Simione Tuvuki 
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during his tour to Navatu in Savusavu
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged people to steer clear of materialistic lifestyles, considering the alarming number of Fijians living in poverty.
He stressed the issue during his address to the people of Navatu in Savusavu earlier this week and applauded their men and women who have opted to forego finer things such as “kalavata” during celebrations.
Rabuka emphasized that people should avoid unnecessary expenditures as they have to make ends meet amidst the high cost of living in the country.
“We need to be wise about our finances … and resort to alternatives that would help us alleviate poverty. We have abundance of resources that we can turn to for sustenance. We do not have a problem. We are worried about poverty, as we measure it by the amount of money we possess.”
Rabuka also highlighted the importance of financial literacy, which requires people to be equipped with the skills and abilities to effectively manage their finances.
He shared his observations from a recent trip to Papua New Guinea, praising the development carried out by landowners in the “Land of the Unexpected” and reminding Fijians of their abundance of resources to resort to for sustenance.
The Prime Minister has reminded Fijians not to measure wealth by possessions but rather by the ability to effectively utilize their available resources.
