Bua’s rugged terrain did not stop a strong show of support for rehabilitation, as 3,000 men, women and children turned up for the Yellow Ribbon Walk in Nabouwalu.
While addressing the crowd, Paramount Chief, the Tui Bua, Ratu Makutu Nagavoka stated that Bua is a hard place to get to.
He says people have to cross streams, travel across adverse terrain, and in some places, use boats, but the turnout is a statement that we are united in our support of second chances.
Speaking in his native iTaukei dialect, Ratu Makutu commended the Fiji Corrections Service for taking rehabilitation awareness to Bua, directly to communities across the 54 villages in the province.
He also highlighted the critical role of the Vanua and family support systems in helping former inmates reintegrate successfully into society after their release.
He says that a lot of times people are ignorant of the plight of ex-offenders without realising that this ignorance often pushes them back into the criminal cycle, thus creating unsafe communities.
He adds that they have been reminded this week of the critical role that families and the Vanua play.
Ratu Makutu says they have witnessed a positive response to the efforts of the Corrections Service in rehabilitating individuals upon their release from prison.
He says this is the work that the Corrections Service cannot do alone and requires collective effort to ensure ex-convicts are successfully reintegrated back into their communities.
Ratu Makutu thanked all families who left their homes very early to participate and paid tribute to stakeholders supporting the FCS in this programme.
He also acknowledged the presence of other government agencies and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga.
Turaga acknowledged the overwhelming support from the vanua, saying that the turnout reflects the messages shared throughout the week by the Corrections Service, emphasising that it is now time for action.
He adds that the numbers shown have been overwhelming in consideration of the miles travelled to get here early in the morning.
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