Winners set plans for prizemoney
RESHMI Maharaj only believed that she was one of the 10 winners of the ‘Win Together Sweepstakes’ when she received a call from the Ministry of Civil Service despite hearing the news from her father.
With the COVID-19 pandemic looming over the world and Fijians facing economic challenges because of it, Mrs Maharaj believes she has killed two birds with one stone by being fully vaccinated – she is able to protect herself and those around her from the coronavirus and also had the opportunity to win $5,100 by entering the competition.
This year’s Diwali festival will be extra
special for her family as the prize money will be used to prepare for the religious festival and to meet their household expenses.
Mrs Maharaj has pleaded with Fijians who are yet to receive their COVID-19 vaccine doses to do so as this is the best form of protection one can have.
Another winner, 28-year-old, Manava Tigarea was excited after his win as announced by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on Fiji Day, because this was the first time he has ever experienced something as such.
“This is the first time I have won in something like this,” Mr Tigarea said.
“I didn’t apply for the lottery to win, I applied for it as a patriotic citizen, we all
are facing problems because of this pandemic but we need to help each other and getting vaccinated was one of the ways to help our country,” he said.
“For the prize money, I’ll be sharing half of it with my family and donations to the church, I believe that I received it as a blessing and will also share it as a blessing to everyone.”
Mr Tigarea added that he chose to be vaccinated to do his part to help Fiji as a patriotic citizen.
“This is the time that the country needs its citizens to hold hands and help each other out, and when we do this we can help business open up, lessen restrictions and this will lead to people being employed again.”