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Opening Remarks of His Grace, Archbishop Petero Mataca, Co-Chair, NCBBF At the Inaugural Meeting Held on 16th January 2008 Your Excellency, the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands Excellencies The Co-Chair, and Distinguished Members of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji Ladies and Gentlemen We stand at the beginning of a New Year to initiate our first official meeting of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji. It is an exciting time and a time of momentous opportunity. It is interesting to note how often the word “new” is used in the Bible: a new song, a new covenant, a new creation, a new heart, a new spirit, a new age, new life, new wine, a new heaven and a new earth. We are told that God wants “to make all things new” (Revelations 21:5). Words like this give us hope and encourage us to long for, work and pray for a better future. Fiji, as we know it, must change if we are to have a better society, a more just society, a more peaceful and a more harmonious society. One of the main prerequisites for a better Fiji is our willingness to change – to have a change of mind, a change of heart, a change of attitude, a change in our behaviour. The future belongs to those who are not tied to the past, to those who are open to new possibilities, and to those who are willing to struggle and work hard, to make the world a better place – to make Fiji, the way the world should be. Unfortunately there are some people who still think that the People’s Charter for Change and Progress has already been written; and that we, in this National Council, are here to rubber-stamp a ready-made document. That is far from the truth. In fact all that has been put in place are the guidelines and the structures for a vision to take shape. The proposed People’s Charter is a work in process. And that process formally begins today. The work that we must accomplish will not be the work of, or for, the Military or the Interim Government. It will be the work of all the people who have shown their willingness to be involved in this important initiative. When it is done, the People’s Charter for Building a Better Fiji will not supersede the 1997 Constitution. It will be a Charter that will strengthen the Constitution and, in doing so, will reinforce the quality and sustainability of democracy in Fiji. It will provide a clearer vision of the principles and values we want to live by. Years ago, when Tanzania was setting out on its journey as a new nation, Julius Nyerere told his people that they must first decide what sort of a country they wanted Tanzania to be; what sort of a vision they wanted to set in place for the future of their nation. Only then, he said, could the people of Tanzania plan their education system, establish their economic system, and set in place the laws to guide their nation into the future. In regard to our Nation Fiji, there are those who want elections to be held imminently, so that we can return to democracy as soon as possible. But elections alone will not bring about democracy nor will they guarantee stability and the end of all coups. We must first work on the issues which have given rise to instability and a cycle of coups. Then, we must address those issues, honestly and openly, and find a way forward that will bring peace, reconciliation, justice and prosperity. A simple return to democratic parliamentary elections in 2009 without first undertaking a process of self-examination, through widespread dialogue, would be a grievous mistake. We need to sit together, in honest dialogue, work together, so that together, we can take the country forward. It is a great pity that some very important sectors of our society have chosen to reject an invitation to take part in this national initiative of developing a People’s Charter for Change and Progress. Some political parties, some Churches, some Unions and some Non-Government organizations, have, unfortunately, distanced themselves from this initiative. We regret the decision they have taken. We urge them to rethink their position. We need everyone to be involved. We need all points of view. We want the proposed People’s Charter to be as inclusive as possible, of all the hopes and dreams, of everyone in our nation. I beg all of you to come and be involved in this process. May we all have the courage to stand up and be counted, and to play our part, in charting out the way forward for a better, more progressive, peaceful, and happier Fiji. May God bless You. May God Bless Fiji. -------- |
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