The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) will reconvene at the end of this month to deliberate on the contents of the Review Taskforce Committee’s final report.
Confirming this to FijiLive, Minister for i-Taukei Affairs, Ifereimi Vasu said the recommendations have been referred to a strategic team which is reviewing the policy paper.
“We will take this back to the Bose Levu Vakaturaga and allow for the systems to follow its processes.”
The Minister has also revealed that he has not seen the final recommendations from the GCC Taskforce that’s already before Cabinet.
Terms of reference
The GCC Taskforce will examine the role and structure of the GCC as embodied in the legislation above and regulations. Building on this, they will endeavour to discover-mends a revised focus and function for the GCC, which accounts for the dynamics of a modern and evolving Fiji that sits more prominently within an interconnected regional and global landscape.
The review will account for developments within Fiji’s economic, social, cultural and political landscape which continuously influence the behaviour and aspirations of the i-Taukei people.
Ultimately, this will require examining the GCC’s previous organisational relationship and linkages with the i-Taukei Administration, the i-Taukei Lands Commission, the iTaukei Land Trust Board, the i-Taukei Trust Fund Board and other relevant development fora.
This review will include extensive literature reviews, consultations with the Provincial Councils and other groups, including the Bose Vanua, and key informant interviews.
In addition and just as important, the GCC’s functions and accountabilities will be established and demarcated.
This will, in essence, provide clear guidance for multi-faceted new legislation that encapsulates the GCC as part of a broader sustainable development platform that will create prosperity for Fiji’s indigenous population and all those who call Fiji home.
