PM envisions Pacific as an ocean of peace
IN November 2023, the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) was reinstated by law, 17-years after its suspension and 10-years after it was disestablished.
Recently, the members of the GCC converged to chart the path forward as bearers of Fiji’s collective history and architects of a shared future.
Speaking at the first GCC meeting, Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, noted that “while the body is intrinsically linked to the governance and well-being of the iTaukei, it carries a profound obligation to embrace and advocate for every member of our diverse society”.
“The GCC will now be guided by the outcome of the review in 2023, which includes oversight of eight thematic areas covering iTaukei wellbeing including climate change and ocean,” he said.
“This aligns seamlessly with my vision of the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace, underlining the GCC’s crucial role in realising a future where environmental stewardship and sustainable development are central to regional-harmony and prosperity.”
“Government will facilitate the GCC’s transition to a fully independent institution honouring the wishes of the iTaukei – ensuring its autonomy in serving the true interests of our community,” he added.
PM Rabuka states that this also complies with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“This year, the Government will review the other indigenous institutions: the Fijian administration, the Native Lands Commission and the Native Land Trust Board,” he said.
“Members of the GCC will hold different views on the issues they discuss, but they know that however sharp and heartfelt their disputes, however keen their ambitions, they have an obligation to work collaboratively about how best to serve the iTaukei and national interests.”
“And so, the GCC’s restoration is not a step back into the past but a leap forward, recognising the indispensable role of the GCC in not only safeguarding the interests and well-being of the iTaukei but in its broader mandate to foster inclusivity and harmony among all ethnic groups that call Fiji home,” he highlighted.
The Head of Government said that the re-establishment of the GCC heralds a new era of governance, one that recalls its illustrious past achievements while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the present and future.
“If we can unite around the concept of proclaiming an Ocean of Peace, we would be custodians of a powerful symbol of co-existence and friendship,” PM Rabuka said.
“The peace I envisage cannot be just a name and an image. Fiji and the other countries bound together through their membership of the Pacific Islands Forum, would be called upon to live by values reflecting peace as one of the highest virtues.”
“This would require our leaders, including you the traditional Chiefs of Fiji, to work with the people to ensure peace is central to national life, and that our cherished “Pacific Way” of patient dialogue and consensus would remain a fundamental part of our societies,” he added.