Professor Steven Ratuva [Source: FNU]

Political Sociologist, Professor Steven Ratuva believes the institutions established by the late statesman, Ratu Sir Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna, have to be transformed to suit the situation.

In a lecture on Ratu Sukuna, he highlighted the necessity to evolve a significant contribution by learned leader, the iTaukei Land Trust Board formerly known as the Native Land Trust Board.

Professor Ratuva says the iTaukei Land Trust Board has to be developed in accordance with the vision shared by Ratu Sukuna.

“Because part of the Darwinian evolution that he had in mind was Native Land Trust Board will start off as a protective mechanism and then evolve into, in one of his speeches, into an institution which facilitates economic advancement.”

[Source: FNU]

Ratuva claims very little effort has been undertaken to advance the institution.

“And then, but that hasn’t happened over the years. And I think it’s very important that institutions that he set up begin to reflect on some of the visions in terms of evolution and transformation for the future.”

[Source: FNU]

Fiji National University’s Vice Chancellor, Unaisi Baba supported the sentiments, saying Ratu Sukuna’s ideas should not be kept in a time capsule.

“If we review the NLTB, it is to make sure that we don’t just protect land, that we use the NLTB and its variations, apparatus of the Fijian society to create wealth for the inter-king and the lot that are governed by the NLTB or TLTB Act.”

Professor Steven Ratuva says the iTaukei Land Trust Board stand as a hallmark of Ratu Sukuna’s aspirations and achievements, and hopes Fijians would share the vision set by the late Chief of Fiji to advance the nation.