Laucala

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vanua Levu Group Cikobia-i-Lau Kioa Laucala Matagi Namena Lala Qamea Rabi Taveuni Vanua Levu Yadua Taba

Islands of Fiji Principal islands Viti Levu Vanua Levu Significant outliers Conway Reef Kadavu Taveuni Rotuma Archipelagos Kadavu Group Lau Islands Lomaiviti Islands Mamanuca Islands Moala Islands Ringgold Isles Rotuma Group Vanua Levu Group Viti Levu Group Yasawa Islands

Laucala (pronounced [lauðala]) is an island in Fiji. It is one of three small islands, the others being Qamea and Matagi, lying to the east of Thurston Point on the island of Taveuni. The total land area of the island is 12 square kilometers. Five kilometers long, it has a maximum width of three kilometers, and in certain places this narrows to 1.5 kilometers. Laucala is separated from Qamea, to the west, by a strait several hundred meters wide. The privately owned island boasts what many consider to be Fiji's most exclusive resort.

Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the Fijian monarch who unified the nation before ceding the islands to the United Kingdom in 1874, sold Laucala to European settlers who established a copra plantation, before turning it over to the Australia-based Carpenter Group. In 1972, publishing magnate Malcolm Forbes bought the island, and upgraded the living accommodation of its inhabitants - who worked on his estate - at his own expense. He also provided free primary education and paid up to half of a student's secondary and tertiary education expenses. He also sought to diversify the island's economy away from its dependence on copra by promoting tourism and cattle and goat farming. Forbes died in 1990 and is buried at Laucala. In 2003 Dietrich Mateschitz, head of the Red Bull energy drink company, bought the island from Forbes heirs.

Laucala is a beautiful island that may soon be in dispute. The reasons lie in the abject poverty of Fijians, coupled with foreigners disregard for their plight and their islands' value. Fijians have requested that the courts review the potentially illegal sale of their islands to foreigners.

To make matters worse, while visiting a neighboring island in mid-May 2008, I witnessed two backhoes digging up Laucala's coral reefs. I was told that Red Bull is changing the landscape in order to construct a marina and over-water bures (huts) for island guests. The island is actually privately by Dietrich Mateschitz which he bought from the Forbes family for £ 7 million.

Coordinates: 16°45′41″S 179°41′12″W / -16.761317, -179.686632