In the latest development in the proposed Vuda waste-to-energy project, the Vuda Resources Development Committee has moved to clear up misconceptions about its role, saying it has neither initiated nor endorsed the $1.4 billion proposal put forward by The Next Generation (TNG) Fiji. Committee chairperson Adi Makelesi Tavaiqia made the statement yesterday, urging the community to remain calm while due process and consultations continue.
Adi Makelesi said the committee acts as advisers and representatives for local people and customary custodians, and is conducting “careful and thorough research to understand the full scope, risks, and potential benefits of this development.” She reiterated that no final decision has been made, and that discussions are ongoing with relevant government ministries, the company and independent consultants. “Due process must be respected,” she said, calling for patience while information is verified and assessed.
The committee emphasised it is working closely with traditional leaders who hold customary authority over Vuda’s maritime resources. Adi Makelesi named the Tui Vuda and several Taukei representatives — Taukei Sawaieke, Taukei Navitarutaru, Taukei Vunativi, Taukei Navatulevu and Taukei Naviyagoisaukova — as partners in the deliberations, saying those custodians will ultimately consent to or reject the project on behalf of the community.
Clarification over land ownership was also a central point of the committee’s statement. The site proposed for the plant is crown land, the committee said; it had been leased originally by Alipate Tuinabai and was later sold to Mr Rob Cromb, who is now associated with the development alongside TNG. Those details, Adi Makelesi said, “further emphasise the need for clarity, diligence and proper consultation at every level.”
TNG Fiji is described by the committee as a consolidation of foreign investors led by Australian businessman Ian Malouf and Fiji-born businessman Robert Cromb. The pair were in Fiji earlier this year carrying out public consultations on the proposed $1.4 billion waste-to-energy scheme, drawing public attention and prompting questions about community consultation, environmental impacts and land-use authority.
The Vuda Resources Development Committee’s statement is the latest step in a process that appears to be at an early and unsettled stage. By underlining its advisory role and the involvement of independent consultants and ministries, the committee signalled it intends to scrutinise technical, legal and customary aspects before any consent is given. Adi Makelesi concluded that the committee “remains committed to protecting the interests of our people, upholding respect for our traditional leadership, and ensuring that any future decision reflects the best outcome for Vuda now and for generations to come.”
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