I will look after everyone: Rt Epenisa
Bau high chief Rt Epenisa Cakobau made a promise to protect everyone in Fiji irrespective of race, as the two-day meeting of the Great Council of Chief came to an end yesterday. “This is a new beginning. Having the GCC here after 16 years, I see it as a new beginning. So, GCC is for everybody, whether you are Fijian, you’re an Indian or other race, the GCC is for you as well,” he said.
He extended an olive branch of iTaukei hospitality to all.
“The chiefs will look after them.
I am going to look after them. We recognise them. They are part of Fiji. They have made Fiji what it is today. Without them, we couldn’t have done it by ourselves. And I would like to acknowledge that,” he said. “We have the Rotumans who have come to see me, I even had the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu who are now living in Fiji who came to see me to say that we are here and that it was your great great grandfather that looked after us.And I’ll do that, I’ll look after them. And it’s very important. To make Fiji what it is today My great grandfather accepted Christianity a long time ago and this is what it is today.” An emotional Ratu Epenisa was visibly happy as celebrations kicked off on Bau Island after four days of low key festivity hosted by the people of Bau and the province of Tailevu.
“It hasn’t been easy. 16 years has been a long time and for me to be able to get everybody on Bau and to have the Great Council of Chiefs is so nice. It wasn’t easy but we took the bulls by the horns and just got it done. Today was the last day and I’m very happy, very emotional in the sense that we’re able to do the job,” he said. Acknowledging that the new Government will be able to look after iTaukei interests through the GCC, Rt Epenisa said iTaukei are not poor and should not be perceived as poor.
“We have the land, we have the qoliqoli. It’s just a matter of managing it well and the chiefs I think have a big responsibility of seeing their people. I think that’s one thing. They have to look after their people, whether they live in Suva or wherever. It adds up. You look after your people, they look after you, so it’s vice versa,” he said.