ADB 2019: Baravilala Advises Youths to Invest In Themselves

Twenty-nine-year-old Tupou’tuah Baravilala’s best advice for youths is to invest in themselves and learn new skills.

The Kadavu native was one of the ‘30 Under 30: The Faces of Fiji’s Future’ at the 52nd Annual Meet­ing of Asian Development Bank’s Board of Governors in Nadi.

Ms Baravilala said youths need to take time to identify what their purpose and passions are, then uti­lise and seize available opportuni­ties.

She said the Government pro­vides many opportunities for the young. This includes the Young En­trepreneurship Scheme. If utilised well, it can make dreams become a reality.

Ms Baravilala is a principal legal officer in the office of the Attorney- General.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of the South Pacific in 2011 and later completed her Post Graduate Di­ploma in Legal Practice in 2012.

Her goal is to positively impact lives through her work, particu­larly to ensure that our citizens not only have access to digital services but are also protected in the digital space.

She currently oversees the Digital Government Transformation Pro­gramme, reporting directly to the Minister for Communications, who she briefs with policy high-level ad­vice and strategic direction.

The launch of digitalFIJI mobile apps, including the Government Directory, MyFeedBack and Birth Registration all of which she has personally led, including manage­ment over backend development and user testing.

Her second achievement is her of Fiji as an ITC leader on the global stage.

In February this year she chaired and Executive Committee Meeting (EXCO) meeting to decide Com­monwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) matters that was attended by members from Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago and the ICT sector.

“I have also represented Fiji at previous Council Meetings to Ad­vocate for Fiji’s inclusion in the EXCO.”

Ms Baravilala has been at the fore­front of Fiji’s efforts to combat cy­bercrime.

She has been directly involved in many high-level meetings with many global companies.

She is the secretary and mem­ber of Government’s ITC Steering Committee, where her unique role enables her to review the papers submitted by management and pro­vide them with informed direction regarding policy, strategic plan­ning and government processes.

She advises the Minister for Com­munications on these submissions, earning her a great deal of trust and rapport within the highest lev­els of the Fiji Government.

She has also been directly involved in the budget submissions for the Ministry of Communications, in­cluding reviewing budget submis­sions and managing responses to the auditor-generals report for the department of ITC Services.

Tupou sees her great grandfather, the late Doctor Samuela Baravilala and the women in her family, par­ticularly her mother as her role models.

“Their faith, integrity, strength, foresight and resilience are some of the reasons why they are my role models,” Ms Baravilala said.

Feedback: lusiana.tuimaisala@fijisun.com.fj