Acknowledgement Of Girmityas Contribution, Long Overdue: Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabu­ka says the social and eco­nomic contributions of the girmitiyas to Fiji are immeasur­able, yet the acknowledgement is long overdue.

“This is a special day Fiji. We are now coming together as a nation to acknowledge and honour the gir­mityas from India to Fiji between 1879 and 1916,” he said, during an address at the Girmit Day celebra­tions at Churchill Park in Lautoka last Saturday.

“We should be aware that millions, not just a few thousand who came to Fiji, millions were indentured as laborers over the British colonies of those days.

“They came to work, some of them did not know that they came to Fiji; today we pay our respects to them and acknowledge the contribu­tion of their descendants who are among us today.”

He commended the event pro­gramme organisers as it captured the spirit and intention

of what the Coalition Government had in mind in fostering unity within the nation.

“That is what we want to see, it is time now for the nation to work harder to overcome the things that have kept us apart in the past,” he said.

“Some of the hardships faced by Girmitiyas include a lack of em­ployment regulation, labour laws and immigration laws.

“Many laws were not in place to ensure that they were fairly treat­ed, the official approach was one of exploitation involving physical and mental ill-treatment, terrible work­ing hours and poor pay if any.

“This generation is now reaping the rewards of what was sewn in the colonial days and now the onus is on us to form a solid foundation for the future.

“I congratulate you all the de­scendants for the survival of your forbearers, they lived through, what was really similar to what we see in movies of wild west America.

“Those who decided to stay, fled from their oppression and the agreement made new lives for themselves and they became inde­pendent farmers well before the colony become independent.”

Lautoka City Council chief execu­tive officer Mohammed Anees Khan said: “The organising committee is grateful to the Coalition Govern­ment for bestowing this fitting hon­our in the memory of the girmiti­yas and acknowledges the immense contribution in the economic de­velopment of Fiji although it came late, nonetheless, it is a momentous occasion worth celebrating.”

While speaking on behalf of the Fiji Girmit Council, secretary Selwa Nandan said the Girmit Day was a fitting tribute.

Story By: Salote Qalubau

Feedback: salote.qalubau@fijisun.com.fj