NEWLY crowned Miss Fiji Dr Peggy Ravusiro says the tone of public opinion online in Fiji has become “brutal”, calling on people to learn how to communicate with greater kindness and empathy.
Speaking to this masthead yesterday, Dr Ravusiro urged Fijians to “learn how to talk to each other better”.
“We don’t know how to say, ‘How are you? How are you doing? How are you feeling?’” she said.
“Without proper conversation or kindness, we can’t move forward as a nation.”
Dr Ravusiro said promoting compassion and respectful dialogue was something she strongly advocated and would continue to push for.
“Be kind and caring even to people who may persecute you, because if you reciprocate the same energy, you’re no different from them.”
She added that these values needed to be instilled in children from a young age.
Drawing from her background in psychiatry, Dr Ravusiro said childhood development played a critical role in shaping an individual’s personality, worldview and resilience later in life.
“What I learnt in psychiatry is that there are different models of childhood development proposed by many psychiatrists.
“If those levels of development are not met, there can be deficits in adulthood in terms of personality, perception and worldview. Everything starts during childhood – that’s when we’re most impressionable.”
She said cognitive behavioural therapy was among the most effective psychiatric treatments, but noted it was a lengthy process.
“When you’re an adult, it’s hard to reprogram behaviour, which is why treatment can take so long.
“That’s why we need to focus on making an impact at the grassroots level.”
She also expressed concern that young people in Fiji were not receiving enough emotional support.
“I don’t think in Fiji we talk enough about the emotional support of our youth.
“With the HIV crisis, drug use and homelessness, we have to understand that these issues stem from what we weren’t told as children – not hearing ‘I love you’ enough, not being nurtured, not being given permission to live out our God-given talents.
“That is the manifestation of the social issues we’re seeing today.”
Asked about her future plans, Dr Ravusiro said she had none at present, other than spending time with her family.
“I don’t like making fixed plans. I love to be spontaneous and let God make my Picasso, my mosaic.
“I leave it up to the Lord. Wherever He wants me to serve, I will serve.”
