“Together we can and will overcome whatever challenges 2017 holds.”
This was a statement made by Leader of Opposition Ro Teimumu Kepa while delivering her New Year’s message.
Ro Teimumu encourages people to take courage, not be fearful of change, as we will all be facing good and bad times, successes and failures, together as one people.
She says that as we prepare to step into 2017, we all face uncertainty and the challenges of great and constant change.
Ro Teimumu adds that we, the people of Fiji, are by nature, optimists with high expectations and despite the many setbacks of the past years and we must retain confidence in our future.
She says as we set our sights toward 2017, we should briefly reflect on some of the problems of 2016 that we have overcome as learning lessons for our communities.
Ro Teimumu says while many of people still live in tents and makeshift shelters as a result of TC Winston, just before
Christmas we also experienced a tropical depression which brought torrential rains flooding and damaging roads,bridges and villages as well as plantations.
She adds that the plight of those severely affected by the Natural disasters touched her heart because in the face of overwhelming adversity, their resilience and perseverance was unwavering.
Ro Teimumu also acknowledged that through our sevens champions, our small, poor nation joined the elite rank of Olympians, claiming gold.
She says that this was a time our hearts sang as one with National pride and joy erupting on our streets as people blocked traffic to dance and through our most humble villages, people marched in impromptu parades, waving tavioka branches, bamboo sticks and anything that came to hand, flying our noble banner blue.
Ro Teimumu says that as a nation we also mourned the death of a leading light, a young chief for all our peoples, a true gentleman and scholar, Na Turaga Roko Tui Bau, the late Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi.
Ro Teimumu says that much of her faith and hope is invested in the young people of Fiji, with whom she has been privileged to work with.
She says that we must acknowledge that the richness and vibrancy of our diversity makes us a unique people in this part of our world.
Ro Teimumu wishes our treasured Fiji and all her people a Remarkable New Year.
