Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Minister for Local Government Maciu Nalumisa, this morning, encouraged young people of Raiwai and Raiwaqa to channel their energy into creativity, self-expression, and discipline.
Nalumisa opened the “Poji Lament,” a first-of-its-kind concert put together to honor the late George Fiji Veikoso, who grew up at the same venue where the event is being hosted.
The Minister stressed that music offers a pathway of hope, saying he was honored to be invited to be part of the event that recognizes the potential of the late King of Pacific Reggae.
He told the youths that music has the potential to open doors for talent development, build confidence, and provide an alternative to the negative influences that too often surround them.
“Through music, our youths can tell their stories, advocate for change, and find belonging in a society that sometimes struggles to hear their voices.”
The Minister alludes to a famous band, Rootsrata, from Raiwaqa, saying that their songs, like “Bula va Kalou,” “Brother Kanaki,” “Political War,” and many more, narrate the hard life of a youth growing up in a community surrounded by all sorts of challenges.
Nalumisa told the Raiwai-Raiwaqa community that youth today face numerous challenges, from unemployment and substance abuse to peer pressure, violence, and broken homes.
He briefly stated that the recent sentencing of nine individuals in Lautoka over their involvement in drugs is not the future parents’ dream for their children.
He added that the fight against substance abuse starts at home.
He told parents to be vigilant, to be wary, because it comes in like a thief in the night, trying to steal children’s innocence.
The “Poji Lament” is now underway in Raiwaqa.
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