Tuvuca villagers in Lau commended Government officials touring the group for answering their querries after they were allegedly lied to during last year’s election campaigns.

The villagers revealed that in the lead up to last September’s elections, they were told that Fiji had been sold to China and indigenous ownership rights had also been removed.

This was revealed by Tuvuca Village headmen Emosi Tikowale.

“It is fulfilling to get some of our long standing questions answered,” Mr Tikowale said.

“We hear a lot of things unofficially around the kava bowl from other people who visit the village. We do not know what to believe and we are thankful that we can finally get confirmation from officials,” Mr Tikowale said.

The public relations officer at the Prime Minister’s Office, George Katonivualiku, who is part of the tour, rubbished the rumours.

“There were false stories that were spread to some villages in Lau during the election campaigns. These rumors have only done nothing, but confused the people,” Mr Katonivualiku said.

“I would like you to know that the rights of the iTaukei and their rights to their land remain strongly in place and guarded,” he assured the villagers.

He said Government’s objective was to lay a new platform of reassurance for Fijians.

He said it was also the intention of Government to educate the people on political maturity.

The Government and media delegation is on a 19-day tour of the group which started in Cikobia and Tuvuca on Monday.

They visited government stations, projects and developments, schools, deliver government assistance like the free milk and Weet-Bix and stationery to schools and also conduct Talanoa sessions with islanders.

The delegation tours Vanuabalavu today.

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