Prime Minister and former Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, Sitiveni Rabuka says he hopes the GCC will assist in the strengthening of iTaukei leadership and also support in getting the large number of iTaukei living in poverty out of that cycle.
Speaking after the opening of the GCC meet on Bau Island, Rabuka says people expect wisdom and compassion from the GCC, and there is a lot of work to do with 75 percent of the iTaukei living in poverty.
He hopes the members of the GCC will take heed of the advice given by the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere and Methodist Church of Fiji President, Reverend Ili Vunisuwai.
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Rabuka also says non-iTaukei should not be worried when they are talking about empowering the iTaukei and reducing those living in poverty as there is an assurance to everyone that all the citizens will be treated equally.
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Rabuka is also sitting in the GCC as an ex-officio member according to the new iTaukei Affairs Regulation.
He says the old regulations barred anyone who is holding public office or constitutional office to be a member of the GCC.
The Prime Minister says today, the GCC is discussing the recommendations of the GCC Review Team and the issue regarding land leases.
Rabuka says the decisions of the GCC will be communicated to the government, and they will guided by what the GCC says but not be dictated by the council.
He says he has worked with the GCC before and he knows that a lot of what the chiefs wanted in the past did not translate into government policy.
