Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry Sign MOU with Ministry of ITaukei Affairs to Foster Closer Collaboration
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Fisheries and Forest and the Ministry of ITaukei Affairs following a meeting between the two ministries at the Forestry Training Centre in Colo-i-Suva yesterday.
Permanent Secretary for Fisheries and Forest, Atelaite Rokosuka said the MoU provided the enabling environment to share data and information, facilitate consistent and timely communication and fosters effective participation by Land Owning Units in the development, revisions and implementation of management plans for effective operations and compliance.
“The MoU also ensures conservation of traditional knowledge and practices and training and development for communities,” Rokosuka said.
Rokosuka added that the MoU will also assist to enhance and strengthen the working relationship between the two ministries.
“There are certain times where we wish to progress key initiatives, to share information, to share data and resources, but we are often crippled because there is no mechanism that will allow us to do that. We hope that this MoU will assist us in this regard moving forward,” Rokosuka said.
Following the meeting of the Ministers and their executive management yesterday, there are plans to write back to the Office of the Solicitor General to expand the scope of the MoU to also incorporate an addendum for the inclusion of the fisheries component in the MoU.
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