Fiji Labour Party Commends Tavua School for Honouring Girmit and Ratu Sukuna Day

The Fiji Labour Party has praised Toko Sanatan Primary School in Tavua for hosting a successful combined celebration of Girmit Day and Ratu Sukuna Day, describing it as an inspiring display of cultural pride and historical reflection.

Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry, who was chief guest alongside Minister for Home Affairs and Defence Pio Tikoduadua, said the school had done an excellent job in engaging students and the wider community in honouring two key milestones in Fiji’s history.

In a statement, the Labour Party highlighted the colourful performances by students dressed as Girmityas and in traditional Fijian attire, noting that the dramatizations of Indian folk dances and Fijian mekes brought history to life for the younger generation. The event also drew strong support from parents and grandparents in the community.

Mr Chaudhry, addressing the students, emphasized the importance of education and community unity, recalling the struggles of the Girmityas and their determination to secure a dignified future through perseverance and learning.

“Education was the path out of hardship for the descendants of Girmityas,” Mr Chaudhry said. “In those early days, the colonial government failed to provide schools for Indian children. It was the religious and cultural organisations—the Catholic and Methodist missions, Arya Samaj, Sanatanis, Sangam and the Muslim League—that took the lead in building an education system for our people.”

The Fiji Labour Party leader also planted a vara tree on the school grounds to mark the occasion, symbolising growth and resilience.

The Party statement further noted that Mr Chaudhry used the opportunity to raise concerns over the economic challenges facing Tavua, particularly in the sugar and gold mining sectors. He expressed alarm over policy shifts at the Vatukoula Gold Mines, where gold ore concentrates are now being exported to China for final refining.

“This is a serious issue,” Mr Chaudhry warned. “With gold prices at a record high, Fiji stands to lose millions—possibly billions—if this continues. The matter must be addressed urgently.”