Ilisapeci Ratu, was a proud mother witnessing her four-year-old son, Sakiusa Ratu, leading the Wailoaloa Beach cleanup campaign alongside other business houses in Nadi on Wednesday.

Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Dr Mahendra Reddy and the Director Environment, Sandeep Singh, also assisted in the cleaning up of the beach to mark World Oceans Day.

Members from the Fiji Police Force, Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Republic of Fiji Navy, Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, the Pacific Flying School, Air Terminal Services Limited, Nadi Town Council and workers from the nearby hotels and resorts were part of the cleanup.

In his address, Dr Reddy said it was encouraging to see people who were daily, on the ground, protecting the people and Fiji’s biodiversity by being part of the beach cleanup campaign.

He said Fiji’s entire economy was linked to the ocean.

“We need to take a pledge that we become ambassadors of our ocean, biodiversity, environment and go and create a movement, we need a national movement geared towards protecting our ocean, our biological resources and our environment,” he said.

“But we are asking for more, we are asking to restore what we have damaged and become a guardian and custodian of our biological resources and our oceans,” said Dr Reddy.

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