WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE
Newsroom’s investigations editor Melanie Reid has been pursuing the environmental desecration of a Fijian island by a Chinese developer, Freesoul Real Estate, since late last year.
Last week Reid, Newsroom co-editor Mark Jennings and cameraman Hayden Aull, visited the island of Malolo to seek answers from neighbours and Freesoul. The trio was arrested by police in Suva and detained overnight in the Totogo police station before being released on the direction of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama who later met them and spoke out against Freesoul’s actions.
A day later Freesoul’s environmental permits for the resort were revoked, likely leading to the end of its development plans.
The Newsroom investigation of how this company trampled villagers and neigbouring leaseholders’ rights and defied court and government orders to keep working on its 350-bure resort will screen soon on newsroom.co.nz.
The video above shows the island, the environmental effects and the levels Freesoul went to stop us and leaseholders from finding out what was going on.
