Honorable Prime Minister sir, on behalf of the honorable minister for multithnic affairs, culture, heritage and arts, honorable Charanji Singh, the ministry, the Tuatua public cemetery trustees and the people of Lombasha and the wider northern division, we extend to you a very warm welcome. Ladies and gentlemen, before we proceed with a formal program, may I respectfully invite everyone to observe one minute of silence in memory of late honorable Agni Dev Singh who made a variable contribution to public service and on number of occasions was entrusted with the responsibility of serving as the acting minister for multithnic affairs during the absence of honorable minister for multithnic affairs. Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. My name is Ashwini Singh, your director for multithnic affairs and it's my pleasure to be your mistress of ceremony for today's event. Honorable Prime Minister, Honorable City Veni Linga Mammandanda Rambuka, Cabinet Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Senior Government Officials, Toua Public Cemetery Trustees, Members of the Toa Public Cemetery Committee, religious and community leaders, invited guests, members of the community, ladies and gentlemen, Nissula, Vinaka, Namaste and Asalamuikum. A very good morning to you all. Distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the ministry of multithnic face, culture, heritage and arts, I warmly welcome you to the commissioning of Tuatua Gfired public crematorium in Lombasa. Today is a very important occasion for the people of Lambbasa and the wider northern division as we mark the completion of the extension and refurbishment of Tuatua crematorium. The installation of a modern geese fired crematorium. The installation of his associated features in the building. These improvements have transformed this facility into a more modern functional community asset. In particular, the installation of the gas fire cremator provides a cleaner, more efficient and a more environmentally friendly option for cremation while providing families with an appropriate and dignified environment in which to conduct the final rights of their loved ones. We'll now proceed with a presentation of sh. This presentation is another gesture of respect, appreciation and traditional hospitality to our distinguished guest. May I invite Master Kab Li to kindly come forward for the presentation. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much Kov. Ladies and gentlemen, physicist strength lies in the richness of our culture, religion and tradition. And today's occasion brings together people from across our diverse communities. It is there fitting that we begin this important ceremony by seeking God's blessing through a multiffaith prayer. May I invite Pastor Thomas Brown to lead us in the Christian prayer. >> Let's just pray. Heavenly Father, we uh just come before your wonderful presence. We thank you that your goodness and your mercy. We thank you for this beautiful weather that you've given us, oh God, that we could be here today, Lord, just to witness this beautiful ceremony, oh God. And we commit it to you and we dedicate everything that's going to be held in this place and said in this place, oh God, you said in your word, oh father god, to acknowledge you in everything and you shall direct our path. Lord, even we begin to proceed in our uh this ceremony, we commit it and we dedicate everything into your loving hands. Lord, from the youngest to the oldest, we pray that you'll keep us in your will, in your presence. Your blessings, your favor, your goodness and mercy, as David said, Lord, truly goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. And Lord, we thank you for the day today, Lord. Your mercy and your goodness will be all around us. Your angels and your glory will continue to uh be at this place as we continue to uh Lord witness this beautiful day. Father, we commit everything and we dedicate it to you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Jesus, wonderful and powerful and glorious name I pray. Amen. Naliv, >> thank you so much Pastor Thomas. Now I invite Pandit Shalen Maharaj to lead us in the Hindu prayer. Oh harsh. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Sri Krishna Sri Krishna Sri Krishna to me shanty shanty shantad Thank you Pandit Maharaj. Now I'll invite Molana Rashid to lead us in the Muslim prayer. Bismillah. for Thank you so much to the faith-based leaders. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll now move to the official welcome and introduction of the chief guest. It is my privilege to invite the honorable Charan Singh, Minister for Multi-thnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Ars to officially deliver the welcome and introduce our chief guest. Thank you. the honorable prime minister, honorable city, my fellow ministers uh who are here today, my assistant minister, multi-ethnic affairs and uh other assistant ministers, the trustees of the committee members of uh to to public cemetery, invited guest Vaka Baka leu to you all. Una turanga cabinet ministers as said and assistant ministers, permanent secretaries, senior government officials, the two who are public secretary trustees, communities members, distinct guests or people of northern division from all walks of life. Ladies and gentlemen, namaste nismbambula vaka assalamikum and a very good morning to you all. It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you all to to tour today for this very important and a significant occasion the official opening of the toa gas fired crematorium. Before I proceed, I wish to respectfully acknowledge Madwata Lambasa, the traditional leaders of the Vanua of Madwata. We are gathered here today on your traditional land and we acknowledge with deep respect the Vanua is traditional custodians. We also thank for your leadership, your stewardship of the land on your continued support for the communities that call Madwata their home. The establishment of this facility is ultimately about saving people and is therefore fitting that we mark this important occasion. We recognize and pay our respects to the traditional leadership and the banana within which this facility has been established. I also wish to acknowledge and warmly welcome all our religious leaders, community representatives, government officials, invited guest and particularly the families and the communities who will serve who will be served by this facility. