‘Future of grandchildren’s homeland worries me’

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The President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere prepares to blow on birthday cake during the opening of the Fiji Seascape Symposium in Suva, on 20th April 2022. Picture: ELIKI NUKUTABU

Na Bainivualiku’, an NGO founded by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere in 2020, was established to highlight the climate change plight of communities around Fiji, especially those on Vanua Levu.

Ratu Wiliame started this initiative because he felt rural communities were often forgotten, or used by groups and funders for personal gains and recognition.

He said the aim of the organisation was to capture stories, consolidate data and reports, and to also advocate for change in communities and dialogue with other NGOs on the ground. He shared this while delivering the opening address at the Fiji National Seascape Symposium in Suva yesterday.

“This brings me to why I support the work that the Fiji Council of Social Services are doing in keeping project people accountable to the commitment they make to communities around Fiji.

“I speak to you today not only as the head of State but also as a traditional head of the province of Macuata, a husband, a father and a grandfather.

“And it is the future of my grandchildren’s homeland that worries me after seeing what climate change is doing.

“After COP23 in Bonn Germany, I was able to successfully get the Great Sea Reef or Cakau Levu in Vanua Levu to be a recognised RAMSAR site,” he added.

He said Cakau Levu was a protected site and it gave him hope for the future when such victories were won little by little.

“We are in this together – to protect, effectively review efforts and redefine our approach to remain relevant to the prevalent risk our oceans face and to most importantly care for our natural resources from the mountain-to reef-to ocean.”

The three-day symposium aims to highlight the efforts of Government and its partners over the past five years towards this commitment of sustainable management of our ocean ecosystem.

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