Bula Vinaka and a very good morning to you all.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you all for coming today to show your pride and love for Fiji. I am especially excited to be here, as Lautoka is my hometown and our second city.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We began planning for this day long ago, but we must say we anticipated something quite different. We had planned to have hundreds of community events through a national roadshow all across Fiji which would reach even the most rural and maritime pockets of the country.
COVID-19 forced us to change our plans, but it cannot keep us from celebrating Fiji’s 50th birthday. And it cannot keep us from feeling proud, joyful and sentimental all at once.
We just had to find new ways to celebrate. And that is what we are doing—all over the country.
We are grateful to be able to celebrate at all. In most places in the world, large gatherings are not safe. But because Fiji acted quickly to contain the coronavirus, our people are safe.
We should all thank our heroes at our border and in our hospitals, for their hard work and sacrifice which allows us to live free from the COVID 19 virus. Today, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces will parade at Albert Park in Suva, where Prince Charles, handed over our instruments of independence in 1970. 50 years ago to the day.
Our Prime Minister recalled recently how proud he was to see the Union Jack come down and our flag of Fiji blue hoisted in its place.
I remember when I, as a child had witnessed the new dawn in Fiji. Seeing my father, Siddiq Moidin Koya, as one of the architects of independence and thinking that one day I can stand as a proud Fijian enjoying the freedom and the rights my father and our forefathers have fought for. On this day in 1970, I was filled with hope and enthusiasm for an independent and free nation – which we see today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We would like to ask Fijians who were there that day—the ones who remember—to think about how they felt that day and to tell your children and grandchildren about it.
To the younger citizens among us, Fiji was always an independent country to you and I’m sure you couldn’t imagine anything different. But there was a time when it was all new. Back in 1970, we were entering a new world as a nation.
We were finally fully responsible for our own destiny.
No one knew what the future would bring, all we knew with certainty was that we alone would determine our destiny. It is a rare privilege to witness the birth of a nation and then see it blossom into a country that has truly made a difference in the world. Some countries never rise to be noticed. Even though Fiji may appear as a dot on the world map, we have punched above our weight, time and again. We were a nation conscious of our own potential greatness, and we were determined to seize that greatness, to respect all nations and take a back seat to none.
Despite all that, a nation is not built in a day or a decade or even a century. It is refined and improved and perfected and reformed over time.
Truly great nations confront their past injustices, change laws that no longer serve its purpose, and reform the way they do things. Truly great nations strive constantly to fulfil the promise of their birth, to live up to the ideals that can realise the true potential of their citizens and their country. Truly great nations understand that independence is just the first step on a long journey.
This is not always easy. There are disagreements and even conflicts. There are tragedies, some natural and some of our own making. They put us to the test as a people. But we prove that we are worthy and capable of facing adversity squarely, overcoming it, and emerging as a more just and more united nation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Like other countries, we certainly have had our challenges over the years. But we are able to celebrate this day because we emerged from those challenging times stronger and—most importantly—wiser and more united. If we always remember that we are one nation, one Fijian people, those challenges will fade into insignificance. We can be proud that, after 50 years, together we have built a true democracy.
Together, we have set a pace of national development unmatched in the Pacific, developing our towns, cities, and our rural and maritime areas, extending life-changing services across our islands. We have harnessed nature to power our people’s lives. We have built strong institutions which uphold our citizen’s vast array of rights under the Fijian Constitution.
I think we Fijians have a right to be proud of what we have accomplished in 50 years. We were a nation of just a half million then. But, as His Excellency the President has so eloquently said: “Together, over these five decades, Fijians have risen to heights some never imagined, but which we always saw for ourselves. We are a major contributor to peacekeeping in the world, and a world leader in the fight to combat climate change and protect our oceans.
We are the economic hub of the Pacific, the leader in aviation, finance, telecommunications, and technology, trade and commerce. We have vastly expanded our networks of infrastructure. We have put the ills of the past behind us.
We owe this to the continued decisive leadership of our Hon. Prime Minister. Today all Fijians share common and equal citizenry and equal votes of equal value, along with a vast array of political and socioeconomic rights in our Fijian Constitution.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our ruggers have come home from the Olympic Games with gold around their necks. We have played host to major international meetings and sporting events. While our borders may be closed today, we are still one of the world’s most desirable tourist destinations.
Our success is not owed to luck or chance. It has come because our people, with their diverse strengths and skillsets, have together propelled Fiji forward, both knowingly and unknowingly.
Because we have united, because we worked hard, and because we have pooled our talents, we have built a great nation and we have defined what it truly means to be a Fijian. And what is that? To be a Fijian is to have courage and optimism.
To be a Fijian is to love this country. To be a Fijian is to look after your neighbour and love your neighbour, and look after your fellow citizens, irrespective of their background. To be a resilient people, we must be a strong people, a caring people, and a united people. Together, have done great things, and together we will do more great things in the next 50 years.”
My fellow Fijians, even beset by this global pandemic, we must together remain dedicated to the task of taking Fiji forward. It is a labour that is worth the sweat and tears and joy of every Fijian.
So, on this Fiji 50 Day, I urge you to look back and reflect. But look more into the future. Because, together, our best days are yet to come.
Thank you.