Save
the Bay
Many times we let what we call
development get in our way. We cut down forests and mangrove to build so we can set up
business to make money. But at what a cost. Most of the times its
the city fathers who approve the development. Anyway, big
business people are very powerful.One such place is the
Draunibota Bay in Lami.
I grew up in Wailekutu in the late 70s
and lived there until I started work in 1977. We used to swim across
to Mosquito Island with our lunch packs and stay there all day. We
would return in the afternoon, sometimes swimming back or if there
was a kind boat owner we would hitch a ride
back.
Tourist ferries would come and go and
we would meet and make new friends with them. Some of us even struck
up friendships that got us being pen friends.
I always marveled at the people on
water ski. I tried it once but couldn't do it. You have to be pretty
strung to get on a ski and be pulled along. Some of us would cross
over on tin boats and when we were tired we would paddle into the
deep and fish for our lunch. Then we would tavu them on hot coals and
eat it with lemon and the cassava we took with us. It was fun.
We were always tanned from the sun and
sea and no one had a pot belly.
Now i read that the place is going to
be zoned to make it an industrial area. What are the developers thinking?
Please, leave the Bay alone, it has so
many fond memories of me, my friends and relatives.
Sometimes the rich businessman can only
see the dollar sign and not a natural habitat.
Allen Lockington is a self-employed
customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles
published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of
them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on,
whatever the political situation. And it's good to know
that.
Plea
to save the bay
Torika Tokalau
RESIDENTS of Lami find themselves in a
somewhat similar situation to what they
had faced in 2012 as they again try to
save the Draunibota Bay.
A multi-discipline construction company
based in Fiji caused a bit of a stir back in 2012 with its intentions
to set up its headquarters at Lot 1 Waibola, Wailekutu.
This did not rest well with the
communities, settlement and landowners and after much petitioning,
the bay — which is home to vast mangroves — was saved.
Now however, residents of Lami are
again fighting the same fight, this time against the altered zoning
of Lot 1 Waibola, Wailekutu from residential to heavy
industrial.
Numerous petitions, submissions and
applications have been written to the Lami Town Council objecting to
the zoning.
Lami Town Council special administrator
Jasper Singh said the response from residents had been tremendous.
"We received numerous letters
regarding the matter, most of them objecting to the development at the Waibola site,"
Mr Singh said.
He said his team was in the process of
going through all submissions which it would summarise with its own
recommendations.
These will then be forwarded to the
Director of Town and Country Planning who will make the final decision.
"We represent the ratepayers as
well, that's our concern. That will be a major factor and we won't
just decide anything, we will look at the merits of every objection
and compile everything and what
the council feels.
"But the final decision rests with
the director."
Uduya Point property owner Luke Ragg,
in his letter objecting to the zoning of Waibola, said there was
blatant disregard for proper due process and consultation with all
the communities in the area.
"The area is a natural food source
for many in the community. The area's vast mangrove is one of the few
remaining natural cleansers of the environment and the greater Suva
Peninsula overall," Mr
Ragg explained.
"The area is a breeding ground for
all forms of marine life and a natural habitat for other life and
this must be preserved.
"The whole of the residential area
of Uduya Point will be affected, from single property/ homeowners to
the Uduya Point Marina Estate. In time, industrial development will
cause further
extraordinary strain on the marine
environment and will result in catastrophic marine death of not only
Draunibota Bay, but the surrounding areas including the adjacent Bay
of Islands.
"Lami could not be called the
Garden Town when we destroy our greatest garden of
all."
Click on this link to the Save the Bay Facebook page.
2 comments:
Unbelievable that such a naturally beautiful spot would be industrialised. makes you wonder who is getting paid under the table. Bainimarama is no better than Qarase. Khaiyum is just like Qoriniasi Bale. One corrupt government replaced by another.
At least we knew how much PM Qarase was paid. And he wasn't paid by some illegal AG's aunt. As for this dimwit Lockington - what part of "Fiji is currently a dictatorship and the treasonous thugs can do what they like to fill their pockets" does this regime dancing girl not understand?
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