Reddy Commends Villagers For Protecting Resources

The Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Mahendra Reddy applauded the 50 plus people of Abaca Village in Lautoka for taking care of the natural resources.

Mr Reddy’s comments came after he officiated at the World Wildlife Day celebrations including the launch of the Technical Advisory Partnership at the village yesterday.

While addressing villagers, he said Abaca Village was at the forefront of protecting the biodiversity and the biological resources.

Abaca Village, which comes under the Tikina-o-Vuda in the province of Ba is known to many for its multiple tourist-attraction spots. These includes the Koroniyanitu National Park, Nase Lodge which is nearby to Vereni Falls, Batilamu Lodge, Savuyone Falls and Tunutunu Falls.

“I want to urge other villages to take the cue from Abaca Village in protecting our natural resources,” said Mr Reddy.

“You are one of the places that have an eco-friendly area and I want to thank your forefathers for maintaining the purity of the biodiversity here.

“You are right in the mix of the diversity that you have in respect to biological resources, the forest resources.”

He urged the village elders to take time out to talk with other villagers about the good deeds their forefathers had done for them.

The Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Mahendra Reddy (back row) with the people of Abaca Village after he officiated at the World Wildlife Day celebrations and the launch of the Technical Advisory Partnership at the village in Lautoka on March 9, 2021. Photo: Nicolette Chambers

“Your forefathers have benefited and lived among us conjointly with the biological resources and you are also living here right in the interior among them and it becomes your duty to protect these resources and to build resilience so that it can withstand any external forces beyond us so that the future generation can also benefit from the biodiversity,” he said.

“If you have planted the yasi or damanu you may not see the benefit today but your children will see the benefits.

“You take on this wildlife day to sit with your children, grandchildren and villagers to remember those people who took those very important steps to protect the waterways.”

Mr Reddy added the Department of Environment stood ready to assist villagers.

The village’s eco-tourism project manager, Pauliasi Kubu, said the project was not only for the sole purpose of benefiting the tourism industry, but also to help grow and sustain the wildlife species around the area.

“During the recreation project, it was not only for tourism but also for the protection of our environment and wildlife species that live around us today,” said Mr Kubu.

Mr Kubu said the village stood by its vision of protecting the heritage to bless the world.

Edited by Selita Rabuku 

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