HON. PM BAINIMARAMA'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE KEYASI GOVERNMENT SERVICES EXPO 2019

Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.

Friends, for the majority of our nation’s history there existed a deep gap – an unbridged divide – between our big cities of Suva and Lautoka and the rest of the country. 

Urban areas always got everything first. They had all the services, they had the best infrastructure and they were where most opportunity could be found. Over time, our cities grew bigger and better and life in our cities became more attractive. But life in rural areas of the country stayed mostly the same. In the decades before my Government, even in the years when our economy did grow; places like Keyasi didn’t see the full benefits of our national development. 

When I first became Prime Minister, this urban-rural gap was as wide as it had ever been. Many rural communities didn’t have access to clean water or electricity, and they were far outside the reach of government services. Communities were seemingly stuck in time, going decades without experiencing any of the progress that was being enjoyed elsewhere. This wasn’t just a result of their geography; no, the main culprit was a lack of leadership. Politicians of the day were stuck in a Suva bubble, and they were content never to leave the luxuries of the city. They didn’t have their ears to the ground, they weren’t listening to Fijians at the grassroots level. Communities, like Keyasi, were left behind as a result. 

I knew things needed to change. I knew we had to start by creating a consistently strong economy so that we could fund new development across the country. We’ve done that. Our economy has grown for a record nine straight years in a row, and we’re on the cusp of a full decade of economic growth. And while a strong economy is good –– we needed our development to be inclusive of all Fijians, no matter where they call home. We needed to make a special effort to ensure that rural communities were seeing all the same benefits of our record-setting economy. I’m proud to say, we’re doing that as well. We’re going above and beyond the call of duty for the sake of Fijians both in the deep rural pockets of the country and in our more isolated maritime communities. 

We started by introducing the basic building blocks of development; water, electricity and other essential services. 

We’ve also introduced an unprecedented array of social services that have been especially important for Fijians in rural areas. Not only is education now free at the primary and secondary level, but we’ve invested 4.6 billion dollars in the education sector since 2007. Our network of telecommunications now extends across 99 per cent of the country. And we’ve done more – far more – to raise what we call “social wages” in Fiji, for the benefit of all Fijians. Especially those in rural and maritime areas. 

The Opposition likes to call these social wages “handouts”, but that’s not the case. We are giving our fellow Fijians a leg-up, helping them to help themselves by providing the basic fundamental needs that will help unleash their full economic potential. We are paying social pensions to Fijians who never had FNPF and are over the age of 65, giving them one hundred dollars a month to assist them with a stable and secure retirement. We grant allowances to Fijians living with disabilities 90 dollars a month, and we give free bus fares for Fijians living with disabilities, and half-price bus fares for the elderly. And we are also granting food vouchers worth 50 dollars a month to rural pregnant mothers. 

We provide a 50 per cent subsidy on electricity up to 100 units per month, and we provide free medicine for Fijians earning below 20,000 dollars a year. And that assistance is granted to all Fijians who need it. No one group is favoured above another. If you need help, my Government is there for you, and there is no fuss about it. 

We’ve built nearly 100 kilometres of new roads in rural communities, and upgraded another 300 kilometres of rural roads. We’ve expanded our national electricity grid to tens of thousands of Fijians, a third of whom are enjoying renewable, solar energy. 

We’ve built bridges, ports and jetties that have opened communities up to the rest of the country, giving them access to new markets and new opportunities. And we’ve vastly expanded access to key government services. That’s a fact those of you in Keyasi know quite well, as it was just last month that I officially opened your new Legal Aid Office, along with a new Births, Deaths and Marriages office to bring those important services directly to your community. And last year, I broke ground on the new Keyasi Subdivisional Hospital which will dramatically upgrade the health services offered to the entire Nadroga-Navosa Province, offering specialised treatments, x-rays and ultrasounds, maternity services, pharmacy services, and laboratory testing for the very first time. 

Over the next two days, a whole range of services will be available at your doorsteps. Services that are taken for granted in our major urban areas, but that you all deserve to have as well. 

At this expo, you can find banking services, scholarship opportunities and offerings from our tertiary institutions. There are chances for you to invest in exciting new things, along with opportunities in renewable energy and telecommunications. Some of you may not be registered in the VKB; you can do that here. Others may not have a birth certificate; you can receive that critical service here as well. 

This, my friends, is what the historic strength of the Fijian economy has created. The chance for each of you to become a bigger part of our national life. The chance for each of you to see the full benefits of our national prosperity. And a chance for each of you to seize new opportunities. Opportunities that bring you, your families and your communities new success. 

What you do with that opportunity is up to you. I urge you to seize on this moment. Have you ever wanted to start a business? Now is the time to do it. Have you wanted to further your education? Now is the time to do it. Have you ever wanted to invest in your community’s development? You guessed it – now is the time to do exactly that. 

It is your time to become the Fijians you’ve always wanted to be. It is your time to step into the fold of our national development like never before. And your Government will be there – every step of the way – to support you, your families, and even the boldest aspirations you hold for your future. Now more than ever, that future is in your hands. Don’t let this golden age of opportunity pass you by.

I officially declare this expo open.

Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.