nabukebuke Holdings, expressed frustration over the withheld payments, stating that the NJV had not compensated the mataqali since the previous year. The complications arose following a letter from Isireli Fa, an attorney representing a different group of landowners who chose not to participate in the meeting. However, the trust firmly dismissed this letter, asserting that their legal entity was the only authority recognized in the matter.
Saunivalu voiced the landowners’ grievances, questioning the NJV’s presence on their land without formal approval or compensation, especially given the absence of a decision from the Minister regarding the Special Prospecting Licence (SPL). He highlighted the urgency of the situation by mentioning that the trust had already taken action by storming the Waisoi camp the previous Sunday, indicating their readiness to escalate their demands.
In light of stalled discussions surrounding the renewal of Special Prospecting Licence 1420, Saunivalu emphasized the imperative for the trust to adopt self-imposed policies aimed at protecting their land interests from extractive industries. This comes amid broader ongoing reviews of Fiji’s Mining Act.
The confrontation appeared to yield progress as NJV Country Manager Netava Bakaniceva agreed to release the past due rental payments, amounting to $75,000, during the upcoming Friday. The meeting was attended by key figures, including the NJV Manager and the Director of Mines, Apete Soro, highlighting the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes over land ownership and compensation issues.
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