05/11/2025
From ceremony to solutions in Tailevu
Last Wednesday and Thursday, I sat with our chiefs, civil servants, and community leaders at the Tailevu Provincial Council meeting. The opening was rich with tradition, reminders of who we are and what binds us. Then we turned to the hard work: honest conversations about the challenges facing our Province and our nation.
Vinaka vakalevu to Hon. Vosarogo for putting HIV and drug abuse squarely on the agenda and challenging us to take bold, practical steps. Fiji is confronting serious headwinds, and we are meeting them head on with a comprehensive approach.
My journey with Tailevu did not begin last week. When I returned home in 2019 after eight years away, the former Chairman, now our Police Commissioner, invited me to help form a Think Tank for Tailevu. Twenty four of our best and brightest, 12 women and 12 men, answered the call, including Dr Adi Eci Nabalarua, Dr Adi Akanisi Kedrayate, Melinia Nawadra, Adi Mereani Rotuibau, Adi Kelera Cavuilati, Ratu Semi Matalau, Malakai Naiyaga, Craig Strong, and Ratu Wiliki Takiveikata, just to name a few. Together we set out to craft a Strategic Plan for the Province.
In 2021, I stepped aside to prepare for elections, and Mr Naiyaga capably led the team to complete that mammoth task. The work was entirely voluntary, with members contributing their own time and resources and seeking expertise from beyond Tailevu when needed.
This week, hearing Ratu Apen*sa Seniloli brief the Council on the rollout of the Tailevu Strategic Plan was a proud moment. The plan aligns closely with Fiji’s National Development Plan and the iTaukei Affairs Strategy. It balances economic growth with health, culture, faith, and social wellbeing. I believe it will transform Tailevu in the years ahead. More than that, Tailevu may be offering a template for unlocking the iTaukei economy and uplifting livelihoods across Fiji.
I was deeply humbled by the support expressed by our chiefs. With that encouragement, my focus remains clear: deliver for our people. The People’s Government has made positive contributions, and there is much more to do. We will do it together before we meet again at the polls.
