Fiji, on its current path, is looking to unfold its full potential, said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama at the Fiji Day celebrations at Woodward Park in Liverpool, Sydney, Australia on Saturday.

Mr Bainimarama said history had shown moments when nations found their true spirit and unlocked their full potential.

“We’ve seen remarkable progress made, in quite a short time by countries of all sizes, from China to Ghana to Singapore. Once these countries found the right formula, their growth exploded,” he said.

“Fiji is living in such a moment.

“Our economy has expanded for 10 straight years and despite slowing global growth, our economy is resilient enough to endure these headwinds.

“We’re making big, long-term investments that are going to pay back returns over generations, laying a rock-solid foundation of progress for our children and their children to build upon.”

Mr Bainimarama invited the former Fiji citizens to invest in Fiji.

He said the bureaucratic red tape that used to make investment a painstakingly long process had been cut by harnessing technology through the landmark initiative digitalFIJI.

“We’re uplifting more of our people from job-takers into job-makers, and we’re making it easier for members of our diaspora community to bring their ideas, ambitions and investments back to Fiji and seize upon the boundless market opportunities and untapped white space at their feet,” he said.

“This time next year, we’ll be celebrating 50 years since our independence. Let me say this: don’t just limit your celebrations to Liverpool. For the big day itself, come home.

“Come home and experience what Fiji has become for yourselves, and see where our nation is headed. It’s going to be a celebration for the ages –– and we have some big announcements in the pipeline.”

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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