Vani: Do share your ideas at consultations

IF you have ideas about Fiji’s scope for future advancement, do participate in the upcoming public consultations on the National Development Plan (NDP).

Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) executive director Vani Catanasiga made this call to all Fijians as Government officials plan consultations across the nation from this month.

During a roundtable discussion held in Suva yesterday with civil society organisations (CSOs), Ministry of Finance’s strategic planning office head Kamal Gounder told participants that about 150 consultations were planned.

These would extend across the divisions and encompass maritime areas too.

According to Ms Catanasiga, this was an important time for the nation to come together and chart a way forward for the future generations.

“I think this is an important reminder to us as citizens that this country is our country,” she said.

“The people who are leading, we elect them, and our tax pays their dollar. But we shouldn’t leave that responsibility only to them when it comes to rebuilding our nation.”

Ms Catanasiga said the nation had gone through a pandemic and numerous economic downturn that had severe impacts on families.

Thus, the onus fell on Fiji citizens to come together in the formulation of this document.

“It’s our country and the plan is ours. So, when things happen later on, we shouldn’t complain. It matters now that we turn up to this consultation so that what we’re experiencing is translated into this document, and it is built to address all of our concerns and not just a certain population.

“I’m urging communities, whether you speak Hindi or Fijian or any other language, come to the consultations and you speak, because before, we were fearful about speaking.”

She added they were empowering their community reps to motivate other Fijians in their communities to mobilise and attend the consultations in numbers.

“This is our plan. We’re going to own it. And it’s going to take us to the next 20 years. So, it’s not only for us but our children and who’s coming after us.”