Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says his government’s highest priorities are to create one Fiji by raising the living standards and opportunities for the people and provide needed government services in rural and maritime areas and making sure all communities are connected.
He made these comments while commissioning the Bula Batiki Virgin Coconut Oil Processing Shed and the new solar power system for the nursing station.
Bainimarama says the Bula Batiki Company is one example of what Fijians can do to seize a place in the global economy.
He adds that they had been processing the oil in the Yavu Village Community Hall and this might have been acceptable when they were starting, but in a growing business, it needs a proper place to produce and package its product in a place with adequate space and proper ventilation.
The Prime Minister says that he is proud of what the four villages have done and they have benefited from a high-quality product that can be exported to the world’s most sophisticated markets.
He says the $75,000 investment through the Ministry of Agriculture is well spent and will be repaid many times over by the income the company will generate for the Fijian economy.
Bainimarama says the commissioning of the new solar power system for the nursing station will assist the people of the tikina who rely on the services of their local nurse.
He further says they must ensure that the station has the power it needs whenever it needs it. He adds that emergencies and illnesses do not come on a schedule and any medical facility must have reliable power on demand, 24 hours a day, seven days a week because lives could depend on it.
Bainimarama highlighted that he is pleased that his office was able to fund the $72,000 cost of this system under the Small Grants Scheme.
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