MINISTER FOR YOUTH AND SPORTS
HONOURABLE PARVEEN KUMAR BALA
,
Navuti Community Hall, Moturiki-Ovalau

Monday 26th October, 2020, 11:00AM

• Masters of Ceremony
• Village Elders
• Church Leaders
• Youth members
• Staff members of Ministry for Agriculture
• My Ministry staff
• Ladies and Gentlemen

Bula Vinaka and a very good day to you all,
It is indeed a privilege, to be back here in Ovalau for this Empowerment Training for our youths and to handover the grants as well.

At the outset, I wish to thank the village elders for a warm welcoming ceremony and would like to say Vinaka-vakalevu!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am optimistic that you will all make an equal contribution and participation during this empowerment training.
This training which is known as the ‘Empowerment training program for Climate Change’ will ensure that the youth participants are trained and empowered to tackle climate change issues and its impacts.
In doing so we are empowering young Fijians to productively utilize their skills as a source of sustainable livelihood opportunity.
This programme is in line with the Youth Capacity Building Program which the Ministry utilise to empower, capacitate and enhance youth’s knowledge on socio – economic development and provides various technical skills and training offered as part of the youth development program.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this workshop training has come in the middle of challenging times for us all. Globally, we have been badly affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. However, despite the impact of the pandemic, it has also enabled us to rethink how we do things and how we approach new and innovative ways of moving forward.
Many individuals, especially the youths, find it difficult to secure employment due to the impacts of the pandemic.
Thus the Government is committed in providing workshops and short courses to individuals to up skill so that they are able to find employment in different areas.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ministry, through our non-formal education program, has provided many youths an opportunity to be employed and sustain their livelihoods over many years. This non-formal education programme includes carpentry training, empowerment skills training, agricultural training and others. We seek to maximize the potential of our youths and provide them with an avenue to achieve their goals in life.
FijiFirst Government, through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is determined to strengthen the youth sector in Fiji. The sole reason for this exercise is to have a vibrant youth sector in the near future which contributes to the economy, reducing poverty and equalising living standards.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope that these short courses will enable you to achieve your goals and aspirations .Please encourage other youths to take up courses to have a purpose driven life.
Your Government is committed to an inclusive policy for all Fijians.
On the other hand Ladies and Gentlemen, I am also very pleased to handover to these well-deserved youths; farming tools such as spades, forks, materials for greenhouse and seedlings just to name a few. This will all add value to what you are already doing with your farms.
The materials and seedlings that I will handover today will assist these youths involved in farming for family food security, improve livelihood in the community, create employment opportunities, improve the youth and community bond, and most importantly it will deter the youths from engaging in unlawful activities and of course serve as a source of income.
Finally ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to extend my appreciation and acknowledgement of other stakeholders who have provided seedlings to help these youths as well.
We have a Youth Officer, who is stationed at our Levuka office, where major focus is to identify and support youth needs and create awareness regarding the ministry’s programs and activities .So please, do visit them.
I encourage you all to remain focus and use what you will learn this week to your advantage. Set your priorities and always strive for the best.
I also urge our youths to learn new skills and continue to upgrade yourselves because that is what is required in these changing times.
With those words, I wish you all the best and wish you well in your future endeavours.
Thank you and Vinaka-vakalevu!!!
-ENDS-