The Great Council of Chiefs is looking to further facilitate the Itaukei community in terms of economic empowerment.
Giving an update in Parliament today on the GCC, Itaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu said the recommendation was also contained in the report from a feasibility study on Establishing Provincial Economic Unit.
“One of the issues affecting the iTaukei is the need for economic empowerment.”
“The GCC in Bau last year decided that it will take on economic empowerment to address the poverty issue. We have the resources but we lack the means to convert the resources into monetary value.”
Vasu said the GCC heard from the team that did the study and worked to establish workable solutions that will benefit every iTaukei.
“After the presentation, the chiefs separated into their confederacies to discuss the report and afterwards supported the review report and the recommendations included.”
The Minister also gave an update on the work of village profiling that was taking place.
“On the second day of the GCC meeting, the Ministry made a presentation on village profiling survery so the chiefs could see the status of their provinces.”
“The profiling touched on sanitation, education, business types, health issues to name a few and the chiefs realised that evidence-based policy making os crucial for the effective intervention.”
Vasu added that the recommendations were now ready to be executed.
“As a result of the presentation and with the Chiefs endorsement, we will seek Government’s approval for the creation of a Data Hub to capture all Itaukei data.”
