Dr Biman Prasad
Suva, Fiji, October 10, 2020
Editor’s Note: Fiji marks 50 years of its Independence today (October 10, 2020). While Covid-19 and the resultant economic downturn has held back official celebrations in New Zealand, the festive spirit will be evident in Fiji. On behalf of Indian Newslink, we offer our salutations to the people of Fiji and dedicate our services to a great Nation, as we have done since our establishment on November 15, 1999. We wish the country continued prosperity and hope that the slogan, ‘Fiji, the way the world should be’ will be reinstated.
The National Federation Party pays tribute to the founding fathers of Fiji, hailing them as gigantic leaders who put national interest above everything else to negotiate Independence 50 years ago.
As we celebrate 50 years of our Independent history, it must not be forgotten that it was the NFP’s founding father and Leader of the Opposition Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel (A D Patel) and his successor Siddiq Moidin Koya (SM Koya), together with the then Chief Minister and later the first Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (Ratu Mara), who put aside their deep personal and political differences to give Fiji true nationhood and sovereignty.
Peaceful transition
A peaceful transition from 96 years of Colonial rule to Independence on 10th October 1970 and Constitutional and Parliamentary rule is a monumental achievement and above all a monumental achievement through genuine dialogue, consensus building, negotiation, resulting in unanimity amongst our founding leaders for Fiji’s future.
This fundamental principle is a cornerstone of NFP’s foundation.
We have always achieved solutions to our national problems, which to many people may have seemed insurmountable, through genuine dialogue, goodwill, consensus and bipartisanship.
Independence, a thriving sugar industry that was Fiji’s economic mainstay for 30 years of our independent history and will still remain vitally important to the livelihood of some 200,000 of our people and the 1997 Constitution are a few but perfect examples of what can be achieved by working together.
Political upheaval
We should not also forget the 14-year period of our Independent history during which we were under military rule due to 4 military coups since 1987 – 1987-1992; 2000-2001; and 2006-2014.
Ten years after the first political upheaval, it took painstaking negotiations, perseverance, consensus building and dialogue between NFP Leader Jai Ram Reddy and the than Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to restore equality, dignity and justice through the widely acclaimed 1997 Constitution, which was abrogated by the military regime in April 2009 by the military regime, which is now the Fiji First Government.
We also should not also forget that the most important symbol of our nation following Fiji being granted its Instruments of Independence, our noble banner blue flag, would have been changed had it not been for the widespread opposition of our citizens.
Rededication needed
Unfortunately, consensus, goodwill, dialogue and bipartisanship are missing from our national political landscape. We believe it is time to re-dedicate ourselves to One Nation, One Destiny just as we did 50 years ago.
This fundamental principle of national leadership has now become an absolute necessity given the dark and uncertain times we face as a nation reeling from the effects of economic downturn and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Let us therefore all remember the giant strides made by our country’s founding fathers and to hold true to the spirit of unity and understanding of our Independence because freedom, hope and glory is still ours if we grasp it.
Let us in the spirit of unity and harmony through genuine Talanoa, so ably demonstrated by our founding fathers, bequeath to our future generations a nation of boundless hopes, endless dreams and aspirations and above all a Fiji that once again becomes a symbol of genuinely united, harmonious and a beacon of hope.
God Bless Fiji
Professor Biman Prasad is Leader of the National Federation Party and Member of the Fijian Parliament. He lives in Suva.
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