
Opening Remarks of His Grace, Archbishop Petero Mataca, Co-Chair, NCBBF At the Second Meeting of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji Held on Thursday, 27th March, 2008 at the Police Academy, Suva The Co-Chair, Distinguished Members of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji for All, Ladies & Gentlemen, I greet you warmly! Compliment of the season! Welcome and thank you for coming to this second meeting of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji for All. In my Easter message to the Catholic community and people of goodwill throughout Fiji last week I said that Jesus asked God his Father to forgive all who rejected him, made him suffer, crucified and mocked him. I also said that through the death of Jesus we are given the grace and the opportunity to set our own lives right; to do things right and to re-establish our relationship with God, with all those around us and not only with the people who are good to us but also our enemies. The coups that took place in our beautiful country in the last 20 years have left behind a trail of hurt, un-reconciled, disappointed and revengeful people. There are divisions: racial divisions, church divisions, political divisions and family divisions. Reconciliation & forgiveness are needed. Communities of reconciliation are communities of safety, are communities of memory, are communities of hope. Human forgiveness is deciding for a different future. This is not ignoring or forgetting the past. It is not belittling suffering nor demeaning the victim. The events which have transpired over the last number of weeks since the Inaugural Meeting held on 16th January, 2008 have again showed us that we should not expect our engagement in the People’s Charter process to be like sailing on calm waters. There are challenges and threats which face us as citizens of Fiji committed to the processes that have begun. Some of our international partners, and I am referring in particular to Australia and New Zealand , are lukewarm about this initiative and have been single mindedly pressing for immediate Election. I wish to remind us the Election is important but we are also mindful about what happens after that Election. That is what this Charter is about. If Australia and New Zealand are really concerned with the future of democracy and the rule of law in Fiji, then they should provide resources to support the People’s Charter, in addition to the support for the preparation for the Election in March, 2009. Concerns have been expressed that the Charter could be used by the Interim Government to delay Election. I wish to make it clear that the NCBBF was not formed to provide an excuse for delaying the Election. The purpose of the NCBBF is to work with people of Fiji to develop a comprehensive plan of reforms for the nation for the long term so that the Election will open the door to a secure and better future for the people of Fiji. The People’s Charter is important to the credibility of the Election. However, I am concerned that if the work on the Charter is prolonged through lack of resources, this could threaten our ability to have the Election at the scheduled time. I am also of the view that whilst no one can guarantee stability of the country in future, the Charter, if it is effectively observed and implemented, will help bring about long term stability in the country. However, in a country that is deeply fragmented, traumatized from previous events with a colonial legacy of racism, with very little experience of harnessing our collective creativity and, under pressure from global forces, where does one begin to apply this message of hope and belief in change for the better? I believe there is already abundant evidence of hope and desire for change – the enthusiasm and spirit of our young people as seen during the youth week: Churches and interfaith groups at the community level coming together to dialogue on major issues; the fast growing saving scheme from those living in the squatter settlements; the formation of the largest and first ever squatter network known as the People’s Community Network [PCN]; the recently launched DVD of women living in the squatter settlements telling their own life stories; the setting up of a school in the interior of Navua where hands are linking to get urban dwellers involved in providing school materials for the children there; the groups of indigenous land/resource owners who are courageous in their analysis of their itovo ni vanua and how it relates to other races in Fiji after the colonial legacy. These are some signs to indicate that there is in Fiji a greater willingness to go beyond boundaries of race, social status and religion to reach out to those in need, and indicate a growing resolve to build a better Fiji for the future. There is a strong sense of hope and belief that change is good. I have said we need to start a new page in our history. The People’s Charter, far from being yet another imposition on Fiji’s people is a consultation process. We must see that it continues that way in order to develop a way forward after the General Election. This is important so that political leaders who will form the next elected Government can have a solid basis of good policies that address our common problems and aspirations; a plat form on which they can work together in government. I thank you for your presence, your willingness and perseverance with the challenging process in the mapping out the way forward for a better, and more progressive Fiji. May God bless you & your loved ones! May God bless Fiji!

View the Music Video Of the People's Charter