‘Our goal is to make Fiji the sporting hub of the Pacific’: PM Rabuka serious about sports investments

Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka wants Fiji to become the sports center of the Pacific.

The coalition government has made this a serious focus as it seeks investment in better facilities and infrastructure, Rabuka said at the revived Fiji Sports Awards in Suva last Saturday.

He said the Youth and Sport Department will review existing sports infrastructure with key stakeholders before recommending key priority investment areas to Cabinet to ensure Fiji offers excellent facilities that would attract more international sporting events.

“Sport is an industry and our goal is to make Fiji the sports center of the Pacific,” Rabuka said.

“We intend to catapult individual sport into an era of professionalism by providing the necessary budgetary support for the sport over the next fiscal year.”

He said the government will review relevant policies such as the National Sport Policy and the Anti-Doping Policy, with a focus on investing in “sport through upgrading and building more modern sports facilities”.

“There is tremendous potential to harness our athletic prowess and transform sport into an important revenue-generating industry,” he added.

Fiji has hosted a number of regional and international sporting events including Super Rugby matches in 2022 and this year.

“Transfers help families”

Rabuka highlighted the inflows of Fiji’s athletes contracted abroad as one of Fiji’s highest foreign exchange earners with remittances ranging from FJ30 million to FJ60 million annually.

“We know only too well what it would mean not only for a family but also for a community or a village if one of us signed a sports contract abroad,” he said.

“Remittances lift families out of poverty and families are able to meet basic needs and essentials such as shelter, food, education and improved medical care.

He said athletes have invested in the country in a variety of ways, including through real estate, land development and commercial farming, to name a few.

The free publicity of the Fiji men and women sevens rugby team draws tourists “to our shores, particularly those who follow the sevens series closely”.

“Our tourism industry benefits from marketing miles as our sports teams compete in international events and international events contribute to our economy through visitor spending,” he said.

The coalition will focus on the people

The government, he said, will continue to address issues such as gender gaps, disabilities, youth empowerment and social inclusion.

Initiatives like the Pacific Sports Partnership are helping create pathways for young people, particularly women and girls, and the government hopes to use such programs to reach and encourage women’s and girls’ participation in sports, he said he.

The Fijian government also intends to invest in the development of elite athletes and also to increase participation in sports and physical activities supported by technical specialists.

“The National Sport Policy is under review to encourage the participation of all Fiji citizens regardless of race, gender or physical and mental ability. The policy will set out our vision for sport for 2023 and beyond. It will define the actions that will be taken to achieve our ambitious and achievable goals,” he said.

“Substantial research has found that regularly active individuals have lower mortality rates and health benefits from being physically active, regardless of age, race, disability and socioeconomic status.

“To help build a more active nation, the government will continue to promote and develop sports and physical activities to address health issues, particularly noncommunicable diseases and obesity.”

Government support

He said the government would support Team Fiji at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara and the much-anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics next year.

Fiji will also focus on winning the bid to host the 2031 Pacific Games.