His Excellency The Former President and Speaker of Parliament, The Honourable Ratu Epeli Nailatikau;
The Prime Minister and Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Sugar Industry and Foreign Affairs, The Honourable Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama;
The Acting Chief Justice, The Honourable Mr. Justice Kamal Kumar;
Honourable Cabinet Ministers;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
The Chairperson of the Fiji College of Honour, Dr. Akanisi Kedrayate and the Members of the College of Honour;
Your Excellencies, Heads of Missions – High Commissioners, Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
The Chaplain of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Reverend Ilaitia Tuwere;
Recipients of Fiji’s 50th Anniversary of Independence Commemorative Medal, and Members of your Respective Families and Friends;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen.
Ni sa Bula Vinaka, Namaste, Asalaamu Alaykum, Ni Hao, Noa’ia ‘e Mauri, and A very good afternoon to you all. Ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, please allow me to acknowledge and commend the good Reverend Tuwere for his short and inspirational Divine presentation.
As your President and Chancellor of The Order of Fiji, my wife, Sarote and I are extremely pleased, equally honoured and very thankful indeed that we are able to come together as fellow Fijians this afternoon in the first Investiture ceremony scheduled for this week to commemorate and celebrate our beloved Nation’s 50th Anniversary of Independence and to acknowledge and appropriately reward individuals who had served selflessly and contributed immensely towards Fiji’s socio-economical and political progress and development over this period with the 50th Anniversary Independence Medal.
Furthermore, as The Chancellor of The Order of Fiji, I had asked the Chairperson and Members of The College of Honour that despite the limited number of medals to be presented, they are to ensure that this special and historic commemorative Medal is presented to deserving members of the Public/Private Sectors and Civil Society and this, Ladies and gentlemen is in conformity with my wish to further nurture and promote This Institution’s and hopefully our National psyche and “Culture of Appreciation and Inclusivity”.
Ladies and gentlemen, the present COVID-19 Pandemic has had a profound effect on our National Plan to commemorate our 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations resulting in a somewhat scaled down overall national celebrations programme. But this should not dampen our “Fijian Can Do” spirit nor deviate our focus and attention from the fact that 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.
Beginning today, we will be celebrating a nation-wide week-long programme of events to mark our collective progress and development as a Nation and People – a justifiably significant and historical occasion which we should be celebrating in style, but for the economic and medical constraints consequent upon the effects of the Pandemic.
Ladies and gentlemen, most of us who are present here today, should be able to recall that a quarter of a century ago (1995), the then Government of the day awarded 755 deserving members of our beloved Nation with a similar commemorative medal to mark our first 25 years of Independence. I still wear mine with great pride and hope that those of you who will be honoured with this 50th Anniversary Medal will also share with me the same proud and patriotic feeling that we belong to a nation which cares for its people and rewards them accordingly for their individual and collective efforts at nation-building.
By doing this, Ladies and gentlemen, we are proclaiming to our citizens and our wider global community that “This Is Who We are – We-Are Fiji”! – A small and developing independent Sovereign State which is “punching 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.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my humble opinion that despite the “New Norm” which has been unfortunately, imposed upon humanity by the world-wide COVID-19 Pandemic, we can still rejoice and celebrate certain events in life by being positive and firm in our faith in The Almighty that our beloved Fiji is blessed and as a Nation and People, we should be forever grateful, hope and embrace the Future Together and Believe that the next 50 years and beyond – the journey ahead would be Peaceful and equally Prosperous.
On that note Ladies and gentlemen, Congratulations once again to all the Recipients and I look forward to the next couple of days in which my Staff and I will be travelling to other parts of our country to present the other deserving members of our various communities with their 50 Years Commemorative Independence Medals.
Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanyavaad, Xiexie, Faiak’sea, Thank you All and God Bless.
| FIJI'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL |
| H.E Ratu Epeli Nailatikau |
For eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree to Civil Service, diplomacy and Government |
| Hon. Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama |
For eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree to Civil Service, diplomacy and Government |
| Hon. Mahendra Pal Chaudhary |
For eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree to business, education, public sector development and charity. |
| Ms. Taufa Mereia Vakatale |
For eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree to education, the Civil Service, diplomacy, community development and Government. |
| Rev. Pauliasi Vatanitawake |
For distinguished service of a high degree to religion, education, and community development. |
| Dr. Robin Mitchell |
For distinguished service of a high degree to health and medical services and Sports development in Fiji. |
| Adi Finau Tabakaucoro |
For distinguished service of a high degree with emphasis on the empowerment of women through professional development and management, and for community development. |
| Dr. Eci Nabalarua |
For distinguished service of a high degree to education and community service. |
| Dr. Esther Williams |
For distinguished service of a high degree to education, information retention, business and community service. |
| Dr. Angeela Jokhan |
For distinguished service of the highest degree to community development. |
| Mrs. Bernadette Rounds Ganilau |
For distinguished service for women development and empowerment and community development and social work. |
| Honourable Joketani Stuchberry Waqanivalu Cokanasiga |
For distinguished service of the highest degree to the Civil Service, community development. |
| Mr. Kanti Lal Punjas |
For distinguished service of a high degree to business, charity and community development. |
| Brigadier- General Apakuki Kurusiga |
For long and faithful service to the Republic of Fiji Military Service as Honourary Colonel of the 3FIR, business and community development. |
| Amb. Ratu Jo Nacola |
For distinguished service of a high degree to the Civil Service, international relations and diplomacy, charity and community development, |
| Ratu Ilaitia Tuisese |
For distinguished service of a high degree to rugby development at the community level, business and community development, |
| Brother Fergus Garret |
For distinguished service of a high degree to religion, education, and community development especially in his role as a school teacher serving the communities of Fiji for over 50 years. |
| Maj-Gen (Ret’d) Ioane Naivalurua |
For distinguished service of a high degree to the Civil Service, international relations and diplomacy and community development |
| Rev. Tevita Nawadra |
For distinguished service of a high degree to religion as a former President of the Methodist Church and a champion for ecumenical relations and community development. |
| Mr. Hafizud Dean Khan |
For distinguished service of a high degree to business, religion, charity and community development. |
| Mr. Alipate Korovou |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a youth mentor/ coach, religion and sports in particular boxing. |
| Ratu Peni Volavola |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a youth mentor/ coach, religion and sports in particular boxing. |
| Ms. Tessa McKenzie |
For services worthy of particular recognition as the contributor to the Fiji Flag. |
| Mr. Setareki Macanawai |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a champion and advocate for the rights and recognition of peoples living with physical disability at a national and regional level. |
| Mr. Daryl Tarte |
For services worthy of particular recognition for his contributions in his executive, advisory and governance roles over many years and particular recognition for his writings. |
| Mr. Misau Fatiaki |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a champion and advocate for the rights and recognition of peoples living with physical disability at a national and regional level. |
| Mr. Joji Qaranivalu |
For services worthy of particular recognition to the Scouts Association |
| Mr. Sakaraia Ve |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a youth mentor/ coach, religion and sports in particular boxing. |
| Mrs. Jane Ricketts |
For services worthy of particular recognition as a volunteer artist teacher with the Fiji Corrections Service for more than five years including contributing to the rehabilitation of inmates through the Yellow Ribbon project. |
| Mr. Sitiveni Raturala |
For services worthy of particular recognition for contributions to Radio broadcasting, religion, and community development. |