Drysdale accepts Fiji 50 medal especially for his family

Model Homes Charitable Trust Founder, Peter Drysdale says he accepts his Fiji 50 Independence Commemorative medal especially for his family as what he has achieved was because of their support.

Drysdale highlighted this after receiving his medal at State House with 29 other recipients.

He says he could not have achieved what he has today with the building of houses in Koro-i-Pita and as a former Executive Director at Williams and Gosling without his family.

Drysdale is the founder of Koro-i-Pita project in 1985 which had been operating as the Fiji Rotahomes Project under the Rotary Club of Lautoka. They had the objective to eliminate sub-human living conditions in the Western side of Viti Levu by providing basic cyclone-safe homes, clean water and living essentials.

He says he made it this far because of his teams which planted 47 million pine trees and another team which he was also part of which built 1,000 houses for poor families.

Drysdale says the British left a wonderful legacy of institutions that have now been built on and is the foundation for a strong country.

Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, Hot Bread Kitchen owner, Doctor Mere Samisoni, FASANOC President, Vidya Lakhan, Pure Fiji owner, Gaetane Austin, former Chief Magistrate Sekove Naqiolevu, Small Claims Tribunal Chairperson and former CEO of British American Tobacco, Joel Sahai, Pio Bosco Tikoisuva, singer Jese Mucunabitu, former Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner, Aisea Taoka, Doctor Joji Malani, former Permanent Secretary and former Vice President of Methodist Church of Fiji, Apisalome Tudreu, Fiji Performing Rights Association Chairman, Eremasi Tamanisau Junior and navy officer Niko Baleiverata were also handed medals by President Jioji Konrote. Other recipients were Susana Evening, Captain Matereti Tuisue, Kolinio Takali, Waisale Vuniwaqa, Meli Tora, Mohammed Rafiq, Emori Tawake, Ernest Dutta, Mosese Tabuya, Raj Sharma, Krishan Kumar, Eroni Antonio, Raymond Mani, Krishan Vilash, Biu Baravi and Savenaca Tuivaga.