As we mark 141 years since the arrival of the Girmitiyas to Fiji, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says each year on this day, it’s important for us to pause to think about the grueling trials the Girmitiyas endured and also to recognise the sense of hope that got them through their suffering.
He says they were able to find refuge in that sense of a better future by chasing that light and realising that they could find refuge even in the most trying of times.
Bainimarama says the Girmitiyas helped paved the way for the Fiji we know today.
Bainimarama says today on this Girmit Remembrance Day, he has an assignment for all the school children in Fiji.
He is encouraging students to do some research on their own and visit the Fijian government’s website and facebook page to read about the heart-wrenching yet inspiring stories of those first indentured servants.
Bainimarama wants children to ask their parents and grandparents about stories they heard from their family or neigbours.
The Prime Minister says he has no doubt that the Girmitiyas would be proud of the Fiji we have today, knowing that they helped lay the foundation for every Fijian girl and boy to receive a free education.
Bainimarama says honour the legacy of Girmitiyas by remembering their struggles but more importantly do not take your own opportunity for education for granted.
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