Flag competition to start from Monday

The national competition to design the new Fiji flag will begin on Monday.

While making the official announcement, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said the competition which is open to all Fijians will end on May 1st, when a national committee of citizens drawn from various walks of life will begin sifting through the entries to make a final selection.

Fiji's Paralympic Gold Medalist and Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports, Iliesa Delana is the chair of the flag committee.

Bainimarama said other members will be named in the coming weeks.

The Prime Minister has also announced that he has written to the Leader of the Opposition asking for the names of two nominees from her to be included on the committee.

Bainimarama said once a number of selected designs are chosen by the committee, Fijians will be given an opportunity to make their comments through a special website and through text message, e‑mail, social media and the post.

The committee will carefully consider the feedback it receives from the public, and based on this feedback, will make a final selection for consideration by Cabinet.

The Prime Minister confirms that the final design will be submitted to Parliament, for its consideration when it sits in July.

To encourage schools to take part in the competition, the government has some special provisions to reward schools that submit designs. 

All schools that do so will be entered into a draw – on a divisional basis – to win a large‑screen television set, a DVD player and three computers.

There will be five winners in each of the country's Divisions.

Designs can be posted, e‑mailed or hand delivered to addresses that will be announced in the coming week.

Bainimarama said the biggest reward of all will be for the person or persons whose designs are chosen for our new national flag.

The winner or winners will get to hoist the new flag on Independence Day, 10th October, 2015.

A plaque will also be erected with the winner's name or names and be displayed in Government Buildings as a permanent reminder of this important moment in our nation's history.