THE first service woman and first female commissioned officer enlisted into the Republic of Fiji Navy, Lieutenant Commander Silipa Tagicaki Kubuabola is humbled to be recognised as a leader in the maritime industry.
Lt-Cdr Silipa was awarded last week.
She had started her career with the naval division in 1997.
From 1997 to 2011, she had worked as a legal officer in the navy but later worked for various organisations after 2011 where she built a very strong career background.
Being from Dravuwalu Village in Naceva, Kadavu and a recently widowed mother of two children, she has found that God continues to be faithful to her in her journey in life.
“The award received today (September 27) is just another one of God’s nudge to say that he has my back,” she said.
“It’s humbling and quite emotional thinking back to 1997 when I first enlisted into the navy as a commissioned officer after coming out of military training, it was when the Commander at the time was the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama,” she said.
“It was he who came up with the decision then to start enlisting women in the navy and it was groundbreaking now that I look back.
“We have come a long way to see government and the maritime industry with a mix of representatives at the World Maritime Day celebration who are recognising the contribution of women in maritime.
“Maritime is not only limited to shipping, it also extends to the protection of marine environment and fisheries, which is a major revenue earner and a stable food source for us as a coastal nation.”
She praises God for how he had personally brought her through.
“Back in 1997 it was just me and it was difficult but it was through God I was able to sustain myself,” she said.
“I then left to try and gain more experience outside of the navy.”
She went on to work as a senior legal officer with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, then as a principal marine officer (compliance and enforcement) with the Fiji Islands Maritime Safety Administration (FIMSA) now the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF).
She was also a legal consultant with MSAF from 2010 to 2013 and a maritime legal adviser to Fiji’s delegation to the IGC-1 & IGC-3 at the UN Negotiation on an Implementation Agreement under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the management and sustainable use of the marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
“Now I’m back in the navy and God has been so good in bringing me back here now. The experiences that I have brought over the years are now being invested back into the navy,” she said.
“To all women and to all the young girls out there, nothing is impossible and don’t let anyone talk you down. Make sure you’re always right with God and sky is the limit. God willing I will be able to contribute to the betterment of the future of our children especially with the protection of our resources.”
