Consultation with villagers to commence over planned bauxite mining operations

Rural administration of the district of Wainunu in Bua, Fiji, is thinking of taking the villagers in their confidence before commencing any developmental work pertaining to bauxite mining in the region.

At a district traditional meeting last week in Bua, Chief Tui Wainunu Ratu Orisi Baleitavea said a team would visit the villagers, beginning this week. The team would talk to the villagers about the upcoming bauxite mining plans and how they project would help them ean a better living.

Ratu Orisi informed that some government officials were also present at the meeting last week to provide in-depth information about this bauxite project.

"Our consultation will involve everything that we want to do in the district as part of our development plan. We are basically taking back to the village what we discussed in our chiefs' meeting," Ratu Orisi said.

"We need to consult our people and tell them about the good things of development. It is for their own good and the future generation as well," he added. Discussion on rehab program is also reported to be there on the cards.

Ratu Orisi said the traditional leaders had agreed to use sawn timber from nearby forests to rebuild and repair damaged houses. This, he said, was part of a self-help attitude initiative that chiefs wanted to instil in their people.