Vijay Nath, the assistant Minister for Infrastructure in the FijiFirst administration, yesterday shared with Fijians at the first FijiFirst family fun day that despite being a dux at his high school, he did not receive a scholarship.

This meant he had to work and save money before he could continue with his tertiary education and going on to become a school teacher.

Mr Nath, who is from Baulevu in Nausori, was welcomed on his home ground.

He told people at Syria Park that if a leader such as Voreqe Bainimarama led Fiji 20 years ago, he and many others like him would have charged ahead with their education without any problems.

Scholarships were given based on race and ethnicity and for the Indo-Fijian community the multi-ethnic scholarship existed, but only one sibling from one family studied on that scholarship.

Other siblings were disallowed from applying for it.

Mr Nath urged people to think whether their vote will help take Fiji forward or backwards.

Other candidates also spoke candidly about their own experiences and how none of them wanted Fiji to return to those days where race and ethnicity mattered instead of merit. 

FijiFirst Party supporters during the party Family Fun Day at Syria Park in Nausori on October 6, 2018. Photo: N Studios Photography Fiji

Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu

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