Sports

FijiFirst has always supported the role of sports in facilitating and ensuring the full development of young people and their potential through the provision of strategic supportive networks and initiatives for character development and entrepreneurial activities. This further assists in developing sports and their infrastructure nationwide by providing grants to National Sport Organizations (NSOs), providing essential sports equipment, conducting outreach programmes, and developing rural playing fields.

Due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the initiation of the lockdown, sports activities were temporarily suspended during the period. With the Pandemic fading away, many complex processes for rules and regulations were implemented to ensure the safety of athletes and all stakeholders in the sporting industry. A thorough assessment of the sports environment with agreed playing schedules was done to accommodate social distancing. The approach to engaging in safe sports was focused on ‘get in, train/ play, get out,’ minimizing unnecessary contact, especially in communal areas.

Some of the important sport’s events organised and hosted by the FijiFirst Government were:

• Fiji International Golf Tournament
• Investec Fiji Super Rugby Match
• 2018 Fiji Interhash

We have also contributed to the cause of introducing sports to the Fijian youths, including the donation of sports equipment, a major advancement for youths. Donations to schools, youths, and sporting clubs helped engage young people in sports and physical activity and promote sports for health and recreational purposes. The provision of this equipment assists in harnessing the sports skills of young people at school or in a local club and is also the first step to competition with a pathway to the highest level.

The Rural Sports Field Development Programme is one of the assistances provided by FijiFirst Government, ensuring the development and promotion of sports and physical activity at all levels. This involves the provision of proper sports fields and facilities for rural schools and communities to offer opportunities and encourage more active participation by all citizens. Priority is given to schools and communities in remote areas with limited access to proper facilities.

Along with this, the Civil Service Wellness Programme was initiated to address inactivity and decline in the health of civil servants. It was adopted as a strategy to promote health and wellness and to combat Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in the civil service.