Tui Nayau Turns Focus to Development for Lau

Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara has taken an increasingly active role in driving development in Lau since his installation as Tui Nayau, Tui Lau and Sau ni Vanua o Lau last year, with a strong focus on turning long-discussed plans into action.

Since assuming the paramount chiefly titles, Ratu Tevita has placed economic development, investment and greater opportunities for the people of Lau among the priorities of his leadership.

Central to that push has been the establishment of the Lau Economic Think Tank Group, announced in July to help guide the economic component of the Lau Strategic Development Plan.

The group brings together Lauans with experience across finance, commerce, government and other professions to provide strategic advice and identify opportunities for investment and long-term economic growth.

Ratu Tevita’s message has been clear: the focus must increasingly shift towards practical outcomes and tangible progress for the people of Lau.

It is an approach he has linked to the traditional concept of solesolevaki, where people work together for the common good.

Ratu Tevita has said the Think Tank and Lau Provincial Council will work under one direction rather than pursuing separate development agendas, drawing upon the knowledge and experience of Lauans both at home and abroad.

For a maritime province such as Lau, the development challenge is significant.

Distance, connectivity and limited economic opportunities have contributed to people leaving the islands in search of work and opportunities elsewhere.

The emerging strategy is therefore not simply about attracting investment, but creating opportunities that can improve livelihoods and living standards across Lau’s islands and villages.

And there are already plans extending beyond discussion.

The Lau Provincial Council has endorsed a number of major commercial initiatives through Yatu Lau Company, the province’s commercial arm established under the leadership of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Among them is a proposed Yatu Lau Shipping Limited, with plans for a joint venture with Yavirau Shipping to operate Suva-Lau services from 2027.

Other plans include expanding retail and cooperative operations with outlets on Lakeba, Vanua Balavu and Moala, establishing a construction and civil engineering company, expanding Yatu Lau’s hotel and conference facilities and holding a 2027 share drive aimed at giving every Lauan family an opportunity to own shares in the company.

The wider Lau Strategic Development Plan goes beyond commercial investment, covering areas including social services, human capital, climate resilience and good governance.

Education has also emerged as an important part of Ratu Tevita’s vision for the province.

He has called for continued investment in the Ratu Mara Education Trust Fund, highlighting the role education and skills training can play in helping young Lauans become economically independent while equipping them to eventually bring development back to their islands.

Ratu Tevita has also advocated greater participation by women and young people in village and provincial decision-making, recognising the importance of bringing new perspectives into discussions about Lau’s future.

Together, the initiatives point to an emerging theme in his leadership: preserving the traditions and responsibilities of the vanua while looking for practical and modern solutions to the challenges facing its people.

It is also a vision built around collective responsibility.

Rather than waiting for development to arrive in Lau, the solesolevaki approach seeks to bring together traditional leadership, communities, professionals, businesses and Lauans living away from the islands to participate in building the province’s future.

The success of that vision will ultimately be measured by what is delivered on the ground.

But a little more than a year after his installation, Ratu Tevita has begun setting out a clear direction for Lau: turning the province’s potential into projects, investment and opportunities for its people.