Cabinet Minister Alitia Bainivalu says Fijians should not feel pressured to contribute financially to family, church, village or community obligations when they cannot afford to do so.
In a social media post, Ms Bainivalu said while the traditions of giving, sharing and supporting one another were deeply rooted in Fijian culture, families must learn to respect their financial limitations.
“Our culture is important, but so is our children’s future,” she said.
“I am not saying we should stop contributing to our families, churches, villages or communities. Our traditions of giving, sharing and supporting one another are part of who we are as Fijians.”
However, she said there was an important distinction between contributing willingly and giving out of fear of being judged by relatives or the community.
“But we must also learn that there is a difference between giving from the heart and giving because we are afraid of being judged.”
Ms Bainivalu said people should not feel embarrassed or ashamed to decline requests for financial contributions when they were struggling to meet their own household expenses.
“There is nothing wrong with saying, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot afford to contribute this time.’”
She said families should instead be encouraged to save for their children’s education, purchase land, repay debts or invest in small businesses.
“There is nothing shameful about putting money aside for your children’s education, saving for land, paying off debt or investing in a small business.”
The Minister acknowledged that many Fijian families were already struggling to put food on the table and could not afford to purchase land or build homes.
She stressed that her message was not intended to judge families with limited financial resources but to encourage more responsible decisions when money was available.
Ms Bainivalu also questioned whether families were spending too much trying to impress others at the expense of their children’s future.
“Are we spending more money trying to impress people today than we are investing in our children’s tomorrow?”
She warned that excessive spending on social functions and celebrations could prevent families from building financial security for future generations.
“Because the truth is, we cannot keep spending everything we earn today and expect the next generation to have a better tomorrow.”
Ms Bainivalu also urged families and communities to stop placing unnecessary pressure on those unable to contribute financially.
“If someone cannot contribute to your function, do not embarrass them, gossip about them or question their love for the family.”
“Their contribution should be appreciated, not demanded.”
She said preserving cultural traditions and building financial security should go hand in hand.
“We must learn to celebrate our culture without sacrificing our financial future.”
