PM Bainimarama - Opening of the National Advisory Councils Meeting
Jul 16, 2008, 11:55

Address by Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama
Prime Minister and Minister for public service, people’s charter for change, information, Public Service, indigenous Affairs, Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs

At the Opening of the National Advisory Councils Meeting

Wednesday 16th July, 2008
Raffles TradeWinds Convention Centres,
Suva

“MOVING FIJI FORWARD THROUGH PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES IN FIJI”


COUNCILLORS,
OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES,
STAFF OF THE MINISTRY OF PROVINCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND MULTI-ETHNIC AFFAIRS,
MEDIA PERSONNEL,
INVITED GUESTS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,


GOOD MORNING TO YOU ALL.

I AM INDEED DELIGHTED AND HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO OPEN THE TENTH MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.

I AM TOLD THAT THIS COUNCIL CONVENED ITS FIRST MEETING IN JULY 2001. AND I MUST CONGRATULATE THIS AUGUST BODY FOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ,THE IDEAS OF WHICH MUST HAVE ENSUED FROM SUCH MEETINGS AS THIS ONE ,HELD OVER THE YEARS SINCE 2001

THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS FOR THE INDIAN AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT LINKS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE IT SERVES, AND THIS IS REFLECTED IN THE THEME FOR THIS MEETING “MOVING FIJI FORWARD THROUGH PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN FIJI”

PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND ALL COMMUNITIES IN FIJI IS PIVOTAL TO BUILDING A BETTER FIJI AND IS THE PREMISES ON WHICH THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF BUILDING A BETTER FIJI HOPES TO ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES.

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AS NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILLORS IN FACILITATING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF SCHOLARSHIP, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND CULTURE ENHANCEMENT AS WELL AS LOOKING AFTER AND ADVOCATING FOR THE WELFARE OF THE INDIAN AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES IS GREATLY COMMENDED.

YOUR EFFORTS HAVE INDEED CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCING OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN FIJI.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL MANY CHALLENGES AND HURDLES TO OVERCOME AHEAD OF US AND WE NEED TO STRENGHTEN OUR PARTNERSHIP IN ORDER TO BUILD A BETTER FIJI FOR ALL.

GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT AS PARTNERS WE CAN PITCH IN OUR EFFORTS TO RAISE THE LIVING STANDARDS OF OUR RURAL POPULATION. THE RECENT CENSUS AND RURAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY INDICATE THAT THE DRIFT TO URBAN AREAS CONTINUES TO BE ON THE INCREASE WITH THE URBAN POPULATION RECORDED TO BE OVER 50 PER CENT.

WE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS IN RURAL AREAS THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS.

TO THIS END THE GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING THROUGH THE COMMITTEE ON THE BETTER UTILISATION OF LAND (CBUL) TO CONSULT WITH LANDOWNERS TO WORK OUT BETTER ARRANGEMENTS FOR LAND LEASES COVERED UNDER ALTA. ABOUT 2252 LEASES WILL BE UP FOR RENEWAL BY `2010 AND IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT PRO ACTIVE MEASURES ARE TAKEN NOW TO ARRIVE AT A SOLUTION CONDUCIVE TO BOTH TENANTS AND LANDOWNERS AND WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO GROWTH IN OUR GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT.

THE PROVISION OF BASIC AMENITIES LIKE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND PROPER SANITATION FOR MANY OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT STILL LACK THEM MUST NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS PRIORITIES IN OUR RURAL DVELOPMENT AGENDA.

THE SPREAD OF TYPHOID FEVER IN SOME OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES THIS YEAR TESTIFIES TO THE NEED TO ACT ON IMPROVING WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES IN OUR RURAL AREAS.

GOVERNMENT IS ALSO COMMITTED TO ENERGISING THE RURAL AREAS AND WITH THE CONSTRAINTS FACED GLOBALLY WITH THE HIKES IN FUEL PRICES, GOVERNMENT IS EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES LIKE BIO FUEL TO SUPPLEMENT OUR NEED FOR FUEL

WE WOULD NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE GOVERNANCE IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES AND TO REDUCE THEIR DEPENDENCE ON THE STATE.

RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE WELL ENDOWED WITH NATURAL RESOURCES AND WE NEED TO EXPLORE WAYS OF UTILISING THESE RESOURCES TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.

