VANUA CROSS awarded to Eroni Sauvakacolo by LF High Command

LF wishes to propose a toast to Retired magistrate Eroni Sauvakacolo for the amazing success he and his people have achieved in the tikina of Lutu in Naitasiri.

LF hails your vision and slautes you.

Your story needs to be told far and wide and in recognition of your efforts is reproduced here for our wide readership.

We need more Eroni Sauvakacolo's to stand up and walk with their people to bigger and better things. Use our resources to educate our children and achieve propserity.

The High Command of Loyal Fijian has decided to bestow upon Eroni Sauvakacolo the Vanua Cross for his Exemplary Effort in Seeking Progress for his People. The Vanua Cross can only be bestowed on the most deserving like the Victoria Cross after which it is named. God Bless Eroni Sauvakacolo .

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THREE villages in Naitasiri have sacrificed family functions in the weekdays to avoid drinking yaqona so parents can have time to supervise their children's studies.

Retired magistrate Eroni Sauvakacolo said villagers of Lutu, Navuniyaro and Nanukuloa have abstained from hosting any church, vanua or government functions from Mondays to Fridays since 1993 to develop their people.

He said that was why the village was able to produce many graduates from institutions as parents made time to supervise their children.

Mr Sauvakacolo said the village men followed a weekly program that started with a prayer meeting at 5.30am.

"In a day from 6am to 10am the men plant, 10am to 2pm rest and lunch, 2pm to 5pm is planting, 5pm to 6pm is prayer meeting and 7pm is for the families to meet and have dinner. Parents never miss dinner with their children because that is where they thrash out family issues and supervise their children's studies."

Mr Sauvakacolo said villagers had seen how the program helped their children progress academically and their families cope with the increasing cost of living.

The result of farming daily has seen the families export 12 tonnes of dalo a year.

They earn $12,000 a month.

"If the dalo quota increases, the villagers share $24,000 a month so because they are reaping the benefits they value the program," Mr Sauvakacolo said.

He said the village had a compulsory savings scheme and when dalo was exported the bank came to their door step.

"We have a compulsory savings scheme, scholarship funds for tertiary and secondary students, Colonial Life insurance policy for $200,000, housing for newly married couples and village development projects."

Mr Sauvakacolo said their aim was to improve the quality of life for the 1500 members of the tikina of Lutu at individual household and community level.

The village's next five-year plan is to expand their exports to cassava, fruits and vegetables and go into logging and eco-tourism projects.