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my great honor on behalf of the ministry of multitic affairs and arts and culture in the trustees of to cemetery and the people of the division to extend a very warm welcome to our honorable chief guest, the honorable prime minister of EG. The prime minister, we are deeply honored by your presence here today and we sincerely thank you for accepting our invitation to officially commission this important facility. Today is a proud moment for the people of Lombasa and indeed the entire northern division. This facility is particularly significant because it is only gasfired public crematorium in northern division. It provides our communities with a modern and a dignified facility where families can perform the final rights of their loved ones in accordance to the religious and cultural traditions. The project was funded by the collision government through ministry of multi-ethnic affairs grants program. As we commission this facility today, I am pleased to update you that the our next guest fight crematorium is in Nava Rayanga. It is also nearing commissioning following a successful dry run and the hands-on training of the local operators by technicians and the specialists from India. A final pre-commissioning cremation will be undertaken at 1 p.m. today to confirm its operational readiness. This will pave way for Ranga Nava to become the next such facility commissioned by the collision government. It demonstrates government's commitment to responding a practical need at the community level and ensuring that the essential cultural and community facilities are available not only in our major urban centers but also in the communities throughout Fiji. For me personally, today also carries a special significance. In addition to my responsibility as a minister for multi-ethnic affairs, culture, heritage and arts, I'm also privileged to serve as a trustee of the to cemetery on which this facility has been established. I therefore understand both the importance of this facility to our community and the journey that has brought us to this occasion. The crematorium is not simply another government funed infrastructure project. It is a facility that will save the people at one of the most difficult and emotional moments in their lives. When a family loses a loved ones, they should be able to perform the final rights with dignity, respect in in accordance with their faith and tradition. Having this facility here in the north will make this process more accessible and provide an important service to the families across the northern division. I therefore wish to acknowledge everyone who has contributed towards bringing this project to a completion. the collision government of the collision government officials of the ministry of multitic affairs to our symmetrical trustees contractors religious and community leaders and all those who have supported this initiative ladies and gentlemen I've been given one more important task this morning and this is to introduce our chief guest must I must say this perhaps is the easiest task I have been given today Because our chief guest hardly needs any introduction. Say is it true and certainly not here in the north. Honorable prime minister he himself is a proud son of Mano Levu. His roots are here in the north and his connections we are with Bano Levu. Its people and its communities is one of those that he has always proudly acknowledged. Mr. Prime Minister, therefore this morning we do not simply welcome you as a head of government and the prime minister of our nation but we also welcome you home to the north. Your presence here sir with us today makes in this occasion even more meaningful and we deeply are honored that you have joined the people of Lombasa and the wider northern division to officially open this important facility. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and privilege to invite a sonu and the prime minister of the republic of Fiji, honorable city liamuka to deliver his address and officially commission this to a guest fight. Honor honorable prime minister say the floor is yours. Honorable Minister Honorable cabinet ministers and assistant ministers, senior cabinet officials, the uh two tour public cemetery trustees, members of the Tutu public uh cemetery committee, community members, distinguished guests, religious leaders, pastor and pandi and Imam Nisak, thank you very much for the prayers. If only the world could come here and see us doing this, then everybody who's fighting on religious grounds should think again. That's our message of the ocean of peace going out to the world. When we can come together for a function like this, a government and a community function and we respect all the prayers that we believe is going or are going to one