Do Ya Reckon So Felix?…..Don’t Think So Mate!!

Wednesday’s evening news on Fiji One reported Felix ‘The Cat’ Anthony’s press conference where he stated that the FNPF Board are now working in conjunction with the landowners of Natadola Hotel Development to move the project ahead. Funnily enough Felix ‘The Cat’ made no mention of the current legal action being undertaken against FNPF by APRIL, the ousted Project Managers and rightful Developers of Natadola.

One National News

FNPF Board out to convince landowners to participate in Natadola Hotel project 31 Oct 2007 00:43:50 The Board of the Fiji National Provident Fund is out to convince landowners to participate in the multi-million dollar Natadola Hotel and golf resort project, currently under construction. Seven landowning units own land on which the project is being undertaken. And while some some have joined FNPF, others are keeping away. Landowners, members of the media, FNPF board officials and developers of the Natadola hotel and golf project today visited the site, to witness first hand the progress of the project. This project is owned by seven yavusa, while the some have joined the development, the FNPF Board says one of its priorities is to get all landowners involved in the project. One of the landowners part of the project says they are happy to be involved. The hotel project which is delayed by six months is under construction, with 600 people working on both the hotel and golf projects. The hotel is 40 percent complete, while the golf green is more than halfway done. The 275 room hotel which will have rooms along the beach front and hill top will be managed by the Intercontinental Group. Its expected to employ more than 500 staff. The company will target tourists from the U-S, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

One thing I found odd was the fact that there are a number of Yavusas whose land will be used for the Hotel development. But Anthony said that those that are being led by Ratu Osea Gavidi are not part of the landowners in support of FNPF continuing with HLKJ as the Project Manager. The strange thing was the Fiji TV online report stated are seven Yavusas who own the land where the Natadola Resort development is situated, during the press conference there was only one Turaga Ni Yavusa who spoke out in support of the FNPF and HLKJ. Where were the other six??

The Fiji Times online reported this morning that a majority of them, four out of the seven Yavusa, led by Ratu Osea Gavidi are in support of APRIL continuing its role as Project Manager and Developer. They also wish for the land to be returned to the landowners so they can seek their own financiers. Adding further insult to injury those landowners who have raised their hands in favour of APRIL have been terminated from Yatule Resort.

 Landowners want land returned

TIMOTHY NAIVALUWAQA
Friday, November 02, 2007

FOUR of the five landowning units of the Natadola Resort Development Project are demanding the return of their land.

The members of Yavusa Ketenamasi, Ehiga, Tacini and Nalotawa have delivered their demands to the Native Lands Trust Board so they would be able to search for project financiers.

The landowners, who created the Vanua Nahoqo Trust, insist that Asia Pacific Resort International Limited (APRIL) remain as project managers despite the interim Government dismissing and replacing it with HLK’s Jacobs.

During a press conference at Natadola yesterday, landowners’ spokesman, Ratu Osea Gavidi said on August 29, they wrote to NLTB requesting they be handed the development lease so they would be able to search for financiers abroad.

Ratu Osea said even though they appreciate the contributions made by the members of the Fiji National Provident Fund, they felt it would be in their best interests if APRIL remained as project managers.

Ratu Osea said the landowners first agreed to hand over their land of 600 acres for the project to APRIL after a thorough review of the master plan.

“We did not sign the lease to FNPF but we gave it to APRIL so as far as we are concerned ARPIL is the company that should be managing our land,” he said.

“We wrote to NLTB on August 29 demanding that our land or the development lease be re-issued to Vanua Nahoqo Trust so that we would be able to search for a financier abroad.

“We did not sign over our land to this newly appointed FNPF board so we do not want them managing our land.”

Ratu Osea said the letter demanding the return of their land was in response to a letter from NLTB on June 29 that they cooperate with FNPF on the development.

NLTB general manager, Semi Tabakanalagi said he would respond to issues raised by the Ratu Osea and his faction today. Ratu Osea said under the lease agreement signed with APRIL, all landowners were benefitting as they were offered jobs at Yatule Resort to prepare them for the opening of the Intercontinental Resorts in Natadola.

However, he said following the FNPF takeover, their members had lost their jobs with Yatule Resort. 

Methinks that Felix Anthony has gotten himself into an even bigger mess than the one he originally created. As we all well know that when land disputes arise you need to have a person at the helm who is able understand the cultural sensitivities and manoeuvre the minfield of Fijian landowning politics. It does not augur well for the Resort if the landowners are split in their decision as to which developer they should be throwing their weight behind.

A word of advice from Fuggedaboutit, considering the serious ramifications of the pending legal actions by APRIL they should all be united and put their faith and support in the people who originally came up with the vision and established a close relationship with them.

………Not these Johnny come lately wannabe Professionals like that Imbroglione Felix ‘The Cat’ who are better off leading a picket line.