MEDIA STATEMENT – GFIL LEASE IS OUTSIDE ITAUKEI RESERVE OF THE MATAQALI VICO LAND
March 19, 2026
Matailobau Co‑operative Limited, located at Vunidawa Government Station have decided to construct the first ever Business Hub in the highlands of Naitasiri to serve farmers and rural communities in the interior of Naitasiri.
Yesterday, CEO Mr. Solomone Nata announced a key financial boost, approving the payment of one-third of the Yavusa Matailobau’s contribution, while the Government will cover the remaining two-thirds. This funding will support the construction, project equipment, and essential earthworks, with the total cost provided through TLTB’s Taukei Development Fund Facility estimated at nearly $100,000.
In his speech, Mr. Nata highlighted that iTaukei own only about 5% of businesses in the country, and in terms of overall value, it is quite nominal.
“This is why TLTB have been allocating funds each year to support the iTaukei in utilizing their land, establishing businesses, creating value, and building wealth for future generations,” he added.
Matailobau Cooperative Chairman, Mr. Kalaveti Rokobukete, shared that they have been working on this project for the past three years. He expressed his gratitude that the combined efforts of the Yavusa, the committee, the Government machinery, the iTaukei Trust Fund Board (TTFB), and most importantly the TLTB, have come together to enable visible progress on the ground.
Through this assistance, they are planning to create a business space where they will have a supermarket, a restaurant, a bakery, a barber shop, a car wash, a taxi base, a market and an internet café.
The establishment of the multi‑functional commercial hub represents a first‑of‑its‑kind iTaukei‑led business initiative in the interior which is expected to enhance local economic activity by providing a centralised commercial facility that supports business operations and generates sustainable employment opportunities for the LOU members.
It will also play a key role in advancing iTaukei rural economic development by reducing reliance on distant urban centres.
In addition, the project will stimulate entrepreneurship and the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by providing market access opportunities for farmers and small‑scale enterprises.
And also build institutional capacity by equipping Matailobau Co‑operative and the LOU members with enhanced skills, governance structures, and operational systems required to effectively manage and sustain commercial operations as such.
