According to recent statistics presented in Parliament by the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts, Fiji is currently facing a significant shortfall in chiefly titles, with over 1,000 positions unfilled across the country’s 14 provinces. Responding to a written inquiry, Minister Ifireimi Vasu confirmed that out of 6,205 registered traditional titles, only 5,164 have been filled, indicating that approximately 17 percent of chiefly positions have yet to be formalized.
The ministry emphasized that these figures provide valuable insight into the status of chiefly institutions in Fiji. Notably, in Lomaiviti, a province with 495 titles, only 262 positions are filled, leaving 233 vacant. In Nadroga-Navosa, out of 443 titles, 290 are filled, leaving a significant number unoccupied.
The data reveals a considerable disparity in vacancy rates across various provinces. Rewa and Lau boast the highest rates of filled titles at 94 percent, whereas provinces like Ra and Namosi experience vacancy rates as high as 19 percent. Ba, which has the largest overall number of titles at 532, has managed to fill 485, leaving 47 vacant. Following closely is Naitasiri, which has 610 titles with 85 remaining unfilled.
This situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced in maintaining traditional leadership roles and the implications for cultural institutions in Fiji. As the government seeks to address these vacancies, there is hope that efforts will be made to increase engagement and recognition of these roles within local communities, thereby strengthening the traditional structures that play a vital role in Fijian society.