The Fijian Government will introduce a new national holiday in 2023, namely Girmit Day and will also reinstate Ratu Sukuna Day.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made this known in his first LIVE public address to the nation this evening.
Mr Rabuka said some months ago, he made a pledge to legislate for a Girmit Day public holiday to honour the settlers from India who began arriving here from 1879.
“They were starting a new life in an unknown land and stayed to become an integral part of our country,” Mr Rabuka said.
“I reconfirm my promise to inaugurate that new national holiday in 2023,” he said.
Mr Rabuka said for reasons that are unclear, the former government decided to scrap the national holiday marking the life and achievements of our great chief and statesman, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna.
“We will reinstate Ratu Sukuna Day. The monumental work of this illustrious traditional leader on land reform has had a continuing beneficial effect on the landowners, the economy, the sugar industry, business and investment.”
