SUVA (Fiji Times) – Descendants of Solomon Islanders living in Fiji want recognition in terms of representation.
The Solomon Islands Descendants Association met on Saturday to discuss issues affecting them in the country.
National secretary Josateki Gunaivalu said they have been living in poverty for a long time now.
"We have been here for more than 150 years but we haven't reached the Parliament, Senate or any executive position in the country," he said.
"We are lagging behind in that and also in education," he added.
He said they were not able to excel in education because they did not have the opportunity to do so.
Mr Gunaivalu said education was the only place they could target because they do not own any natural resources.
"The other problem that we are trying to address is that how can we use education in our community as a tool for success," he said.
Mr Gunaivalu said they were trying to put in place some long-term plan and some immediate plans to fix the issues affecting them.
He revealed that a UNDP report for 1996-1997 revealed that Solomon Islanders are amongst the poorest.
"More than 90 per cent of us live in poverty and secondly we are lagging behind in development," he said.
He said some immediate issues that needed to be tackled included the case of Namara settlement.
"We are also trying to get in touch with other NGOs who are involved in poverty eradication programmes so that we can work together because there are lots of us in this category of poverty and we have been living in that cycle for a long time," he said.
The association was founded in February last year and it was launched in November last year by former vice-president Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi.
"We are working towards trying to get the Solomon descendants from everywhere around Fiji and try to convince them to come together and we move together as one people," he said.
"Our determination and mission that is to bring about changes in our lives," he said.
He said the association has members from Namara, Tacirua, Kalekana, Caubati, Laqere and Nadawa.
He said they will also celebrate Solomon Islands Independence day on July 7 and planning to have a big celebration.
"After that we will reach to those in the Northern Division and Western Division to be part of the association," he said.
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