THE girmit descendants were finally given equal citizenry in the 2013 Constitution, says Health Minister Rosy Akbar.
She highlighted this while speaking at the girmit celebration at Vashist Muni College hall in Navua on Friday.
Ms Akbar said this year was a historic year for all girmitiya as they commemorate the contributions made by their ancestors.
“Now in Fiji we enjoy that, we are all equal and we should be proud of the fact that we have been given equal status in the Constitution and also to be called proud Fijians,” Ms Akbar said.
“It took 97 years from the arrival of that last ship for the descendants of the girmitiya to be called Fijians and to be truly become a part of a nation and participate fully in national act,”she said.
Ms Akbar also reminded parents to continue to advise their children of what their forefathers went through and at the same time encourage them to work hard and become successful.
Major celebrations were held around the country for the past few days to commemorate the abolition of girmit (indentured labour system) with the passing of 100 years since the arrival of the last ship, SS Sutlej V, in the country with labourers.
