Youth are not only the future but the present as well – Acting PM

The youth are often perceived as the future but in this context they are also the present because they are not only the future leaders but today’s influencers, advocates and digital natives.

Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica stated this at the National Scam Awareness Week at the Grand Pacific Hotel saying the youth occupy a unique position in Fiji that allows them to be at the front of the digital literacy and tech engagement.

Kamikamica says for many young people, technology, and certainly the mobile phone, is second nature as they have grown up with it, and in many cases, understand it better than the generations that have come before.

He says engaging and educating the youth is crucial, as they are key to building a resilient community that can effectively combat scams.

The Acting Prime Minister says through targeted initiatives, they aim to empower the youth with knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and resist fraudulent activities, ensuring a safer digital environment for all Fijians.

He says a lot has been discussed this week in terms of scam awareness, and youth have the power to educate, inform, and protect their peers, families, and their communities.

Kamikamica says scams are evolving, becoming more sophisticated, and harder to detect.

He says it is not just about preventing scams, it is about fostering a culture of responsibility.

The Acting Prime Minister says the youths can set an example of how to engage with technology safely and wisely leading by example, showing others how to protect themselves online, recognizing suspicious activities, and reporting potential scams.

He says the government is undertaking a number of efforts to ensure the safety and security of our people in the digital environment.

Kamikamica says these efforts include the development of a national digital strategy to ensure more services are made online, development of a cyber security strategy while more services are put online to ensure the safety of all Fijians.

He adds this also includes a computer emergency response team or SIRT that will allow us or your government to collectively address and manage emerging cyber threats.