[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

The Macuata Youth Council has been reminded that the solutions to issues involving youths around Fiji are on the youths and active youth groups themselves.

This was the message from Minister for Youths Jese Saukuru based on the current plans by the Ministry that has been undertaken towards the fight for drugs, violence, and crime that engage the majority of youths in urban and rural communities.

He says that Fiji can only use local means and objectives to fight against the issues through youth participation, collaboration, and empowerment training and not depend on the government alone.

“We cannot use or replicate a solution from another overseas country and implement it here in Fiji. But we can implement their development plans here. The reason is clear: Fiji has its own ways and settings that make it impossible to be successful like bigger countries.”

Saukuru adds that with support from government, law, and faith-based organizations, a change can happen because it takes a youth to help another youth since it’s a different approach if police or government officials are involved with strict solutions.

Macuata Youth participant Laisani Sepo states that despite challenges, youth forums can help make an impact through forums that they can take back and empower other youths in their own respective districts and communities.

Close to 100 youth from the 27 districts within the Macuata province under the Macuata Youth Council are part of the two-day forum that is coordinated by the WWF in the North, discussing issues from climate change, drugs, youth empowerment, and natural resources management.