THE year 1977 was marked by the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, to Fiji. The royal couple was in Fiji from February 16-17, 1977 as part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of her accession to the British throne.
The Fiji Times on February 18, 1977 reported the Queen praising Fiji’s rapid development since the last time she visited in 1953.
During a banquet dinner held in her honour in Suva, the Queen told the 300 guests present that Fiji was the first Pacific country she had seen in 1953.
“Although it is nearly a quarter of a century ago I remember as if it were yesterday the sight of these beautiful islands as we made our first landfall since leaving Panama and sailed into Suva bay,” she said.
“The beauty remains as fresh as ever yet the economic, social and political progress has been remarkable and is something of which I am sure you have good reason to be proud.
“Nor has progress been confined within these islands. In the international field, Fiji has won an honoured place in the counsels of the nations.”
The Queen said, the Prime Minister’s presidency of the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of nations in their negotiations with the European Common Market was evidence of Fiji’s broadening interests and of the high regard in which it was held.
“That is very good,” she was quoted as saying in the newspaper. “But at the same time and this is perhaps better, you have preserved that unique quality of life which is your own.
“Of course there have had to be adaptations but inspite of these you have retained the things of real value — abiding religious faith, dignity, a respect for order, tolerance and friendliness. These are not easy to attain in a homogenous society and very much more difficult in one such as yours. Your achievement therefore is all the greater.”
In his toast, the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, said perhaps the most significant event of the Queen’s reign had been the achievement of independence by many countries through British help. When Fiji became independent in 1970, the Queen had become Queen of Fiji. Ratu Sir Kamisese said the loosening of the bonds between Britain and Fiji had turned out to be strengthened.
The Queen has visited Fiji six times during her reign; in 1953, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1977 and 1982.