God. Mr. Vinak and a very good morning again to you all. As uh the honorable minister has done, we acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we gather this morning. We thank them for their roles as custodians of the Venua and we're so grateful that uh they have allowed us to live our lives the various generations up to now with their blessings. It is my distinct pleasure this morning to be here to officially uh commission the tour to a gasfired public crematorium. There is an inevitable part of the human journey but no family should have to face grief in isolation or without appropriate support. Today we commission a facility that will serve families and provide comfort during one of the most difficult point in human life. And I thank the uh mayor, the lady uh in charge of our ceremonies for observing a moment silence in honor of a colleague of ours, colleague of ours in cabinet, the late honorable Agni Deos Singh. I was in uh Brisbane the night before the night he died and I was back in Fiji when I got the message that he had uh departed. Uh it was very sad for us particularly uh reading the posts uh that put had been put up by my colleagues in cabinet uh those of us who have uh connections with labu addressing him as kai and uh and so on. So it's a big loss for our level community and also for us in cabinet and Fiji on the whole. This facility is a very important public investment. It provides families in Labbasa and the wider Northern Division with a safer and be better managed place to farewell their loved ones with dignity. It also reflects the government's commitment to improving public services in Labasa and supporting the wider development of Bunvu. For many years, families in Wolvu have had limited access to modern and properly equipped cremation facilities. In recognition of the need, the government, your government, invested approximately $481,663, from government, from your pocket as taxpayers. We thank you that we have contributed to this facility. Today we see the result of that investment in a refurbished and upgraded facility that will provide an important service to families right across Lombasa and the north. The true value of this investment will not be measured only by the facility that we commissioned today but the quality of service it provides to families over the years ahead. Every family that comes here should receive a service that is respectful, reliable, affordable, and delivered with compassion. One of our nation's greatest strengths is our diversity and I highlighted that with the prayers that we've had this morning. Fiji is blessed with many cultures, traditions, languages, and religions. The tool tour crematorium has been developed as a public facility that will serve families from different cultural and religious communities. And as a public facility, we must also ensure that access remains affordable and equitable. No family should be placed under additional financial pressure at a time of grief. The government will therefore continue to promote fair and transparent arrangements for the use of public cremation services. The government recognizes the importance of religious freedom and cultural identity. We also recognize that funeral rights and cremation practices carry very deep spiritual and cultural meanings for families and communities. This facility must therefore be administered with compassion, with respect and with cultural sensitivity. The Tutu public cemetery serves communities across the greater Lombasa area including Tuvu Wang, Lambbasa town, Coriri, Tovata, Namara and Matikama and together the together these communities represent a population of more than 20,000 people. The facility will therefore have a significant and lasting impact on families throughout this area. Every family will eventually experience the loss of a loved one and it is the government's responsibility to ensure that our people have access to appropriate public facilities through which their loved ones can be farewell with dignity. The tutu project forms part of a wider program being undertaken by government to improve crematorium facilities throughout Fiji. A second gas fired crerematorium uh cremation unit is currently being installed at Nabua crematorium. As the honorable minister has mentioned, the operation of this facility must also meet appropriate health, safety, and environmental standards. As we expand crerematorium services across Fiji, we must ensure that modern technology is accompanied by responsible environmental management, proper emissions control, and safe operating practices. Two weeks ago, a groundbreaking ceremony was also held in uh at Varokco crerematorium in Ba. Construction is now underway and is scheduled to be completed within the next few months, 5 to 6 months. A guest fired cremation unit will then be installed at that facility. The ministry of mi ethnic affairs, culture and heritage under the leadership of the honorable minister is also progressing the necessary groundwork for the development of crematorium facilities in lto and I urge him to work very hard in the next few months so that he can come back to parliament and back to cabinet. During this financial year, the ministry has been allocated $1.06 million for the procurement of gas fired cremation units. In addition, $550,000 has been allocated dollars has been allocated for the upgrading and improvement of crematorium facilities. These investments will help ensure that more communities throughout Fiji have access to modern efficient and appropriately managed services. I'm also pleased to announce that the ministry will pilot two shard or shard gut shad construction