Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Infrastructure and Transport Parveen Bala reminded youths attending a workshop not to take leadership for granted.

“Leadership is a service, not a privilege or a right, and once you become a leader, it is important to stay humble and the people focused,” Mr Bala said.

Mr Bala was speaking on Saturday during the Sanatan Youth Workshop in Ba on Sanatan Sustainable Goal 2030.

He said it was a religion and faith that had taken a particularly inclusive form in Fiji.

“This began with the coming of the religion with our Girmitiyas, who broke the caste barriers that makes Hinduism sometimes intolerant in its treatment and even exclusion of those from the lower castes,” he said.

“I am part of a government that is proudly inclusive of all Fijians in its policies and actions, regardless of caste, creed or colour.

“It is very important and a key to achieving a safer, healthier and secured community.

“As Fijians we have to put Fiji and its interests first with an emphasis on equality and putting into place merit based systems of incentives and rewards, in areas such as education and employment that are of particular importance to our youth”

He said their religion taught them to divide time in terms of productive phases for personal and familial growth as well as allocating time for communal and social growth.

“We need to continue to do this as we need leaders like those gathered here today who believe in a service orientated leadership,” he said.

“We have to be very careful not to confuse religions or past practices, especially movements that preach a return to caste or try to preach that is a purer form of religion or that it is the domain of a privileged few.”

Edited by Rusiate Mataika