Fiji Day 2018 in North: PM
Fiji Day celebrations in 2018 will be held in Vanua Levu.
This was confirmed by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday at the 2017 celebrations in Nadi.
Mr Bainimarama returned home on Monday in time for the Fiji Day celebration. He had just returned from Canada and the United States as chief guest at the Fiji Day celebrations there. He said the two celebrations surpassed other celebrations he came across.
Mr Bainimarama said: “I am very happy with the Fiji Day celebrations today. It’s the first time ever we are having it in the West and the 3FIR troop and their colour. I think it’s an exciting scene especially for the people who haven’t seen it before.” Only two Opposition Members turned up for the national event – Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa and National Federation Party Member of Parliament Prem Singh.
The absence of SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka was of no significance to Mr Bainimarama, who said: “The Leader of the Opposition is there – she is more than enough. She covers everybody in the Opposition. If she turns up that is good enough for me.”
On celebrations held in the US, Mr Bainimarama paid tribute to the work put into organising the events by the Marist Old Boys in California. When asked about a small group of former Fijian residents protesting at the celebrations, the PM said he accounted for “about four only” who later joined the celebrations.
“They were a group of four protestors outside the gate and after they protested they came back in because the MOB was very inclusive and got them back in. There is no class in what they did because after all that they came back in,” he said.
The Marist Old Boys in Sydney will be hosting the Fiji Day celebrations this weekend.