- The Forum Deputy Secretary General & Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr. Filimon Manoni,
- Your Excellencies the Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
- Invited Guests;
- Fellow citizens of Fiji and the Blue Pacific,
- Members of the Media;
- Ladies and gentlemen and dear
Miau sa bula re and Warm greetings
I am honoured to be part of this auspicious event to commemorate World Ocean Day here in Suva. I thank you sincerely for the invitation as I strongly believe that the Ocean is indeed a key part of Fiji, the Blue Pacific Region and its peoples. I also acknowledge that 5th June was World Environment Day, with a focus on plastic pollution as these events and its advocacy are related and in dire need of our immediate attention.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the peoples of the Pacific today, and generations of the past, continue to hold dearly the inseparable links they share with the ocean. It is part of our values, traditional practices and spiritual connections and I am equally hopeful that the youths and children of today will uphold and treasure this now and into the future. Let me remind us again that this special connection with the ocean is no accomplishment. It now more than ever bestows upon us the responsibility as custodians and stewards of the world’s richest biodiversity and marine resources that will benefit current and future generations. We are reminded that the monetary value of our entire Blue Pacific Ocean is worth hundreds of billions of dollars and I appeal to all of us to never forget that. Our oceans are a source of life, a means to habitation for our marine organisms and source of food and survival and means of transportation. This is the very reason it deserves the attention we are giving it today. Today is all about putting the ocean first in this Planet Ocean- Where the Tides are changing.
As your Head of State, a fierce defender of the Oceans, and a traditional qoliqoli owner I am proud to share today that the Government of Fiji is also taking crucial steps in protecting its ocean, aligned to the global commitments of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Biodiversity Framework. Fiji is committed to leading the efforts towards 100% sustainable ocean management and 30% protection of its waters to safeguard ocean ecosystems and sustainably build Fiji’s ocean economy.These actions are and should be more than just the protection of Fiji’s ocean. I strongly believe that there are tailored efforts that are needed specifically to address the threats that our ocean face, such as the calamities of climate change, overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction and that the nation is committed to reversing these trends.Similarly at the regional scale, as custodians of the Blue Pacific, we all have a part to play to ensure we preserve and protect our oceans.
Today, as we commemorate this important day, the climax of this week long of organized activities is to spur behavioral change. A call to change in mindset, behavior and attitude towards our oceans – a call to be the agent of change. How can you become that agent of change that your family, village, workplace or community needs? It takes all of us present here to lead by example. If you care for the ocean, you will ensure that you do not litter in any water source as it will all end up in one way or another into the oceans. If you care for the ocean, you will avoid using the ocean as the dumping ground. You must care for the mangroves and avoid catching smaller fish. These are the small practical steps at a personal level that can make a huge impact and most importantly that the children will see and practice as well. I can personally attest to this as we continue to practice and emulate this in my province in Macuata and I challenge us all to do the same. Today as a way of giving back to the ocean, our students are tagging and releasing back into the ocean two green turtles or vonu dina. To all fishermen and fisherwomen, my plea to all of us, is, if you happen to see her and other endangered sea creatures, please do not take them home. Release them back to the ocean. They belong there. That is there habitat that is where they will prosper. We might question this important initiative but the simple answer is that, the ocean is something that connects us as opposed to separating us. We all have a part to play to ensure we protect and treasure our oceans. We must be united and ready to play our part to help planet earth and ensure our collective survival. We must ensure that our people can continue to benefit from our resources through sustainable development.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as we move forward, we can only achieve all this together as a family, as one nation and as one Blue Pacific Continent. I encourage all stakeholders to join hands with us in progressing the implementation and advocacy of positive ocean action. Political commitment requires ownership, and we must recommit to our national, regional and global policies and pledges and work together hand in hand in pursuing the best interest of our nation, region and the world. On that note, I would like to specially mention the contribution of the media, our journalists, who work diligently to raise awareness on ocean related issues. The media has been instrumental in telling our stories from the Pacific, getting the world’s attention on what matters to us. I would like to therefore congratulate the following journalists who are winners of the inaugural Pasifika Environews Awards:
