Venue: Novotel Hotel
The Honorable Minister for Health
The Chairperson Lifeline Fiji;
The Director;
Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Bula vinaka and a very good evening to all of you.
It is indeed a pleasure for me to be here and be part of Lifeline Fiji’s Gala Dinner. It is also encouraging to see representatives from different organisations supporting such a worthy cause.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As we enjoy the good food and entertainment that has been put together for us tonight, it provides us with a timely opportunity to reflect on the importance of the work that Lifeline does.
Lifeline Fiji’s vision is to see an emotionally resilient and suicide free Fiji. This is an ambitious, but crucially important vision for our society. In Fiji today, suicide is a higher cause of death than the road toll. Approximately 242 people die as a result of suicide every year. And as we know, suicide does not just affect the individuals whose lives it claims. The families, friends and communities of those who commit suicide are shattered as well. Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems, and it is claiming too many of us, especially our young people. It is a “in your face” problem and a real issue facing a small nation. Over the week, you heard the Ministry of Health and the Fiji Police Force and other stakeholders highlighting the need to nip this problem in the bud. This can only be done if we work together as a family, a community and as a nation. Therefore, I urge us all to seriously work together in addressing this issue and there is no better time to start then now.
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is heartening to know that Lifeline Fiji is working hard to combat suicide in our communities. Their free, 24 hour crisis line receives over 130 calls each month, which was a critical support system used by over 8,000 Fijians following the devastation of Cyclone Winston – the aftermath of which, is still felt in many of our communities. Furthermore, Lifeline Fiji also runs a number of outreach programs and created the Mens Talk mentoring program to solely encourage help seeking behaviour, especially amongst men’s groups, who typically do not open up, let alone reach out.
Encouraging help seeking behaviour is something that we can all be doing more of, in our workplaces, in our homes and in our communities. Something as simple as asking family members if they are okay, and knowing how to contact Lifeline Fiji if the answer is ‘no’, can be the difference between a life saved and a life lost. For those in the work force, I encourage you all to become champions of Lifeline in your respective organisations, by being individuals who encourage both employers and employees to access this service in times of crisis or emotional distress. I would like to remind us all that it is okay not to be okay and that mental health is not a disease. So when anyone needs to talk, Lifeline is there to listen and we thank them for that.
Ladies and Gentlemen
For me personally I have been a supporter of Lifeline Fiji for some time now. INSERT PERSONAL STORY AS TO WHY THE MINISTER SUPPORTS LIFELINE
When confronted with a serious and upsetting issue such as suicide, it is important that we are able to look ahead, with a positive vision of a suicide free Fiji. With the continued hard work of Lifeline, I can see a future where suicide rates have decreased, and people are not afraid to reach out and ask for support.
In order to see this future occur, Lifeline Fiji needs our ongoing and continued support. I am proud to support Lifeline, and I am so glad to see so many of you here tonight willing to support such an important organisation in Fiji. I look forward to seeing us all continue to work together in the future to make sure Lifeline’s impact in the community grows and expands. Also at this juncture, I am happy to announce that Women In Business have confirmed their support towards this great initiative. Thank you Women In Business.
Thank you Lifeline Fiji for hosting this wonderful Gala Dinner. Thank you and vinaka vakalevu to you all for being here tonight. And thank you, most of all, to the hard working volunteers at Lifeline who have put in a huge amount of effort each and every day to make an emotionally resilient and suicide free Fiji a possibility for us all.
Ladies and Gentlemen
With those few words, I wish you all an enjoyable and a pleasant evening.
Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.