HON. LAISENIA TUITUBOU
Minister for Youth and Sports
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SPEECH AT THE HANDING OVER OF SPORTS EQUIPMENT
Queen Victoria School Friday
Tailevu 21 July 2017
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The Principal Queen Victoria School
Teachers and students
Government officials
Members of the QVS PTA and Old Boys Association,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula vinaka and Good afternoon to you all
It is good to be back to familiar territory this afternoon and I must acknowledge the reception we received this afternoon.
Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is responsible for the development of sport and physical activity in the country. We are also responsible of the formulation of policies that promote holistic sports development and participation.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports recognises that sports development is a key platform essential to laying a solid foundation for our people, young and old, male and female, with and without a disability. Therefore, Government is dedicated to provide unwavering support to harness development through sport in Fiji.
Teachers, PTA members and QVS Old Boys members, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education promote school-based sports programs as essential to positive development and behaviour in students. We believe that physical education gives more opportunities for students at an early age to develop hand-eye coordination, muscle and skeleton development, balance, team spirit for all young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities. It is also key to promoting healthy living thus fostering a healthy Fiji.
The Ministry will continue to support and provide the assistance where and when necessary to develop sports and athletes alike. Government will continue to support sports development in Fiji and provide incentives.
Sport is a useful and cost effective tool to build and foster social cohesion. Recently QVS continue to feature in the media and I believe these tensions could be eradicated and eliminated through mass participation and team building activity or sports. Inclusive sport promotes participation by bringing people together and facilitates interaction.
Sport also has a positive impact on anti-social behaviour, youth violence and crime and can be used as a diversion from crime or as a “hook” to bring participants into a wider and more productive range of activities. Sport interventions help to reduce youth violence by developing trust within communities. No doubt it can re-shape the image of your school in the future.
In the past few days, staff of the Ministry and Fiji National Sports Commission are in Burelevu in Ra conducting sports and coaching clinics, teaching young people the basics of exercise using weights, boxing, volleyball, rugby, netball and many more. The Ministry is committed to providing the necessary technical skills to athletes and promote and safe sports. I urge the school to secure the services of an instructor to assist the students in the proper use of these equipment. Improper use or use without proper technique are likely to cause injury.
I wish all student athletes well and I hope the equipment will boost their performance in the future. I also hope that QVS will continue to churn out national athletes and sportsmen not only in rugby but other sports as well.
Vinaka vakalevu, Dhanyavad, Shokran and thank you all very much.
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