The descendants of Indian Indentured Labourers (Girmitiyas) should always be grateful for the hard work and sacrifices their ancestors made with sweat and blood to help build Fiji into a prosperous, united, and multicultural country, says Parvish Kumar, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Specialist Healthcare (PSH) Hospitals – Fiji’s largest state-of-the-art 130-bed specialty private hospital.
Mr Kumar says Fiji would not have been the same if it was not for the contribution of the Girmityas who first arrived in Fiji onboard the Leonidas on May 14, 1879.
He also commended the Fiji Government for observing the important day across the country with celebrations in every part of the country and confirmed that PSH Hospitals will be soon providing some support to the Fiji Girmit Council.
“The legacy of the Girmitiyas reminds us that even in hardship, hope can build nations,” Mr Kumar said.
“At PSH Hospitals, we carry forward that spirit by striving for health equity for all,” Mr Kumar added.
He said being the descendant of a Girmitiya, he is proud of his contribution by making world-class healthcare affordable and accessible to the masses.
“We owe our success to our forefathers, and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the Girmitiyas and their descendants who have made a significant contribution in the prosperity of our beloved Fiji for the past 146 years.
“The fact that we have maintained our language, culture, and traditions while living harmoniously in a multiracial and multicultural society is a unique achievement probably not found anywhere in the world.”