AG’S REMARKS: WELCOME RECEPTION AND INAUGURAL PACIFIC ISLANDS ENVIRONMENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS

Honourable Ministers,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Bula Vinaka and Good evening,

Once again, it’s my pleasure to address you, towards the end of a day which I’m sure you’ll all agree was stimulating, informative and worthwhile.

I think His Excellency our President made some very strong points in his speech…among them his call for us to do more to include the corporate sector in our conservation effort, the need to wean Pacific Islanders off the culture of disposable packaging and, of course, the pressing need to persuade the global community to finally confront the impact of climate change.

The President’s speech was followed by a fascinating and – I have to say -disturbing tour of the horizon of the effects of climate change by Dr Tim Flannery, the Head of the Australian Climate Council.

I found his references to the steady poisoning of our reefs as the oceans absorb global warming especially startling. While much of the climate change data that Dr Flannery referred to was specifically Australian, we essentially share the same space in the world so, of course, it has relevance to us and I found it very sobering.

I was especially gratified to hear Dr Flannery praise the Fijian Government’s efforts to reduce our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight is a night for us to relax and get to know each other better so I’ll keep my comments brief. But I just want to say something about the Inaugural Pacific island Environment Leadership Awards that I have the honour of presenting a little later.

These awards recognise the special contributions of many, and even countries,which have collectively promoted conservation. There are four categories and each of them is a celebration of excellence.

The winners are setting a standard to which we must all aspire to meet our obligation to preserve our natural surroundings for the continued health and well being of every Pacific Islander.

We’ll be announcing the winners shortly and I’m sure you’ll all join me in congratulating them for theirachievements.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me again say on behalf of every Fijian: Welcome to our country. We are honoured and humbled by the trust you have shown in us as hosts and chair of the 9th Conference. We salute all of you in your efforts to safeguard our precious environments. And we pledge to do all in our power to advance our common agenda and make our voices heard way beyond these shores.

Again, thank you to the organisers - to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program and the Pacific island Roundtable. The Fijian Government places a high value on our partnership, as indeed it does with everyone committed to this most noble crusade.

Ladies and Gentlemen, with those few words, I ask you to enjoy the rest of the evening and enjoy the rest of the week.

Vinaka vakalevu, Thank you