Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he is very conscious of the Government’s commitment of helping the poorest of the poor and despite uncertainties and problems, they pledge to continue welfare and development assistance already in place and to bring in new ones.
In his New Year’s message, Rabuka says the new Government’s over riding goals is to increase national wealth so that everyone benefits, like the unfortunate, the children, housewives, young people, villagers and farmers, workers, civil servants, professionals, business owners and investors, the elderly, the sick, prisoners and veterans.
He says it is more possible to achieve change to higher living standards and a better quality of life.
Rabuka says he knows we have it within us to rise from adversity to construct a new homeland of prosperity secured by peace and goodwill.
He says he sees a new Fiji of limitless promise with poverty removed and opportunities for all and it may not be far away, it is up to us.
Rabuka further says while he was distributing food to the needy in Lautoka, he came across a tired looking woman washing her family’s clothes at a public tap in the park.
He says they spoke and she told him they were homeless and he offered her a ration pack.
The Prime Minister says this woman, enveloped by her weariness and poverty politely declined, explaining that she had eaten earlier.
He says she said she was okay and that meant he had a food parcel for someone else in need and he wonders how she fared in the last 12 months and what this new year will mean for her.
