Staff members of Vinod Patel Centrepoint acknowledged the Chinese community by celebrating Chinese New Year on Saturday. Vinod Patel CEO Neelesh Pal Singh said China played an important role in the business and a celebration as such was to acknowledge and celebrate diversity.
“We started it as an acknowledgement, as an appreciation for the Chinese community in Fiji and across to the Vinod Patel group and other subsidiary and partnership business that we have,” he said.
“The Chinese community – not only in terms of business, but in terms of relationships and procurements – play a very important and active role in the success of Vinod Patel and our ability to source quality yet affordable products for our people in the Pacific.
“It’s a way to say thank you to the Chinese customers, stakeholders and everyone who is associated with the business whether they buy directly from us or they are in some kind of relationship, this is a way to say thank you and show our appreciation and acknowledge that yes, we in Fiji are united despite the different traditions and celebrations that goes on.”
Chinese Association president Jenny Seeto said she was happy that Vinod Patel joined the Chinese community in celebrating the Lunar Year of the Rabbit.
“The Chinese Youth Social and Cultural Association have been coming to Vinod Patel for a few years now,” she said.
“The youth group not only consists of Chinese youths but other ethnicities as well, mainly the children from Yat Sen School.
“The lion dance that is done has a very important place in Chinese culture – it helps business houses welcome the new year and bring in prosperity, good luck and wards off the evil spirits as well so it is quite traditional to have the lion dance at a Chinese new year event.”
