National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad has stressed that the governance of Fiji needs to take a new direction in 2018 for all our citizens to witness genuine parliamentary democracy and full restoration of fundamental human rights and freedoms that are prerequisites for real social, political and economic advancement of our nation.
In his New Year’s message, Professor Prasad says that to ignore fundamental problems that plague our nation would be doing so at our own peril.
He says that in Fiji, calling everyone Fijians and saying they enjoy common and equal citizenry doesn’t guarantee fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, freedom of association, worker rights, political rights, the permanent tenure of employment particularly in the civil service, and freedom of the media.
Professor Prasad adds that common and equal citizenry also does not guarantee job opportunities based on meritocracy, rendering common and equal citizenry meaningless.
He says that it does not guarantee decent and meaningful living wage and it does not guarantee timely and efficient delivery of medical services and dispensation of the required medicine.
Professor Prasad also highlighted that there are many other challenges we face as a community and as a nation that can only be overcome through genuine unity, bipartisanship and sound and sensible leadership.
He says that this is what the NFP will do in 2018, which is going to be a defining and momentous year for Fiji.
Professor Prasad says that the decisions we make and the actions we take collectively as a unified harmonious force will have a profound effect on all Fijians and our future generations.
The NFP leader says that a New Year is naturally the culmination of the festive season.
He says that it is a time of rejoicing, reflection, making resolutions and welcoming the New Year with celebrations in a spirit of togetherness and harmony.
Professor Prasad says that it is also a time to remember the sick and the infirm, the less fortunate and all those unable to celebrate New Year with the same passion and vigor as others due to various reasons, particularly the locked‑out workers of Air Terminal Services who are 49% shareholders in the company.
He stressed that at the same time, the Prime Minister’s silence on an issue that has dragged on for over two weeks is shocking.
Professor Prasad says that any leader of a nation should be concerned about an impasse that is not only affecting workers but their children and families.
He says that the best start to the New Year would be for the Prime Minister to intervene and order ATS Board and Management to allow the workers who are shareholders to freely return to work without loss of pay and benefits and also order an independent inquiry in the operations of ATS.
Professor Prasad says that change is coming and change is inevitable.
