Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday encouraged the private sector to engage in philanthropy.

He said: “Consider doing more in the way of philanthropy – to join hands with Government in creating opportunities for the Fijian people.”

Mr Bainimarama was speaking at the opening of the Lami Tech Studio.

He thanked those that contributed to the cost of the project: New Zealand Aid; High Tech Youth Network, a non-profit corporation based in New Zealand and Hawaii, Microsoft Corporation, the Adobe Corporation, TRENZ Homes and Fletcher Construction Pacific. Lami Town Council gave the land.

“I ask the private sector to follow the example of those corporations who have helped build this facility, to assist Government to achieve that vision of our beloved nation,” he said.

Mr Bainimarama has recently praised the Lautoka-based Punja and Sigatoka-based Tappoo business groups for their philanthropy and good deeds.

“One of my Government’s main priorities is to bridge the digital divide between affluent Fijians and those without the same opportunities; to ensure that people living in isolated areas, and especially our rural and maritime communities, eventually have the same access to the benefits of technology that many already enjoy in our cities and towns.

“I keep saying in successive speeches to our young people, work as hard as you can. Dream big dreams and reach for the stars. A world of opportunity awaits you. With our education revolution no Fijian child has ever had

a better opportunity to learn, to gain the knowledge they need to get well-paid and satisfying jobs and contribute to moving Fiji into the ranks of the clever countries.

“In Lami today (yesterday), dozens of young people have begun that journey, thanks to this project. So, let us work together in a Government-private partnership to give more young Fijians the same opportunity.”

This project, called the High Tech Youth Network Pasifika – Fiji included the principal donor, New Zealand Aid through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has provided more than $1.3 million Fijian dollars.

Mr Bainimarama said another $330,000 was donated by the High Tech Youth Network, the Microsoft Corporation, the Adobe Corporation, TRENZ Homes and Fletcher Construction Pacific.

“Since this facility opened its doors to the young people of Lami early this month, just under 200 of them had formally registered with the programme and more than 1100 young people had already been through its doors.

“This alone shows how eager young Fijians are to join the IT and information revolution.”

He said the same level of enthusiasm was sweeping across Fiji as more young people took advantage of his Government’s telecentres. “Those telecentres may not have equipment in them that is this sophisticated, but they are opening up a world of opportunity that the older Fijians could not never have imagined.”

Such a project, he said, would help solve Fiji’s shortage of highly trained experts. He said it would give young people the best possible start to developing the kind of cutting-edge skills to move Fiji forward.

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