ON THE SOCIAL FRONT, WE NEED TO BUILD NATIONAL IDENTITY. IN YOUR ROLE AS COMMUNITY LEADERS YOU ARE WELL POISED TO ADDRESS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. THE BEST STRATEGY I FEEL YOU CAN USE IS TO BE A COMMUNITY MODEL YOURSELF IN REACHING OUT TO THE OTHER GROUP AND ASSIMILATING WITH THEIR CULTURES AND TRADITIONS

THIS GOVERNMENT HAS PLACED A LOT OF EMPHASIS IS ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT IS MINDFUL THAT WE CAN BETTER THE LIVING STANDARD OF THE RURAL DWELLERS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, RECREATIONAL AND SOCIAL CENTRES.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY IS ALL WHAT NATION-BUILDING IS ABOUT.

I URGE YOU ALL PRESENT - THE COUNCILLORS, CIVIL SERVANTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS – TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN CO-OPERATION.

SOMETIMES YOU MAY NEED TO PUT UP A SPIRITED EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS FOR THE BENEFITS OF THE POOR, THE NEEDY AND THE DISADVANTAGED IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE ADVISORY COUNCILLORS ARE THE PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES WHO LIAISE AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO GET THE WORK DONE FOR THEIR PEOPLE.

WHILST THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT ON THE OUTSET NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE PRESSURE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS SOME LOCALS TO HOLD THE GENERAL ELECTION IN AS EARLY AS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2009, HOWEVER, THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ITS ROADMAP, IN ENSURING EVERYTHING FALLS IN ITS PLACE BEFORE THERE CAN BE A GENERAL ELECTION.

WE NEED TO ENSURE OUR COUNTRY IS ON A SOUND FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC FOOTING TOGETHER WITH ELECTROL REFORMS UNDERTAKEN.

TO ADVANCE, IT NEEDS THE PARTNERSHIP AND COOPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT, COMMUNITIES, CIVIL SOCIETIES AND NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS.

THROUGH THE PEOPLE’S CHARTER PROCESS THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO HAVE A FIJI THAT IS PEACEFUL, TOLERANT, AND CULTURALLY VIBRANT AND IT PROVIDES A PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR ITS CITIZENS.

THE PEOPLE NEED TO APPRECIATE THE WORK BEING DONE AND ALSO NEED TO ASSIST THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT IN MOVING THE COUNTRY FOWARD AND CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY.

I MUST ADMIT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES TO MEET BEFORE THE COUNTRY
CAN HOLD ITS GENERAL ELECTION.

HOWEVER, THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT FERVENTLY BELIEVES THAT ITS AGENTS LIKE THESE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS WILL CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AND DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITIES AND ORGANISATIONS THEY PRESENT.

IN TODAY’S MEETING, WE CAN EXPECT A GOOD EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THE COUNCILLORS WHICH CAN BE THE BASIS ON WHICH GOVERNMENT CAN HAVE ITS PLANS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.

GOVERNMENT AS USUAL WILL ADDRESS NATIONAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS POVERTY, SQUATTER SETTLEMENTS, UNEMPLOYMENT, EXPIRY OF LAND LEASES, DRUG-ABUSE AND SEVERAL OTHER RELATED SOCIAL ILLS IN OUR SOCIETY.

THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF PROVINCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND MULTI-ETHNIC AFFAIRS AND WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE TO THE INDIAN AND THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES

THE MEETING TODAY LOOKS FORWARD TO DEALING WITH A NUMBER OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE INDIAN AND THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES LIKE THE PEOPLE’S CHARTER, 2009 GENERAL ELECTIONS, THE BETTER UTILIZATION OF LAND, SCHOLARHSIP AND COMMUNITY DEVLEOPMENT PROJECTS.

THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT SEEKS YOUR VIEWS ON THESE AREAS AND YOUR SUPPORT IN THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORT TO TAKE THE COUNTRY TO FORWARD TOWARDS A GENUINE DEMOCRACY AND FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.

I NOW DECLARE THE FIRST NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS MEETING FOR THIS YEAR OPEN AND I WISH YOU HAVE A VERY FRUITFUL AND MEANINGFUL DELIBERATIONS.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

GOD BLESS FIJI.



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