HE PRESIDENT KONROTE AT THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE JP BAYLY TRUST

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Digby Bossley;
 Members of the Past and Present Trustees;
 Your Excellencies, Heads of Missions – High Commissioners & Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
 JP Bayly Clinic Medical and Dental Practitioners;
 The Managers of JP Bayly Trust;
 The Staffs and Volunteers;
 Members of the Media;
 Distinguished guests;
 Ladies and gentlemen.

Ni sa bula vinaka and a very good evening to you all. My wife Sarote and I are indeed honoured and very appreciative of the kind invitation extended to us on this auspicious occasion that marks the 65th Anniversary of the JP Bayly Trust and to be amongst you all.

Ladies and gentlemen, as most of you know and this is perhaps why so many of you good people have been involved with the Trust which was established in 1954 by the late John Percy Bayly OBE and the late Reverend Dr. George Hemming CF, OBE to provide much needed assistance to the less fortunate families in Fiji. Registered as a Charitable Trust on July 30th 1954, the Welfare Center began providing food packs to several families who were living below the poverty line.

The Bayly Medical Clinic opened in Suva in November of that year with Lautoka in 1987 and Labasa in ten years later. Administered by a Board of five Trustees who are all appointed in a voluntary capacity and receives no compensation either in cash or in kind, there is a General Manager with Managers based in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa. The Current Trustees are Mr. Digby Bossley (Chairman), Mr. Waqa Bauleka, Mr. Joel Sahai, Mr. Viti Whippy and Mr. Barry Whiteside. Also, all divisions have local Committees comprising dedicated persons from within the community and the Centers are assisted each week by a group of Volunteers for packing and distributing food packs and other items.

The Trust has Medical and Dental Clinics operated by registered Practitioners, Welfare and Education Centers in the three divisions whose geographical boundaries have recently been extended in order to assist more families. The Clinics provide free medical and dental consultations as well as medication to just over 400 families who are permanently registered with each Center. The Welfare Center gives out monthly food packs, footwear, bedding and clothes throughout the year to these less fortunate families. In addition, there are several temporary cases with each Centre who also receive similar assistance.

The Education Center assists their children with Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary schooling needs by way of fees where applicable, uniforms, shoes, bags, stationery and exercise books. Also, several of their children in Tertiary institutions have their fees and other requirements paid for by the Trust. Although assistance towards Tertiary education has been in place for the past year with just a selected few being supported, this has now become an annual award from 2019 and is offered to those with exceptional academic results in year thirteen and who are keen to pursue higher studies.

Currently there are nine students on full Tertiary scholarship and many more will be offered assistance in 2020. Tertiary qualification is now a pre-requisite in securing a decent employment and the Trust believes that deserving students should not be deprived of further studies in their chosen field.

This assistance is being offered for Certificate and Diploma courses and depending on the results of the student, may extend to a Degree level. Recently, the Trust has also embarked on providing counselling in Positive Parenting for mothers and has already very successfully completed the first Workshop in Lautoka in October and the next one is planned for Suva and then in Labasa in early 2020.

With rising serious incidents of Drug and Substance Abuse as well as Child molestation by fathers and grandfathers that are viewed with grave concern, this is going to be another programme which the Trust will undertake. It has a qualified and an experienced Counsellor who will provide her services in this area.

Typical of the Trust’s guiding principles, none of the Trust’s funds has been spent on tonight’s celebrations and I therefore acknowledge with great and sincere appreciation the generous donours and friends of the Trust for sponsoring the invitation cards, the venue with the food and drinks.

Thank you very much for your kind generosity. To the Board Trustees, Management, Volunteers, Committee members and staff from the Welfare Centers in Labasa, Lautoka and Suva, thank you all for your hard work, sacrifices and commitment towards such a worthy cause. Well done and I wish you well and every success in your future endeavours.

Vinaka vakalevu, Thank you and may Almighty God continue to bless our beloved Nation and People.