As the People’s Coalition Government approaches its one-year anniversary, National Federation Party member and Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister, Lenora Qereqeretabua, has stressed the importance of fostering a sense of ownership among citizens.

Qereqeretabua emphasizes the government’s role as a public servant, working for the people and being accountable to them.

“We’re trying to also help change the mindset of our civil servants, of people in general in Fiji. Let them know that you can complain about your government, you put your government there, we work for you, and we work for you. You don’t work for us.”

However, Qereqeretabua acknowledges that challenges remain.

“So in terms of the one year, yes, we have been tripped up a few times, but that’s to be expected. We are new to this, but we really rely on the hardworking public servants, civil servants who do the work day in and day out. I like to say that politicians come and go, but it’s the people who are at the desk, the people that know the policies, that know how to drive the policies, that are the important people.”

Looking ahead, Qereqeretabua expressed optimism for the coming year, emphasizing the lessons learned and the commitment to avoiding repeated mistakes.