uh projects. one in Labasa and the other in Loka. These initiatives recognize the importance of providing appropriate spaces in which members of our communities can observe their cultural and religious practices with respect and dignity. Investment does not end when construction is completed. We must ensure that these facilities are properly maintained, safely operated and adequately resourced so that the investment made by government continues to deliver value to communities for many years. The commission commissioning of the two to crematorium reflects the government's commitment to people centered development. Development must be about more than economic growth. It must also provide the infrastructure and essential services that improve the lives and the well-being of our people. This project demonstrates how practical public investment can respond to a genuine community need while respecting the cultural and religious diversity of our people. As Lombasa continues to grow as a key commercial and service center for the northern division, the government must continue investing investing in infrastructure and public services that are needed by the people of Heno. This facility should also remain responsive to commu to the communities it serves. I encourage the trustees and relevant authorities to maintain an open dialogue with the families, religious organizations and community representatives so that the services continue to reflect the needs and expectations of the people. Also wish to emphasize that good infrastructure must be matched by good governance. The trustees, committee and relevant authorities have an important responsibility to ensure that this facility is managed transparently, maintained properly and remains focused on serving the community. The investment in community infrastructure extends beyond crematorium facilities. Through the multi-ethnic community grant program, the government also allocated $2 million during this financial year to support community development initiatives. The program supports cemetery improvements and other essential infrastructure that deliver practical benefits to communities right throughout Fiji. Remember that right throughout Fiji, not only because we've been accused of directing a lot of these things tool. I encourage eligible communities to make use of these opportunities and to work closely with the ministry to identify projects that can deliver meaningful and lasting benefits. Today's commissioning also forms part of the government's wider commitment to the development of Development in the north must not be measured only by major economic projects. It must also be measured by the quality of the everyday services available to our people from health and education to water, transport, community facilities and dignified end of life services. We must create the conditions in which that potential can be realized. This means improving the infrastructure and essential services that connect communities, support businesses, attract investment, and make it easier for people to live and work in the north. Programs such as nou form part of this wider effort to unlock the potential of they intended to ensure that local communities, land owners, farmers, women, young people and businesses can participate in and benefit from economic growth. Our measure of progress must ultimately be the difference that people experience in their daily lives. The development of a novu must reach our communities, create opportunities and improve livelihoods. It must be development undertaken with our people for our people and the future of the north. Ladies and gentlemen, the commissioning of the Tuta gas fired public cre uh crerematorium makes a very important addition to the public infrastructure serving Lombasa and the wider northern division. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the tour public cemetery trustees, the tour public cemetery committee, the local community, ministry officials, contractors, consultants and all stakeholder holders who contributed to bringing this project to completion. Your partnership, your efforts with the government is deeply appreciated. May this facility serve the people of Lombasa and the wider communities of Uno for generations to come. Providing comfort to families and respecting the traditions and values of our diverse communities. It now gives me great pleasure to glare to declare the tour to a guest fired public crematorium officially commissioned and open. We now God bless you all. No, sir. Thank you very much honorable prime minister for your address and reaffirming the government's commitment to inclusive development, community well-being and provision of dignified committee facilities throughout Fiji. We will now witness the handing over the completion certificate formly recognizing the successful completion of the project. May I invite the Tatawa public cemetery trustee Mr. Halal and the general secretary Mr. Jiten Kumar to come forward and receive the completion certificate from the honorable prime minister. Thank you. or you >> Thank you so much. Can we please give a big round of applause? I think this moment receives a recognition because there is a lot of hard work that was put by the ministry and the committee members and also the stakeholders to come to the stage you know. So once again can we please give a big round of applause. Thank you so much. Before we proceed to official official commissioning of the toata gas fire public crematorium, let me take this opportunity to move the vote of thanks. Honorable Prime Minister, honorable ministers and assistant