Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ to provide assistance to school in remote and maritime areas

The Fiji Girmit Foundation New Zealand has promised to provide assistance to schools in remote villages and maritime areas.

Foundation Secretary Thakur Ranjit Singh says they met with Education Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy to include the history of Fiji and Girmit in the school curriculum.

The Fijian government is still considering the proposals made by the Foundation to have a public holiday on Girmit Day and to include the history of Girmit in the school curriculum.

Meanwhile, the foundation members will present the thanksgiving plaque, sevusevu and tabua to the villagers and chiefs of Nasilai today.

He adds the ancestors of these villagers provided valuable assistance in the rescue operations which helped in saving 438 lives after the sinking of ship Syria on the Nasilai reef on May 11th 1884. 59 Girmitiyas lost their lives.

The Foundation believes without valuable and timely help and the traditional i-Taukei culture and compassion, the loss of lives would have been much higher.