NEWLY sworn-in Attorney-General Sevuloni Valenitabua has challenged Parliamentarians to reflect on the legacy they will leave behind, saying their contribution to the nation should be measured by their actions and the lives they touch, not the positions they hold.
In his maiden speech in Parliament yesterday, Mr Valenitabua said leaders must ask themselves what the people they serve would remember them for when their time in public office ended.
“Will they remember the positions we held?,” he asked.
“Or the titles we carried? Or the speeches we delivered? Or will they remember how we treated them?”
Mr Valenitabua, who was sworn in as a Member of Parliament following his appointment as Attorney-General by President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, thanked Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka for placing his trust in him.
He said he accepted the responsibility with humility, acknowledging that the position would bring challenges and difficult decisions.
“I cannot claim to know all about the demands and solutions in respect of the position.
“I can say, however, that I am committed to listening, learning, and carrying out my responsibilities with integrity, fairness, and respect to the best of my abilities.”
A former school teacher, Mr Valenitabua described himself as approachable and said he looked forward to working with fellow MPs.
He also urged leaders to become positive role models, stressing that goodness and unity must begin in Parliament, homes and communities.
“Our footprints, so to speak, will remain.”
Mr Valenitabua reminded MPs that future generations would live with the consequences of decisions made today.
Attorney-General Sevuloni Valenitabua, left, with Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau at the Parliament complex yesterday. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
