Three Under One Banner a Celebration of Unity: PM
One team will strengthen our focus on supporting Fijian family values and on mainstreaming more iTaukei people into our rapidly modernising economy.
The coming together of the Ministry of
iTaukei Affairs, the iTaukei Affairs Board and the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development under one banner is a celebration of unity, says Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
He said it was in pursuit of a common vision and under an emblem that represented their history, values and principles. “Because like any good team, we ought to all be wearing the same uniforms and we need to be working towards the same common goal,” he said.
He was speaking at the launch of the common vision and planning documents for the
iTaukei Affairs institutions.
He said these three historic institutions had been streamlined to work as one team to strengthen our focus on supporting Fijian family values and on mainstreaming more
iTaukei people into our rapidly modernising economy.
“And we’re reaffirming our commitment to the steadfast protection of our culture, our traditions, and the way of life we’ve known for generations of recorded history and long before, while also making sure that every
iTaukei feels the tremendous benefits of our economic growth, equally –– with no family and no community left behind. “Today we are also gathered to launch the strategic development plans for the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and the iTaukei Affairs Board. Both of these documents capture the hopes, dreams and aspirations of thousands of Fijian families; they build on Fiji’s historic success under the FijiFirst Government, and they lay out our blueprint and set out our vision for the continued security and unending prosperity of the iTaukei people. “We’ve already achieved a record nine straight years of economic growth for Fiji. And following the blueprint set out by these strategic development plans, with our efforts driven by a streamlined and more efficient ministry, we’ll be bringing more iTaukei people into the fold of our national development and our economic prosperity. We’re already seeing new investment, new businesses and new development sweep across the country, and that all brings new opportunity.”
He said they were committed to making sure every Fijian – including the iTaukei – were well-equipped to seize those opportunities to benefit themselves, their families and their communities.
“So that as Fiji steps into the future, we take all of our people with us –– from every walk of life, from every background, and from every province –– together. As we do so, we will also protect and preserve what matters most: Our culture, our history and the proud traditions that make us who we are,” he said.
“That’s the future this Ministry will be working to build. And we’ll be building on a record of success, because our achievement in empowering the iTaukei is already unrivalled in Fijian history.
“We’re realising a reality that I have envisioned since our first general election, and well before. We’re building new roads in rural pockets of the country at a record rate. We’re opening taps of clean water in communities in some of the most remote pockets of the country, we’re expanding our electricity grid, and we’re installing solar panels in isolated areas.
“And we’ve already extended digital television access across the entire country, so anywhere in Fiji, our people can enjoy highquality, free-to-air television through the Walesi platform. And we’re actually going in and assisting landowners to develop their land through iTaukei Land Development grants and we’ve also set aside resources to help landowners subdivide their land, and see a big financial return.”