We Have More Things in Common Than Those who Divide Us
COVID-19 has exposed that despite our diversity we have many things in common. It’s the glue that that binds us as a nation and drives us as one people to bounce back from natural disasters and crises.
It has always existed in our communities, which at times some have failed to recognise or choose to ignore because of some selfish and narrow sectional interests.
The community spirit of compassion and love to reach out to the poor, the weak and the vulnerable represents the humanity in us – to give of what we have to the less fortunate.
It is part of our cultural and religious DNA that comes out in abundance in times of need like we are facing now with COVID-19. It compliments economic considerations and builds confidence and resilience.
Modern Fiji is built on this platform of equality, sharing and caring.
This theme is eloquently articulated by John Samy in his new book, The Fiji Peoples Charter, My Role on a Better Fiji for All.
He wrote the charter that laid the foundation for the 2013 Constitution, the return to truly democratic elections in 2014 and the modern Fiji.
After the December 2006 takeover, he returned to Fiji after he was told during the 1987 military coups he was not needed here.
In the book’s preface, he wrote he “dedicated almost two years, doing this at no one’s behest but my own free will, having been deeply concerned about the overall situation of Fiji and its people in the wake of successive coups since May 1987.” He was maligned by those opposed to Voreqe Bainimarama’s interim government.
He was referred to as one who went to Fiji to mint money – that he was stateless, migrant nomad opportunist, a carpetbagger, a person who migrated to greener pastures. He was also described as a racist and an Indo-nationalist who was engaged in a deliberate and insensitive attempt to marginalise and insult a whole ethnicity of people, the reference here being to iTaukei (indigenous Fijians).
Mr Samy, who now lives in retirement, in Auckland, New Zealand, says Fiji and its people have to liberate themselves “from the insular, inward looking tendencies that focus on the ‘differences’ among its communities and on fear-mongering.”
He says it is imperative that due recognition is given to the fact that the vast majority of Fiji’s people, particularly in the two major ethnic communities, “have much more in common than they have by way of ‘differences’.”
“For instance, the objective economic situation of the vast majority of the people of Fiji is marked by their struggles to derive a very basic living. Also, the spirit of generosity, of sharing, and of caring prevail within both of the two major communities.”
Mr Samy believes Fiji is characterised by a “gloriously beautiful and attractive natural environment and an abundance of resources, especially land, to sustain its small population.
“As a nation, Fiji, drawing upon these natural strengths, can be so much more better with further more equitable and sustainable development, thereby truly demonstrating.”
He says the first and foremost imperative for Fiji is to focus on the positives, rather than being obsessed by the minor differences that exist among the major communities.
“A further imperative is to avoid
Modern Fiji is built on this platform of equality, sharing and caring. This theme is eloquently articulated by John Samy in his new book, The Fiji Peoples Charter, My Role on a Better Fiji for All.
the four dreaded ‘ISMs’: Ethno-nationalism, Adversariaslism, Parochialism and Negativism.”
Many share Mr Samy’s vision of equitable sharing of resources and wealth. He is putting his money where his mouth is.
All the proceeds from the sale of his book ($30 a copy) will go to the Foundation for the Education of Needy Children in Fiji (FENC Fiji) which he helped to set up. TOMORROW: More on the book