NANISE NEIMILA
Operating for the past 93 years and providing shipping services to Fijians travelling from Natovi to Ovalau, Levuka Patterson Brothers Shipping Limited is a household name for Fijians.
Recognised for helping meet the needs of Fijians requiring shipping services, George Patterson was humbled to receive the commemorative medals for Fiji’s 50th anniversary of Independence from the President Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konrote during a special investiture ceremony held last month in Levuka.
An emotional, Mr Patterson paid tribute to his forefathers and his family for their commitment and hard work throughout the years of service that the company had endured to be able to provide shipping services to the people of Fiji. “I would like to thank the Government and particularly the President for recognising and honouring the company for the services it has provided all these years.”
“I would like to thank my grandparents, my parents and particularly my brothers and sisters and my extended family. I would also like to thank the people of Ovalau and the Lomaiviti Group for always supporting the company over the years.”
With the increasing competition of commercialised shipping companies, Mr Patterson adds this has not changed the way or affected the way the company has continued to provide the required services for the people of Ovalau.
“Right from the days we were travelling from gravel road from Natovi into Suva, Nabouwalu into Labasa we have had to endure those years of hardship when the roads were bad. During cyclones and not only that even when there was civil unrest in the past. We are still here and we will continue to provide your shipping needs.”
President Konrote, while congratulating the recipients, added that as they can understand that, inevitably, the present COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the national plan to commemorate this important milestone in Fiji’s young history, resulting in a somewhat scaled down overall national celebrations programme. “But this did not dampen our “Fijian Can Do” spirit nor did it affect the manner in which we celebrated the occasion for within a period of half a century since Independence, our young and developing nation has evolved into an acceptable level of universal socio-political and economical maturity that we should all be proud about in today’s unpredictable and uncertain global environment that we live in.”
“Furthermore, with our typically famous Fijian friendly, positive and ‘Can Do’ attitude to life, we are proclaiming to our citizens and our wider global community and the Fijian diaspora that, “This Is Who We Are-We-Are-Fiji”!”
“A small and developing independent sovereign state which despite the COVID-19 pandemic is determined to celebrate a worthy cause and is continuing to “punch above its weight” in leading the world community by passionately addressing some global problematic issues like today’s, Present, Real and Serious Threat to the survival of Humanity – Climate Change and the Preservation and Protection of our Oceans,” President Konrote said.
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