Jobs a problem for young Fijians

Press, 14 March 1977, Page 7

Jobs a problem for young Fijians

A lack of employment opportunities faced manyyoung people in Fiji, said the general secretary of the Y.M.C.A. there (Mr Taniela Colamoto).

“There is nothing for them to do.” he said. Mr Colamoto has been in Christchurch during a month’s tour of New Zealand. He is visiting Y.M.C.A. branches to look at work projects and other activities that would be useful in Fiit

The Fiiian Y.M.C.A. is active in Suva and 120 villages and arranges agricultural programmes, including i egetable grow ing and pig farming "The farmer plans what he w ants to do and the materials he will need and we give him these.” said Mr Colamoto.

The Y.M.C.A. also helps organise recreational activities such as volleyball, rugby and dancing, he said. The officers do not initiate programmes. Rather, they ask the people what thev want and then help them to achieve it. "The idea of the programme must come from the

‘ people and we wait for them to invite us to help.” said ; Mr Colamoto. / “Most young people have r a very controlled life so we 1 must also work through their parents.” he said. The Y.M.C.A. has been : ? active in Fiji for six years.

Mr Colamoto says that young people are learning how' to I use the land and save money. "Thev are not so interested in moving to the :ity either,” he said. However, urban drift from the villages /as still a problem. The Fijian Y.M.C.A. is not as religiously based as its j f le may suggest. “If we put [the e aphasia on the “C” we ; would cut off a large number of people. The programmes are based on Christian pnn|ciples but we open our doors ito everybody.” Mr Colamoto isaid.

A vocational training ;course, an urban nrogramme land a rural scheme are the! three main types of activities [for the Y.M.C.A. in Fiji. i ; Finance for this work came: i mainly from the Fijian, New I Zealand and Canadian Gov-, lernments, said Mr Colamoto.

i The New Zealand: i Y.M.C.A.. which helps to 1 administer the Fijian branch., w'ill nominate it ’or indepen-' ; .dent membership at the ' World Alliance meeting in ' Buenos Aires in May. Mr Colamoto would then be ] in charge of the autonomous . branch.