The Honorable Speaker,
The Honorable Prime Minister,
The Honorable Leader of Opposition,
The Honorable Cabinet Ministers,
The Honorable Members of Parliament,
And viewers who are watching through Television broadcasting Live from their comfort zone.
Cola Vina and a Very Good Afternoon to You All.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the Fiji Drua for their home game win against the Crusaders last Saturday.
Mister Speaker Sir, I am delighted to address the House today in support of the speech delivered by our President, His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere.
Mister Speaker, His Excellency the President left us with lasting motivation and promoted clearly the patriotism to which we all aspire as Fijians. It provided our citizens with the assurance that Government has done, is doing and will continue to do its best for our citizens, creating solid foundations for the best future for our youths and our future generations.
It reminded us of our progress and achievements as well as what we still have to do. It boosts our morale while acknowledging we can always do better. It affirms our capability to reach into a bright future, despite our divided past.
His Excellency’s speech provided every Fijian with belief that we can match bigger nations and economies through development and prosperity. For that, we thank His Excellency the President, Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere for his excellent and timely reminder.
Mister Speaker Sir, I stand before you today as the Minister of Youth and Sports to address this esteemed parliamentary session in 2024. It is an honor to have the opportunity to discuss the important role that youth and sports play in our society and the initiatives that we are undertaking to support and empower our young people.
Family Values
Mr. Speaker Sir, while we are proud to report on some of the recent achievements of the Ministry, including the empowerment of young street dwellers through targeted programs and initiatives; we feel that we still have a lot more to do collectively as a Nation to address this issue. In His own words His Excellency shared – “I spent several happy years of my youth in Macuata with Indo-Fijian farming families during sugarcane harvesting season. Our integrated community in Macuata taught me many important lessons in life which include hard work, respect for our elders, family unity and respect for other ethnic communities.
The two major ethnic communities in Fiji have always lived in harmony together.” Mister Speaker, that was a true story of the life of a normal young person living in an integrated rural community.
Mr. Speaker Sir, the recent visitation of street kids related to drugs and other illegal activities revealed the stories of young people mostly from broken families and the neglected. The Ministry is trying its utmost in addressing the needs of the vulnerable youth in our society. While your Coalition Government would continue to provide immediate support and opportunities for these marginalized youth, we are calling on every Parent to Value their Families – the cornerstone of Human Society.
The Ministry is seriously considering the establishment of Rehabilitation Centres around the Country to address the current and future impacts of the high usage of drugs in our communities. I take this opportunity to thank all those that have been involved at the very grassroot to address the issues of Street Kids, Drugs, HIV AIDS, Violence against Women and Children and others.
Employment Opportunities & Youth Service Scheme
Mr. Speaker Sir, the Ministry organized the first-ever Youth Career Fair across all four divisions, which received an overwhelming response from young individuals eager to explore various career and entrepreneurial opportunities. The Youth Career fair provided a platform for interaction with professionals, workshops on essential skills, and networking opportunities, leading to direct recruitment and job offers for many attendees.
Mister Speaker Sir, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has discovered a critical strategy for the re-establishment of the National Youth Services Scheme founded in 1993 to help address the unemployment rate.
Accordingly recent studies shows that lack of economic opportunities has led to extreme poverty within communities, leading young people to loiter around urban centers, live on the streets and engage in illegal activities.
Therefore, the reestablishment of the National Youth Service Scheme will not only help the current youth challenges for the government but will also hold significant implications in aligning with our commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
Youth Training Centres as Safety Net for Youth
Mister Speaker Sir, we have 5 Youth Training Centers around Fiji that offers transformative opportunities for young individuals seeking a second chance at education and personal development. By focusing on basic agriculture, carpentry, organic agriculture, and music, these centers aim to provide free training on a diverse range of vocational skills tailored to the interests and needs of the youth.
Apart from our Community programs, last year 190 trainees graduated from our Training centers. About 60% of these graduates have managed to find employment, entered tertiary institutions for further education or utilised knowledge gained to engage in farming in their respective communities.
This year, 281 trainees have enrolled at our YTCs and we are optimistic that these young people will complete their courses this year.
Late last year, the Ministry received a generous donation of musical instruments from the Embassy of China to Fiji, benefiting the Youth Training Center in Valelevu, Nasinu. This donation will provide students with the necessary tools to excel in their musical journey and foster personal growth and development.
National Youth Council of Fiji
Mister Speaker Sir, the reinstatement of the National Youth Council of Fiji after a lapse of eight years and the launch of the Fiji National Youth Policy and Online Registration Dashboard marked significant milestones for Fijian youth. These initiatives provide guidance and support for youth development, empowerment, and engagement in various sectors.
The reinstated National Youth Council of Fiji serves as a vital platform for amplifying youth voices and channelling their concerns to the Ministry. Its purpose is to represent the diverse perspectives and interests of young Fijians, facilitating dialogue, advocacy, and policy formulation that directly address their needs. By providing a structured avenue for youth engagement, the council fosters inclusivity, empowerment, and active citizenship among the younger generation. Its impact lies in fostering a more responsive and youth-centric approach to governance, leading to policies and initiatives that better reflect the aspirations and priorities of Fiji’s youth population.
