Govt has your back, PM tells sector
“YOUR Government has your back.” This was the assurance given by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama to every Fijian who has seen their livelihoods lost or severely impacted due to the pandemic, while officiating at the 23rd Annual ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards in Nadi.
“Your Government has already directly paid out over $118 million in unemployment benefits. That support has gone mostly to Fijians in the tourism sector, even those who have managed to secure work on the weekends. It will continue.”
PM Bainimarama highlighted that no one was in this struggle alone, and that this was not the first time that an outsized opponent is being faced.
“We are the same people who proved ourselves stronger than Category 5 storms. The same people who pulled ourselves out of the global financial crisis and propelled ourselves into Fiji’s longest ever economic expansion. “So, while we may be down, we’re not out.
We are a strong people, and we are a resilient people –– we’ve proven it before, and we’ll prove it again.
PM Bainimarama stated that Fijians smart, determined and are dedicated.
“So, knowing that our most important element –– our human capital –– stands in waiting, we are continuing to find ways to ensure our tourism is ready to be kick-started as quickly and safely as possible.
“From our Blue Lanes for yachts to “Vacation in Paradise” VIP Lanes, to our ongoing support of the “Love Our Locals” campaign, we have showed the world that we are willing and able to innovate and adapt to support our vital tourism industry. But we all know we need something bigger, much bigger, to restore Fijian tourism as a driving force for our economy.
The PM reiterated that the Fijian Government will continue to push our regional neighbours like Australia and New Zealand to open their doors, and their hearts, to a travel bubble with Fiji, especially now that they’ve started vaccinating their citizens. are
“With over 330 days since our last community case of COVID-19 in Fiji, there’s simply no excuse that they cannot find a safe way to do so. We have made it known, we will continue to make it known, that Fiji belongs in a quarantine-free regional travel arrangement for the Pacific.
“That remains our best course towards getting your businesses – and the Fijians they employ – back to doing what they do best. Meanwhile, the awardees labelled the ceremony as being a morale booster for them given the current situation the tourism industry is facing.
Fiji Pride Champion, Kinijioji Sarai who has been serving in the tourism industry for over a decade says tourism has been part of his life since childhood and having to receive the award is an honour and a motivator.
“This award has not only encouraged me to keep pushing forward even though the industry is facing challenges, I am sure that the skills I have can be used in other places where I can motivate people to keep striving for their goals.”