OBEDIENCE AND FAITH
Amelia’s two pillars
AMELIA Tukuwasa will always remember what her dad taught her - obedience and to have faith in God.
Mrs Tukuwasa, who is 67-years old, hails from Maumi, Bau in Tailevu and is a proud grandmother and is still giving back to the community by helping the women in Noco with development projects.
She enjoys life and looking back over the years she is grateful to the Lord for being her provider and mainstay.
“My dad Mesake Lacarua worked as a full-time pastor serving in several provinces such as Nukuloa, Ra,” she said.
“One of the challenges my dad faced was his unpaid service for five years as a pastor at Nukuloa.
“He nearly threw the towel, but my mum advised him to carry on and to trust in the Lord.
“At that time some Methodist Church pastors are paid $37 a month.
“In 1964, he was posted to Koro Island and then retired back to our village in Maumi.
“At that time, money was not important, it was love and how we were taught to fear the Lord.
“My dad always teaches us that God is never late and is our provider.
“Our parents paid our school fees and there were nine of us.
“My parents worked hard to ensure that we had a good education.”
Mrs Tukuwasa attended Ballantine Memorial School before she took secretarial studies at Derrick Institute (now known as Fiji National University) in Samabula for a year.
“I always remember what my teacher told me when I was at BMS is that as girls we should always ensure that we be the best housewife with the best in our abilities.”
She stayed at home for two months before being employed as a secretary at the Crown Law office on February 11 1974.
The other ministries that she was posted to include the Ministry of Regional Development, Commissioner Central Office, the A-G’s Chambers and the High Court in Suva.
Mrs Tukuwasa main highlight in her career in the civil service was being part of the 1997 Constitution led by Sir Paul Reeves.
“Constitution Review commissioners included Tomasi Vakatora, Jon Apted, Dr Brij Lal, and we went throughout Fiji to collect submissions from the people.
“We had a strict deadline to project from May 1995 to September 1996.”
Mrs Tukuwasa was also a
senior secretary at the Family High Court, serving many wellknown judges before retirement in 2010.
She enjoyed retirement for 52 months before she was re-engaged to prepare Law Reports from 1989 to 1999.
Then in 2016, she finally retired from work.
Mrs Tukuwasa has five children - a son and four daughters.
“I have 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild who is one month old.”
She helps husband Tevita Tukuwasa with advise and developing skills for women in the village.
Her advice and motto are to work hard and be honest with whatever we do.