I am delighted – for the first time as your Head of State – to address this great nation on Fiji Day 2016, our Nation’s 46th Anniversary of Independence and sovereignty.

Since 1970, Fiji has steadily advanced as a leading Pacific nation, and today we stand as the hub of development in the Pacific and a model for small island states across the world.

We are now two years into our first term of government under a genuine parliamentary democracy of equal votes of equal value. And our nation’s development over these two years should be a point of pride for every Fijian. Few countries of our size can claim the international respect and prestige that Fiji enjoys today. And few countries at all share the spirit that drives the Fijian people to succeed.

We are now in our seventh straight year of economic growth – a record for our country. Access to essential services, such as electricity and water, is spreading throughout the country like never before. And our people are more deeply connected to each other and to the world than ever before.

We truly do have a lot to be proud of when taking stock of how far we have come. But this Fiji Day, I urge you to not only remember the past, but to look to the future. To envision where we can take our nation next and how we can ensure that the world we leave behind for our children is a better one than what we inherited.
This year’s Fiji Day theme, “Moving all Fijians Forward in Unity,” has a significance that extends far past today’s celebrations. It is the marching tune for the Fijian Government as we seek to involve all of our people in our national progress. And it is incumbent on each one of us to match that commitment in our daily lives – that commitment to leave no Fijian behind.

This past year has been a year of burdens and triumphs for our people, but whether we were overcoming challenges or celebrating victory, we have drawn strength and confidence from the knowledge that we are unified and on an unstoppable journey of progress.

Our belief in ourselves and in our future has not just sustained us, it has given us energy and strength.

In February of this year, our shores were ravaged by the destructive force of Cyclone Winston, the strongest cyclone to ever make landfall in the Southern Hemisphere.

The damage wrought upon Fiji is well-known – 44 lives taken, thousands of homes destroyed and tens of thousands of our people severely affected. But while this was certainly a blow, every day we are reclaiming what we have lost in the storm.

Every day, hard-working Fijians are repairing homes, schools and infrastructure and rebuilding our nation better and stronger than it was before.

As we gear up for the next cyclone season, I urge all of us to take very seriously any future warnings for – God, forbid – any other cyclones that come our way. Because, as we have been told by climate-change experts, these sorts of disasters are only projected to become more frequent and more severe. So we must be vigilant and we must be prepared.

On 11 August of this year, a date that will go down in Fijian history for all time, our Sevens gladiators made an unforgettable mark on the international stage by rolling over competition from much-larger and much-wealthier nations to secure Fiji’s first-ever Olympic Gold medal. We showed them what we Fijians are made of, and we proved that success draws strength from the heart and the soul, not from the pocketbook. And Fijians have a great deal of heart.

Our entire nation erupted in celebration, and the eyes of the world were on Fiji as we showed our passion and love for the game of rugby. In my time, I have never seen a greater display of unity in Fiji or a greater display of camaraderie. And it is something I won’t ever forget.

Our Sevens victory and the destruction of Cyclone Winston were the true high and low points experienced over the past year. But as we saw, our spirit of unity stayed with us throughout. In our own lives and in our communities, we also experience highs and lows. Things may not always go our way, in our community, in our nation, or in our homes. And other times we may be very blessed.

But it is very important that we always look out for one another, that we share our successes with our neighbours when times are good, and that we work together with our neighbours when our backs are against the wall.

That is the spirit that built this country into what it is today, and that is the spirit that will carry us, soaring, into the future.

Not all of us enjoy the same advantages in life. There are vulnerable members of society who need a helping hand in order to gain the equal access to the opportunities provided in the new Fiji—equal access that they fully deserve.

If we do seek to “move forward in Unity” as a nation, it is these vulnerable groups that require special attention and care. Our women, children, the elderly, the infirm and the disabled all need our assistance. They all need to know that they are valued members of our society.

This past Constitution Day, when student Naomi Lewakita from the Fiji School for the Blind read from the Braille version of the Constitution, she showed us all that one’s circumstances in life have no bearing on one’s potential. That it is our ability – and our ability alone – that determines our future.

The needs of our children – our future leaders – can never be neglected. That is what makes the initiatives that provide free education and access to information and affordable transport so important. And I applaud the continued efforts of this FijiFirst Government to mainstream our young people, to make sure that they have the opportunities that previous generations may only have dreamed of.

Initiatives such as the essay competition to celebrate Constitution Day, encourage Fijians to embrace their rights and responsibilities under the Constitution.

An extract from this year’s winning essay, which was written by Aliha Anshira Nisha from Xavier College:

Quote: “Unity is what eventually leads towards peace and development. Working together as equals on the basis of common citizenry is how the people of Fiji can take Fiji forward. … One person can make a difference and everyone should try.” Unquote.

These inspiring words from a Year 11 student are words that we should all live by, and if these are the words that Aliha and our youths lives by, I know that there is bright and promising future ahead for Fiji and all Fijians.
Ladies and gentlemen, I also wish to acknowledge that we need to take another careful look at the ills of society that continue to hinder our progress.

Among them are the high rate of rape, child abuse and domestic violence; theft and dishonesty; and the alarming number of suicides. How many suicides can be prevented if we take care to notice and help those who are in emotional pain? And how much abuse can be prevented if we all make it our business to stand up to rapists and people of violence—if we bear witness against them, shun them and let them know that we will not tolerate their behaviour? These social ills create insecurity and hold back our progress.

As parents we are to teach our children and young people the importance of upholding values and respect for one another. Only then can we respect each other as fellow citizens of this nation.

I also ask that on this occasion we remember our troops on peace keeping duties around the world. Our prayers and thoughts are with them as we continue to cherish the remarkable idea that we are one of the noblest peacekeepers in the world. Fijians have established a standard in the world of service to our fellow human beings, and we have a vocation for peace and an end to violence and repression that we can all be proud of.

Every Fijian who performs peacekeeping duties will go through life knowing that he or she has done something noble and fine in the name of his country and in service to humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen, this past week, we laid to rest a virtuous son of Fiji, His Excellencyy Ratu Joni. His Excellency Ratu Joni was not only a highly respected Chief, he was also a judge, and a Vice-President. His passing reminds us that we are all part of something bigger and grander than ourselves, that the torch gets passed to new generations, and that it is our values as Fijians that will ensure that our future leadership will always be enlightened, virtuous and strong.

There is no better time to work together than now. Let us work together to move our country and all Fijians forward in unity.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a very happy Fiji day!

God bless you all and God bless Fiji!

Vinaka vakalevu, dhanyavaad, sukria, faiak’sia, and thank you.