SPEAKER of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has called on young people to let their voices be heard, whether it’s in their family, school or in their community.
“I am convinced that as youth, a critical solution lies within all of you; it is your voice,” Ratu Epeli told the youths at the 2019 International Youth Fellowship (IYF) World Cultural Camp in Suva on Monday night.
“In this rapidly developing world, it is so important to step out and let your voice be heard, whether it’s in your family, school or in your community. What you say can help shape policies that impact lives significantly.”
Ratu Epeli said as Speaker of Parliament, he listened to a lot of vibrant debates in Parliament that allowed for good ideas to find their way to important decisions that would impact our nation.
He said it was in that vein that he encourage the young people to hold meaningful dialogue with one another, hold healthy debates, learn about others and share ideas in various sessions.
He also noted that no country was immune to problems such as poverty, unemployment, violence, teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, drugs, obesity diseases and problems that were brought about by unfavourable climatic conditions.
“As young people, you can no longer consider these as problems to be taken care of solely by the older generation. It is your time to put up your hand to help your governments make a difference in the lives of people in your communities and be the solution.
“With the advent of modern technology, mobile phones, the internet and social media, the world we now live in, is more complex than ever before; with these have come insurmountable challenges.
“You will know that every nation has its share of problems, as a result of development, and it should therefore not come as a surprise to you that the world over, including countries in our region, are forever looking for collaborative and practical solutions to address them.”