Indeed, the reinstated National Youth Council of Fiji effectively complements the Ministry’s efforts in youth and sports development. Through partnership and synergy, both entities work towards holistic youth empowerment, fostering a generation of active, engaged citizens contributing positively to society.
Youth Entrepreneurship
Mr. Speaker, a country has no greater asset for its future than its youth, and Ministry of Youth and Sports has put a priority on encouraging formation of cooperatives and strengthened entrepreneurship through the Youth Grant, which is truly an investment in our young people.
Mr. Speaker, this initiative reflects a broader strategy to harness the energy and creativity of the youth demographic, channelling it into productive and sustainable ventures. By providing financial support and resources, the ministry not only encourages entrepreneurship but also cultivates a culture of innovation and resilience among young people.
Climate Change
Mister Speaker Sir, the Ministry is committed to enhancing our disaster management capabilities to better respond to the challenges posed by climate change. This includes investing in infrastructure, resources, and training to ensure that we are well-prepared for any eventualities. For that, Certificate 1 in Resilience on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction is also part of the programs offered at one of our Youth Training Centers with the intention to roll this out to 4 other Youth Training Centers and even to communities.
Sports Development
In addition to supporting our youth, we must also recognize the importance of sports in promoting health, unity, and excellence. Sports have the power to bring people together, regardless of their background of differences, and teach valuable lessons in teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.
Sports made up 72% of the Ministry’s current budget which include the Government grants that the Fiji National Sports Commission administer and so far we have utilized more than 70% of the $14.1M sports allocation.
Here are some of the highlights of our Sports Achievements that were supported by Government:-
1. The Fiji Water Flying Fijians set Rugby World Cup 2023 alight on 18th September, as they blew Pool C wide open with a 22-15 win over Australia – their first over the Wallabies since 1954. Unfortunately, the Team lost the third Quarterfinal to Great Britain with 24 – 30.
2. Fiji attain sixth place in the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, having amassed 21 gold, 30 silver, and 40 bronze medals.
3. The Fiji Women’s Deaf Rugby7s team created history early this year in winning gold medal for the first time in the Australian Deaf Games.
4. For the first time Mr. Speaker, our Ministry through the Fiji National Sports Commission successfully organized the Community Sports Competition last year that was funded by the Fiji Government.
5. Both Amature and Professional Boxing are showing greater improvements with new Sports Administrators.
6. Fiji will be sending a small delegation to the Paris Olympics 2024 Games from 26th July to 11th August 2024. The Men’s Rugby 7s Team is the current Gold Medal winner while the Women’s Team hold Bronze.
In other highlights:-
At the reopening of the Aquatic Center and the National hockey turf in Suva on January 12th this year; the Hon Prime Minister said that – “they serve as beacons of global sporting excellence, attracting international events and championships, thereby positioning Fiji as a prominent global sporting destination. Consequently, these endeavors significantly contribute to our economic growth, invigorating our tourism, hospitality, and employment sectors. Both refurbishments were funded by the Chinese Government.
The Ministry through the Fiji Sports Council successfully installed the newly-refurbished track at the HFC Stadium. It is a testament to the Government’s commitment to investing in sports in the country and a healthy lifestyle for all our citizens. These tracks will provide our athletes with world-class facilities to train and compete and will undoubtedly attract top talent from all around the country. Meanwhile, the entire refurbishing process of the tracks at the stadium cost around $1.9 million that was initially allocated in the current National Budget.
Fresh off their pre-season trial in Lautoka a fortnight ago, the Melbourne Storms are set to begin talks with prospective rivals about making Fiji the fourth nation to host a competition match after Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Fiji would become the next country to host a competitive NRL game, with Melbourne keen to play a regular-season match in Suva from as early as next year.
Furthermore, an achievement for the Ministry is the passing of Fiji’s National Anti-Doping Policy and the National Sports, Recreation, and Physical Activity Policy to promote sports development, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles among all citizens. These policies aim to make Fiji a sporting hub of the Pacific and promote sports tourism opportunities.
A major undertaking is the establishment of an Anti-doping organisation in Fiji to the entire sports systems to have clean sports advocating, promoting and coordinating the fight against doping in sport in all its forms to ensure doping-free sport is valued. Your Coalition Government had allocated $386,700 in our current National Budget towards the establishment of our own NADO secretariat.
Sports and the thousands of workers heading overseas to work are pushing remittance to be another strong sector of our economy. Inward remittances increased to $1.3 billion last year which was a new high and doubled the inflow of 2019.
Mister Speaker Sir, As the Minister for Youth and Sports, I am committed to promoting youth development and fostering a culture of sports excellence in our country. We are working to expand access to sports facilities, enhance sports training programs, and support talented young athletes as they strive for success on the national and international stage.
I call upon all stakeholders – government, private sector, civil society, and individuals – to join hands in supporting our youth and promoting a culture of sports participation and excellence. Together, we can build a brighter future for our nation and empower our young people to reach their full potential.
Mister Speaker Sir, Ministry of Youth and Sports remains committed to creating a nurturing environment for our youth, where their talents are recognised, and their aspirations are supported. By investing in their potential, we are building a stronger, more prosperous nation for all.
Mister Speaker Sir, I thank you again for this opportunity to outline the Ministry’s commitment to delivering to the youth and sports communities in our beloved country.
Vinaka and Thank you, Mr. Speaker Sir.