There are moments in history that we as a nation must continue to hold up and place great value on. Whatever your take is on this date, and how you celebrate the long weekend, we say today is a very special day for our nation.
Today marks 52 years of our independence from Great Britain. We reflect on a day that gave us the reigns to chart a path for us as a new nation. Today we can reflect on how we have done so far.
We can look back at the years that have gone by, and ask many questions. Are we in a better position now than when we were back in 1970, pre-Independence? The years have unfolded many events, and many of them were life-changing for Fijians.
We’ve had coups, in 1987, in the year 2000 and in 2006 for instance. We had a mutiny at the Army HQ in Nabua, Suva, and we’ve had the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve had natural disasters, and who can ever forget that monster Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016?
The resilience of the Fijian people, however, once again stood out post-Winston. We lived through a frightening episode in our history, but tales of heroism and bravery under frightening conditions were told.
We are not immune to the problems of the world, and like every nation on the planet, we are afflicted with shortcomings. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the very heart of our economy. It left thousands of Fijians without jobs.
By this time last year, we had a massive 653 deaths because of COVID-19. It reflected how we responded as a nation to the second wave which struck in April last year. Far too many people died in our tiny nation of less than one million people.
In the face of all these events, we remind ourselves of three significant events that happened in October, 1970. At sunset on October 9, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time in a moving ceremony at 5.30pm, at a packed Albert Park in Suva.
Speaker of the House and former President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau remembers this moment very well. The flag was lowered by Regimental Sergeant Major Isoa Vakaciwa and the orderly officer was Captain Isimeli Bainimara.
There was respect and a sense of nostalgia. It was afterall, the end of an era. The moving ceremony, the sounds of the Last Post, and beating retreat left an indelible impression on the minds of all those in attendance.
This old military tradition once marked the moment when troops ceased fighting, withdrew from the battlefield to their camps at sunset. Colours and standards were cased and flags lowered. This first significant event marked the closure of a chapter for Fiji.
The next day, on October 10, Prince Charles read a message from the Queen and handed over the constitutional instruments that declared our independence. Then there was the raising of the noble banner blue, our new flag, announcing our independence.
That was a special moment in our history. There were many reasons to smile, cheer, and be proud. When you cut out the negatives, Fiji is a lovely country to live in. We hope you will consider the impact of this day back in 1970, and the sacrifices made to take that first bold step on the path to independence.
Despite our flaws, we can still try to be a beacon of hope for others. So let’s continue to put aside our differences and dedicate ourselves to lifting our nation to great heights. United, we have the power to build a better Fiji together, for ourselves and for our future generations.
Our political platform has seen interesting developments over the years, and our election process and systems have taken on significant changes. We value the role of the media, and today, we embrace its significance in our history.
We must value the freedom to understand and be aware of issues that affect us, and make choices and decisions that are good for us moving forward.
As a news organisation, we have watched our nation develop over more than a century.
Let us celebrate today and mean what we say when we call ourselves Fijians. We wish all our readers a happy, safe and memorable Fiji Day wherever you are in the world.
