Bilateral Relations » Japan's Economic Cooperation between Japan and the Republic of the Fiji Island » Past Assistance Projects to Fiji» Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) » Speech

 

Speech by H.E. Yutaka Yoshizawa, the Ambassador of Japan for the Handing Over Ceremony of of Two Classrooms and a Library Block with Furniture at Toga District School

20th May 2009, 11.00 a.m.

Project Title:

 

Good morning and Ni Sa Bula

It is my great honour to officially open the new education facilities at Toga District School this morning. I also wish to express my sincere gratitude for the warm welcome accorded to me and my staff.

Japan is proud to be given the opportunity to assist Toga District School with construction of two classrooms, one library, furniture and general renovation of the old classroom structure. Established in 1942, Toga District School had endeavoured to provide equal learning opportunity to every child entering this school and today’s ceremony is a testimony of this being a step closer to reality. I am hopeful that this project funded by the Japanese Government will empower this district school with best of resources to achieve academic excellence and will greatly assist to improve literacy in the society to a competent level. I also wish to take this opportunity to request all stakeholders including community and nearby villages of this school to embark on proper and timely maintenance of this building complex to sustain school’s infrastructural facilities for future generations.

To be able to provide flexible and timely support to development projects at the grass-roots level such as this project, the Japanese Government offers a financial assistance scheme for development projects designed to meet the diverse needs of grassroots in developing countries. Known as Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), this scheme supports projects proposed by bodies such as Schools, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Local Government Authorities. In the last Japanese fiscal year, namely April 2008 to March 2009 period, Japan has provided 14 projects under its GGP scheme with a total value of approximately 1 million US dollars around Fiji Islands, and among these, 9 projects were for education sector alone with total funding of approximately 700 thousand US dollars and among these 14 projects, this is the 5th project completed and handed over successfully.

To conclude, this project is the most evident manifestation of the firm friendship between the Japan and Fiji. With these few words, I officially declare the new classrooms and library open to the children of Toga and I remain hopeful that you will be encouraged to make best use of these new facilities.

 

Thank you and Vinaka Vakalevu.

 

Bilateral Relations » Japan's Economic Cooperation between Japan and the Republic of the Fiji Island » Past Assistance Projects to Fiji» Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)