As we wrap up this season of Reset Fiji, we talk about the front-line on the current state of play, our efforts to mobilize, build partnerships, and the big ideas and actions going forward. Join us on our season finale episode.
PANEL HIGHLIGHTS PEOPLE POWER AND OPTIMISM
by Fiji Sun
The Lautoka City Council has given Friend Fiji a two-acre plot to plant vegetables that will benefit Fijian families, who find themselves in difficult situations, during this pandemic.
The farm is being managed by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, which is working closely with the Non-Government Organisation.
Founder and director of Friend Fiji, Sashi Kiran, in a robust panel discussions of the final season of Mai TV’s RESET Fiji, said the farm allowed people to walk into the farm and harvest vegetables.
Friend Fiji is in discussion with other municipal councils to adopt the same idea in other areas in the country.
Technology
Founder and Managing Director of TraSeable Solutions, Kenneth Katafono, says technology has played a big part during this pandemic.
“We started building traceable farms, agricultural platform, which essentially is supposed to be a one stop shop for anyone interested in agriculture or anyone involved in the agricultural value chain,” he said.
He said the TraSeable Solutions app was also available on Google Play Store. “People can utilise the app, which is like a digital market place, allowing people to buy and sell.”
Power of community
President of Fiji Planners Association, Mere Naulumatua, said there was a major disconnect between the local government and the ratepayers. Ms Naulumatua said it was time for people to relearn our respective roles and responsibilities and understand what it meant to live in an urban area.
She also highlighted the lack of interest from communities during public consultations.
“Rarely do citizens, take that opportunity to make a comment, so citizens lose out on that important decision-making process,” she said.
Source: Fiji Sun
WHAT THE PANELISTS SAID?
“Sometimes you are too busy competing and trying to kill each other rather the co-operating and helping to boost the nation as a whole.”
-Ram Bajekal
“Food security in schools: “People around the schools have abundance of local foods but we are not turning the cassava, the fish and the coconut into a meal.”
Sashi Kiran, FRIEND
“The resilience of our nation lies in our environment, our good climate and our connection to the land.”
Wah Sing Yee
“We must remain positive and in a state of preparedness. We have to allow people to adjust- they must reach their ground zero also and reset!”
James Sowane,Pacific Destinations
“In this pandemic, most people are moving back to the villages. When they go back, they need to assimilate themselves back into their society’s and not bring the attitudes from the city back into the villages.”
Lavinia Kaumaitotoya
“What we see is the families in the income bracket that we focus on which is under twenty thousand, they are always in a state of emergency when it
comes to housing because of the cost of building.”
Masi Latianara, @HabitatFiji/Bamboo Association Fiji
“There is certainly opportunity for innovations in the #waste sector so we can do construction work and operations of sanitary landfills and material recovery facilities.”
Jodi Smith, Matanataki
“The power of #community! In this vulnerable state, it has become evident that #communityinclusion is the basis of all this.”
Mere Naulumatua, Urban Planner
“If we believe that knowledge is power, then data is really important.”
Kenneth Katafono, TraSeable Solutions Fiji
“The cultural value system solesolevaki is an intransitive verb, it is working in collaboration, usually in plantations, house construction but it is more than
collaboration and working together; it is held together by invisible glue called veiwekani or kinship.”
Simi Sevudredre
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