The Hon. Minister for Youth and Sports Laisenia Tuitubou met with the Commonwealth’s Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma in Suva recently.
Minister Tuitubou said the meeting was timely as it coincided with the Commonwealth meeting of youth ministers in Samoa this week.
“The meeting has provided us an opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to youth which I will further highlight at the Apia meeting,” Minister Tuitubou said.
“Fiji is the ‘Hub of the Pacific’ and the Commonwealth has again earmarked Fiji to partner with initiatives that will augur well with youth development in the region.”
Discussions centred on youth entrepreneurship and establishing youth courses in partnership with local institutions.
Minister Tuitubou also briefed the Secretary General on policy development, especially Fiji’s recently published National Youth Development Index.
Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma said, “I always ensure that I visit youth ministries in every country that I travel to.”
“It is because youths are the heartbeat of any nation and I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with Fiji’s youth minister and its senior officials.
“Youth work has developed and evolved in regions across the globe and the Commonwealth has developed specialised courses that will enhance and ensure that we provide specialised and accredited personnel to work for youths.
“I would love Fiji’s Ministry of Youth to spearhead lobbying for creating such courses in partnership with universities overseas in collaboration for the commonwealth to ensure that we produce specialised youth workers in the regions from institutions that are willing to partner with youth development and youth ministries,” Mr Sharma said.
Minister Tuitubou is in Samoa this week attending the Pacific Region Commonwealth Youth Ministers meeting and has vowed to lobby for support from Pacific Youth ministers regarding the issues raised by the Commonwealth delegation.