The Native Land Commission is planning to take up an issue to the Minister for iTaukei Affairs soon which relates to the non-registration of children in the Vola Ni Kawa Bula whose father is non iTaukei and mother is iTaukei.
Commission Chairman Ratu Sireli Vananalagi Vesikula said the current law states that only a person who has an iTaukei father can be registered.
The other option is for a single mother who is an iTaukei is allowed to register her child in the Vola Ni Kawa Bula.
He said if a person’s mother is iTaukei and father is non iTaukei, that person cannot be registered in the VKB.
Vesikula said this is expected to be reviewed soon as they have been receiving requests from some mataqalis to include some people in their clans whose fathers are non-iTaukei.
These clans who fully support this say that the people have the right to be registered as their mothers are iTaukei.
Based on this, the Native Land Commission Chairman said the issue will be taken up to the Minister and the Itaukei Affairs Board soon.
Meanwhile Sitiveni Raturala from the Prime Minister’s Office said on a talkback show on Viti FM last week that those who are registered under their mother’s side will not be included in the VKB.
He said according to the constitution, an iTaukei is a person who is registered in the Vola Ni Kawa Bula.
Raturala highlighted that only a person whose father is iTaukei can be registered in the VKB.
Story by: Vijay Narayan, Rusiate Baleilevuka & Aliki Bia
