We need to be guided by the vision, fortitude and resilience of our forefathers as they strove and toiled to shake off their tortured past to build a new life for themselves in their adopted land.
Former Prime Minister and Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry highlighted this in his Girmit Day message and stressed that we must move on and tackle the modern-day challenges.
He says youths can’t continue to live in the past nor take their future for granted as there is no room for complacency.
Chaudhry says it is significant that Girmit Day coincides with Sitiveni Rabuka’s first coup on the 14th of May 1987 – a racist coup specifically targeting the Fiji-Indian community.
The FLP leader says it’s a persistent and poignant reminder that nothing can be taken for granted – there are uncertainties and pitfalls all along the way.
He says a large proportion of the Indo-Fijian families continue to struggle to survive.
Chaudhry says the environment and circumstances have changed, but the struggle remains – with new challenges for fair treatment, equal opportunities, limited prospects, recognition and acceptance on an equal footing.
He further says young people must create a brighter future for themselves and rise above our forefathers coolie status of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Chaudhry adds that the global Indian diaspora, for instance, serves as an inspiration for those determined to achieve.
He is urging everyone to take advantage of the opportunities.
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