Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.

2020 brought challenges with climate change battering Fiji and the catastrophic COVID-19 that caused hardships for every Fijian.

While delivering his new year’s message, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said Fijians should find pride in how we’ve met the adversity together as communities and as a country.

He says Tropical Cyclone Yasa was a cruel twist to end a tough year.

As Fijians enter a new year, Bainimarama says we must take a pause and spare a moment to count our blessings.

“This holiday season has already seen far too many accidents and deaths on our roads. We simply cannot stand the heartbreak of losing more family members to reckless driving. It doesn’t matter where you’re going it is not worth anyone’s life to get there. Please respect the speed limit, buckle up, and keep our roads safe to drive.”

The Prime Minister has also assured that the government remains committed to rebuilding back better – similar to what was done post-TC Winston in 2016.

“There will be children in classrooms and essential services that reach our people because we are delivering on our promise of a more resilient Fiji. And that should steel our faith that we will emerge stronger from Yasa. And we will come out stronger from this global pandemic and resulting economic crisis as will our businesses, our industries and our economy.”

Bainimarama says the COVID-19 pandemic will rage on for months or more, but the light of a new and better year is peering through the clouds.

“Hope is on the horizon, hope that life will become more normal than it has been and is today. Hope that our economy regains its strength and our people reclaim their prosperity. And hope that even as our climate keeps changing, so will we.”

He also acknowledged the front line workers who’ve made a lot of sacrifices in making Fiji a COVID contained country, even 257 days since Fiji’s last local case.