HON. VUNIWAQA AT THE VODAFONE HIDDEN PARADISE SAVUSAVU CARNIVAL

The Chief Executive Officer & the Staffs of Savusavu Town Council Committee Members of the Vodafone Hidden Paradise Savusavu Carnival Contestants and their Sponsors Families,
Friends and Children
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bula vina’a and A very good evening to you all. It is an honor for me to be here in our home town this evening and I sincerely thank you for the warm welcome. The Savusavu carnival has become an annual event that not only brings together the young and old, families and 2 friends, but more importantly it provides a platform that champions powerful and meaningful messages.

I wish to acknowledge the visionary and hardworking Savusavu Carnival Committee, Vodafone Fiji, government agencies, businesses and members of the Savusavu community for the continuous support which has made this Event a reality today. The theme for this years carnival: “PROTECT THE OCEAN AND YOU PROTECT YOURSELF.”

Brings to the fore fundamental aspects of our roles and responsibilities as members of this Community, and is recognized at global initiatives under Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Conserve and sustainably use our Oceans for sustainable development. And on that note, I would like to acknowledge the Savusavu Chamber of Commerce with the visionary leadership of consolidating the Blue Town Model through Government for Savusavu Town.

This Blue Town Concept sits on a platform of protection of our environment and ocean as the driving force behind enhanced economic activity. In other words, if we pledge to and in fact, do all we can to protect our natural environment, increased investments into the local economy becomes a given. Fiji remains a world leader in the advocacy work against climate change and sustainable oceans. The devastating effects of climate change are inextricably linked to the health of our oceans. We simply cannot have a healthy ocean without tackling the issues collateral to climate change. 

Yes we can talk about SDG 14 and discuss ways in which we can conserve and sustainably use our oceans for realization of that universal goal is premised on local action. What we as individuals and as a community actually do on the local front to protect our local environment.

This requires a continuous commitment and concerted effort such as this go a long way in revitalizing our commitments to do all we can in those regards. We must all take ownership of the theme and pledge daily to practice what it asks of us in all that we do.

PROTECT THE OCEAN To our 4 Beautiful Queens, I wish you all the very best in your week long journey- the experience and exposure that you will gain from this carnival will surely go a long way in your growth as individuals.

I encourage you to continue with your charitable endeavors regardless of whether you win a crown or not. You being here is a great achievement in itself. Thank you for your participation and may you continue to set great examples for other young women and girls who look up to you. Thank you for being great ambassadors for our town.

As a citizen of this town myself I ask that your role as Ambassadors for this years theme extend beyond the carnival week that you make the protection of the ocean around us a key message in all that you do. I wish us all a very best an enjoyable Savusavu Carnival and declare this event open.

Thank you, Dhaniyavaad, Vina’a va’alevu.