If Vanuatu is to become a ‘Golden State’, it must avoid foreign influences.
Minister of Climate Change and Pentecost Member of Parliament (MP) Ham Lini made the remarks during the Lini Day commemoration at the tomb of the founding father of Independence, the late Father Dr. Walter Hadye Lini, at the Lini Memorial College in North Pentecost yesterday.
Speaking to the Daily Post by phone yesterday, the younger brother of the late Father Walter Lini and same time President of the National United Party (NUP) said the late Lini's vision for Vanuatu to become a “Golden State” may come true one day, but Vanuatu must always guard itself from foreign influences.
“It could be possible, but it must start small because we must always remind ourselves of the late Father Walter Lini’s quote - ‘Small is beautiful’, he said.
"Therefore, in everything we do, we have to start small, in particular when there is vision for a successful tomorrow for our nation."
Minister Lini said the commemoration of Lini Day must not be restricted to the founding father of Independence.
He said it must also be a time for the people of Vanuatu to remind themselves of other national leaders, past and present as well as the country’s national anthem and to continue to strive together for the good of the nation.
Over 1,000 people from different communities on Pentecost convened in north Pentecost yesterday to commemorate ‘Lini Day’ . The program included Church Services at St. John’s Church at Atanboaboa, Commemoration Service at the late Father Walter Lini’s tomb, speeches and a feast.
One of the women freedom fighters for Independence in the mid and late 1970’s Mary Gilu, spoke of the struggle of independence before during and after independence in 1980.She also mentioned the challenges the mothers, young women and children at the time went through until political independence from Britain and France.
