NAVAL officers from Fiji and the United States engaged in a friendly basketball match at the USP Gymnasium in Suva yesterday, as part of the community engagement efforts by the US Navy personnel on board the USS Blue Ridge.
It was an opportunity for the members of both naval services to interact and foster a sense of camaraderie, as the atmosphere within the gymnasium was a lively and fun-filled one for all who attended.
Speaking on behalf of the US naval officers, information systems technician Master Chief Petty Officer Gabriel Garcia explained what their visit entailed.
“It’s been great; we’ve had nothing but a great reception, the personnel here have been very receptive,” Garcia mentioned.
“We’re just having a really good time enjoying it, the guys are enjoying it — it’s a great time.”
He added the time spent with their Fijian counterparts gave way for sportsmanship to be built upon the community engagement.
Meanwhile, Fiji Navy acting operations officer Lieutenant Commander Sairusi Colati, who spoke on behalf of the Fijian naval officers, said the chance to interact with the US naval officers was an enriching one.
“It’s been enriching and shows the true partnership between the two nations – this sporting activity helps us understand one another,” Colati shared.
“This basketball competition was put together just to get the people to engage in friendly competition and build on a relationship and working on how we can work best when we are out there, understanding each other’s team spirits.”
Meanwhile, in today’s engagements for the American naval personnel, they will partake in two community projects at the Walu Bay office of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA) from 8.30am to 12pm.
Their second engagement today is a visit to the Marist Convent School in Lami where they will interact with students and assist in the improvement of school facilities.
