Opposition MP, Ioane Naivalurua says government should consider the establishment of a Fiji Institute of Sports or Centre of Sports Excellence to train and develop our athletes to compete at an elite level.
Naivalurua says in reflecting on the President’s address to Parliament, he noted the absence of any reference to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
He says given the uniqueness of Fiji’s sporting heritage and our deep natural talent across this nation, by now, sports should be one of our premium assets.
The Opposition Member says sports are also a platform for nation-building, economic inflows through remittances, developing the Fiji brand, and building a friendly space for diplomatic relations.
He says the success of the Rio Olympics and the repeat success at the Tokyo Olympics were highlights we celebrated.
He says rugby is not just an afternoon game but a pathway to become a powerhouse, a brand, a pivot point for our players and coaches, as through the boots of our rugby players, the world has come to know of Fiji better.
He says our sporting engagement is not limited to Rugby as we also compete in Netball, Volleyball, Swimming, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Weightlifting, Yachting, and Athletics, to name a few.
Naivalurua says our performances at regional competitions are declining, illustrating that we need to take the necessary development steps and invest more in what we have.
He says by investing in the sports industry, we create better opportunities for our hard-working sportsmen and sportswomen.
Furthermore, sports can be better integrated into our foreign policy so that the achievements of our sportspeople can strengthen our international relations.
He says this is about maximising what we have, extracting the best economic benefits, and building our nation and moving it forward.
As a small island nation, we have to be creative and innovative to be able to play above our weight and our nation’s future lies in the hands of our youth.
Naivalurua adds they are critical in shaping our country’s growth and development, and their empowerment is vital to boost productivity.
