Honourable Prime Minister, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama,
Honourable Ministers,
Permanent Secretaries,
Valued Sponsors,
Panel of Judges,
Nominees and Awardees,
Invited Guests,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Bula Vinaka and a very good afternoon to you all.
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to the first-ever Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, is a very special day. Special because after two tough years, we’re in a place where we can gather and give the due recognition we owe young Fijians.
Hon. Prime Minister Sir,
As a leader, and as a father, you’ve been one of the strongest advocates of youth empowerment and recognition. And we thank you for being here today. In so many ways, you’ve led us to where we are today–all of us here.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Prime Minister’s National Youth Awards recognises outstanding youth in the categories such as; ‘Entrepreneurship’, ‘Sports’, Music and Dance’, ‘Fashion, Arts and Creativity’, ‘Inspirational Leadership’, ‘Digital Innovator’, ‘Community Champion’, and ‘Eco-Champion’.
Of course, there are those that particularly stand out. And that’s why we have the ‘Youth of the Year Award’.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport received 157 applications who were nominated by either their families, friends or colleagues. It goes to show that their outstanding achievements have not gone unnoticed and there are people who believe in them.
Each of the categories look at different attributes of young Fijians and their contribution to different fields. These applicants were assessed by a diverse Panel of Judges who didn’t only look over applications, but conducted interviews and went out on visits.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
What we’ve learnt from the pandemic – every crisis, and every natural disaster we’ve endured – is that those affected the most are those who should have the greater say in the kind of society they want to live in. They can shape the future of the country.
We often look at our youth as leaders of tomorrow. But today, we’re recognising them as the leaders of today.
To the nominees and awardees, you’re doing exceptional things.
● You’re leading our fight against climate change,
● You’re supporting a creative economy,
● You’re driving change because technology is intuitive to you,
● You’re giving the nation recognition by excelling in sports,
● You’re creating businesses that help us diversify,
● You’re speaking up — breaking the bias and being the voice of those who don’t t have one,
● You’re shaping a society — a society you believe in.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This Government carries the vision of “Transforming Fiji”. In Fiji – the youth are the architects of social inclusivity.
So as Government – we give them the right opportunities, the right tools and the right encouragement to help shape a future worthy of our current generation. And we’re doing that through strong partnerships.
As a Ministry alone, we have initiatives such as the Young Entrepreneurship Scheme that funds innovative ideas. We have programmes that empower youth ground-up. We provide training and mentorship and hand-holding services to guide youth.
These opportunities – coupled with the desire of young Fijians to move forward – is why we are here today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before I invite the Hon. Prime Minister to deliver his Keynote Address, I want to share something I recently read – which says – your potential, the absolute best you’re capable of – is the metric to measure yourself against.
You’ve been leading by example. And I hope that in the days to come, you continue to make a difference and inspire others.
Vinaka Vakalevu and Thank You.