ATTORNEY-GENERAL HON. SIROMI TURAGA'S ADDRESS AT THE SILA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 2023 PREFECTS INDUCTION CEREMONY

"As the deer pants for streams of water, my soul pants for you."
Psalms 42:1

"Me vaka sa tagica na wai drodro na me kila, sa vakakina na yaloqu ni tagici kemuni."
Same 42:1
 
Au vakatatabu saka i noqu vale levu i Vuni Vivi, Gone Turaga na Ratu na Komai Nausori. Na matanitu vanua e tolu, e na noda vanua, sa da mai vauci tiko ka veiwekani e na vuku ni qaravi vuli.
 
Ni bula saka na Turaga Qase ni Vuli liu, nomuni vukevuke. Kemuni saka na turaga kei na marama qase ni vuli. Kidavaki kemuni tale ga na luvei keimami e na mataka Vinaka ni kua.

Kemuni nai tubutubu dau ni veisusu. Ni sa bula.

Vinaka vakalevu na veiqaravi vakavanua. Totoka. Au nanuma me da saga tiko me da na maroroya na noda I tovo kei na I vakarau ni bula. E sega tale ni dua na vanua e vuravura taucoko me dau vakayacori kina na veiqaravi vakavanua vaka oqo,  i Viti duadua ga. Ke da sa sega ni maroroya na noda I vakarau, sa yali yani vakadua.  
 
Au sa kerea meu sa na vosa e na vosa vakavavalagi e na vukudra na wekeda era na sega beka ni kila na vosa vaka Viti.
 
I take this opportunity to thank the principal and the organising committee for inviting me this morning to be the Chief Guest for this wonderful yet important occasion. As most of you would know, I am an old scholar. It is therefore important to share with you the rich history of our school. Looking at the history of our school is important, as it would help us understand the vision of the founder.
 
And after which I will share some thoughts on the benefits/importance of the role prefects play in the school environment.
 
I gather after a brief discussion with our principal that the school was founded on the idea that it would provide educational opportunities to students from the three provinces of Tailevu, Naitasiri and Rewa. The school was established in 1958, solely by Mr Peni Vunisau Hunt Sila.
 
Mr. Sila was involved in the banana plantation business, he often heard parents complaining about the problem of not finding school for their children. This was due to the fact that the establish schools like QVS, RKS, ACS, LMS and others were always full.
He decided to do something to address this need. He did not ask Government to fund the establishment costs. He did not request for any assistances from the provincial administrators. No, he did not. Instead, he used his personal savings from his business to start a new school. His idea was to establish a school to accommodate the students who were not able to enroll in other schools. And provide the same standard of education as provided by other schools. This was his vision. This vision and the sacrifice put in by the founder is reflect in the initial motto of the school: VISIBILITY THROUGH EXECELLENCE. The school motto was later changed to LABOUR CONQUERS EVERYTHING. This motto bears no political connotation but emphasized that everything and anything is possible if we are willing to work for it. Our dreams and visions can become a reality if we are willing to labour for it.
He used his office in Nausori town to be his new school and named it CENTRAL FIJIAN SCHOOL.
 
He later requested the Komai Nausori to offer him a piece of land to lease for the school. The request was granted and so the school was moved to Nausori town to the present site.
 
From 1958 to August 1990 the school was managed solely by Mr. Sila. The finance and administration of the school rested solely on him. During this period winds of changed began to sweep through Fiji. First, in 1970 Fiji became independent. Whilst Fiji gained its independence from Great Britain, Central Fijian School became a well-known school in Fiji. A second major event occurred in 1987. Following this event, approached was made by Government and discussion held on the future direction of the school. In 1990, after a lengthy discussion, the school was officially handed over to Government by the founder- Mr P V Hunt Sila commonly known as Misiada Sila.

The name was then changed to Sila Central High School to commemorate the school founder. Since then, it became a government secondary school and is run by the Ministry of Education and assisted by the Board of Governors which comprises of members who are nominated by the Ministry of Education.