ministers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, as we mark the successful completion of this important facility, it is appropriate that we acknowledge the individuals, organizations, and institutions whose cooperation and support have contributed to bringing this project to a completion. As you know this is one of the pioneer projects by the collision government under the leadership of our honorable prime minister and our minister uh honorable chanji singh that we have been able to complete this project in one and a half year of time you know so it's a very remarkable achievement for the ministry as a whole because it's the project itself was a very technical project and I would want to take this opportunity to thank all the stakeholders that were very instrumental to coming to a stage that we are witnessing here today. Thank you. So let's just thank all these stakeholders. First and foremost, we convey our sincere appreciation to the honorable prime minister, honorable situ for honoring this occasion and his presence and for officially commissioning the toa gfire public crematorium. We also extend our appreciation to the honorable Charani Singh, Minister for Multithnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts for his leadership and support towards the completion of this very important community project. Our sincere gratitude also goes to the assistant minister honorable Sharen Kumar, our permanent secretary Dr. Vinesh Kumar who is currently out of the country management staff of the Ministry of Multilinga Face Culture Heritage and Arts whose commitment coordination and continued efforts have helped bring this project from the planning to completion. Our special note of appreciation is also extended to the engineers and technical officials of Ministry of Public Works for their professional advice, technical guidance and support throughout the implementation of the project. We also want to acknowledge the officials of ministry of finance who have been very helpful in arranging the financial administrative process of this project. We also want to show appreciation to ministry of environment for his cooperation in facilitating and providing the necessary environment clearance. Our appreciation is also extended to Lombasa town council the city pharmacy PNGu which is the company that is responsible for the supply and installation of the gas fired crematorium. They have been very helpful to the ministry in terms of facilitating this installation and also training the locals so that we are able to use this machine and ensure that the machine is able to have a lifeline. Actually the machine has a lifeline of around 20 to 25 years. So this is a long-term government investment that Fiji government under the leadership of prime minister and our minister we have made. So a commitment whereby this project can last from 20 to 25 years depending on the maintenance. We also want to thank for construction. They were responsible for the construction and extension and refurbishment of the structure which we can see the Totoa public cemetery trustees. They have also been very helpful to the ministry. We also want to acknowledge all the committee leaders and the religious leaders you know they have been very helpful to the ministry in terms of uh uh the consultation procedures that we had carried forward and they were very helpful in terms of giving their participation their ideas and uh knowledge as to how we going to operate this religious and uh ritual site you know thank you finally to the people of Tutua Lambasa and the wider and northern division thank you for your patience support ownership of this very important community project. May this upgraded facility save for those communities with dignity, compassion and respect for years to come. Ladies and gentlemen, we now arrive at the central moment of today's program which is officially commissioning of Tuta gas fired crematorium. May I respectfully invite the honorable prime minister accompanied by our honorable minister for multi-thnic affairs, culture, heritage and us in the invited guest to proceed to the commissioning area to unveil the commemorative plug and officially commission the facility and tour the facility. Just to let you know uh till date I think there has been nearly 30 bodies that have been cremated at the site sir. So the site is very successful in terms of meeting his uh uh mandate of uh providing a dignified facility to the people of Lambaser. But before I finally conclude, I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the honorable prime minister for his leadership in reestablishing the ministry of multithnic affairs in ensuring that the multithnic community is represented at all levels of decision making. The reestablishment of the ministry has also extended the government to implement more than 1,000 programs at the community level, reaching out and benefiting a wider cross-section of Fijians across the country so far. Sir, thank you so much. Can we all please show our appreciation to the honorable prime minister for making the decision? Thank you so much. May God bless you all and may God bless Fiji. Thank you. Wait, you want me? You okay? You okay? ministers, ladies and gentlemen, people of the north and lab. pull that. >> Yeah, >> we again. plug the last time. >> Shoot. So this one Thank you. Good night. different. Thank you, sir. You don't know how to do that. Think goodbye. because I was here. I'll give you front cover. Whatever. All right, guys. We'll take a group photo requesting everyone you can. >> Thank you. You all move back a bit. One step. One step so we can capture. One step. >> Okay.