The motto for the school is “STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE” / “BUILDING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE”.

This theme I am told has been in place since 1991. It is aimed at lifting the mediocre and casual attitude and staff to make the school more competitive in whatsoever it undertakes. The world out there demand excellence from all of us. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
Building a culture of excellence means we must dream big and aim high.  Les Brown the American Motivational Speaker said that it is better to aim for the moon because if you miss you will land on a star.
 
The school offers Academic [Year 9 to Year 13] and Vocational classes before he Vocational center was moved to Nausori Technical college.
 
The external examination results speak for themselves. I can see that the pass rate continues to increase. I thank the principal and his team for these results.
 
As I reflect, we are here today because of Mr. Sila’s vision. Yes, because of his vision. It did not take a group graduate to establish this school. Nor did the idea came from civil servants or provincial administrators. We are here today because of the vision of one person. He nurtured that vision and pursue that vision with vigor and passion. It took only one man with grid determination to pursue his vison. Through him many lives had been change.

Doctor Myles Munroe in his book the Principle and Power of Vision said something I thing we would do well to hear:
 
Vision is the source and hope of life. The greatest gift given to mankind is not the gift of sight, but the gift of vision. Sight is the function of the eyes; vision is the function of the heart…Eyes that looks are common but eyes that see are rare.
 
The most powerful force in life is the force of vision.
 
A young man did a college paper in his economic class on his vision for overnight mail. The professor took a red pen, gave him a “C”. Do not dream of things that cannot happen the professor told the boy. The boy left school and started the Federal Express an overnight mail company. According to Wikipedia Federal Express is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. Federick Smith the founder became a multi-millionaire. Today the company has a net worth of 4.6 Billion US Dollars. History remembers Federrick Smith and not the professor that gave him a “C” in his economic paper.
 
I had a vision when I was student here at Sila Central High School. My vision was to be a lawyer. I carried my vision through out my secondary days and to my University Days. I protected that vision and nurture and feed that vision. I am here today because of the vision I had when I was your age.
 
Do you have a vision for yourself? I encourage all of us to dream big and protect nurture those dreams.  
 
Vision makes you persistent. If you really know what you want and can see it, no matter what comes against you, you will never give up. When you see what is possible and believe that it can come to pass, it makes you capable of doing the impossible.
 
I watched the Fiji Drua versus the Moana Pasifika game last the weekend. I believe most of us celebrated the Drua’s victory. 36 to 34, a difference of 2 points. I noticed that the Moana Pasifika was leading throughout the game. Three minutes before the end of the game the Drua team scored the winning try. The Drua captain during the interview after the game told the reporter that during their discussion at half time the coach changed certain game strategies and gave them a pep talk, telling them what they can accomplish. They came out with a different perspective and attitude. And they won the game.
 
My message this morning, no matter where you are in life and regardless of your age, it can be a half time in your life. Stop. Reassess your life’s strategies and focus on fulfilling your purposes in life. Create a vision for yourself.
 
I would like to spend a few minutes discussing the benefits of been a Head Boy, Head Girl or appointed to be a prefect. Been in this position is not easy. Especially when you will be responsible to take students to the teachers to be disciplined. And doing other things that may make anyone feel bad. However, there are some benefits of such positions.
 
Been appointed in these positions looks good on your CV. This would greatly assist you when you are looking for employment.
 
It also allows you to work closely with the teachers. By working closely with the teachers, you are in a position to build a strong and enduring working relationships. These relationships would help you in fulfilling your roles as prefects.
 
It gives you more time to study. From my experiences, students rarely disturb a prefect.

But most importantly prefects are there to assist the students, protect those students who are vulnerable and encourage others who may be facing some of life’s challenges. The position of a prefect must not be used to take advantages of other students. Prefects must not bully other students. You are our future leaders. Use your positions to assist students.
 
Finally, I congratulate all the prefects and pray that you will continue to cherish and uphold the vison of the founder of this school. I once again thank the school for inviting this morning and wish the very best in your future endeavors.
 
Vinaka vakalevu.