第38回となる独立記念日、今年は新設の人工ビーチでの式典となり、10月1日の独立記念日を挟んで、大いに盛り上がりました。以下に独立記念日における首相スピーチ全文を掲載します。

Tuvalu 38^th Independence Anniversary

Prime Minister’s Speech

Theme : Let’s paddle together to save and protect Tuvalu

Your Excellency the Governor General and your Madame
Your Excellency Chief Guest, Samoa’s Prime Minister and your good lady
The Speaker to Parliament
Cabinet Ministers and your beautiful wives
The President of the Ekalesia Kelisiano o Tuvalu and your wife
The Island Chief of Funafuti and your wife
The Ambassador of the Republic of China on Taiwan
Members of Parliament and your wives
Acting Secretary to Government and your husband
Acting Attorney General and your husband
Secretaries and your spouses
General Managers of the different Companies and your spouses
Leaders of the different denominations and your spouses
Tuvaluans around the world
Invited guests

Talofa to you all this morning

Let me invite you all to rise as we observe a moment of silence in remembrance of one of our brothers, fathers, sisters in Government who has passed away last month the Honorable Elisala Piita, another Member to Parliament from the island of Nukufetau and who also served as the Minister for Natural Resources. Rest in peace Piita.

I am so happy this morning to welcome all of you my beloved Tuvalu, right from Nanumea to Niulakita, the elderly, the chief, island leaders, Kings, Presidents of Kaupule, youths, children and all Tuvaluans in Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, America, England, Papua New Guinea, Europe, Taiwan, Morocco, Georgia, Cuba, Japan, the sick patients (referrals) in Malaysia, ladies and gentlemen.

A special thank you to the President of the Ekalesia Kelisiano o Tuvalu for the special message and I would also like to thank the different denominations for their support through prayers.

A special welcome to the Chief Guest, Samoa’s Prime Minister Honorable Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. The Honorable Malielegaoi has been serving as Prime Minister for Samoa for a number of years; actually the longest in the Pacific and therefore your leadership is well respected by Pacific Independent countries.

Prime Minister Malielegaoi, our hearts are filled with joy with your presence this morning. We want to thank you for what your country has offered our country. We are also thankful to you for accepting the call to officially open the Queen Elizabeth II’s Park.

My beloved country this morning, this year’s theme is ‘Let us paddle together to protect and save Tuvalu’ and therefore I am calling you again to hold on to your paddle, I will do too and with the help of the Almighty God, let’s all together paddle Tuvalu’s canoe.

In this canoe, there are no special crew, no need to have passengers who are just sitting down and relaxing and watching those who are paddle. We do not need those types of passengers, no, let us take our paddles, dip in the water and paddle. We can all paddle forward with whatever duties we have to play in our families, churches, island communities and as a nation because nations are made up of men and women. To youths and students, the country is yours so paddle forward.

Let us not forget our forefathers who have paddled our canoe to date. Let us thank them for bringing Tuvalu to what it is now.

Although Tuvalu has reached its 38^th anniversary, we can say that we can now live peacefully, no, let us always remember that this road ahead is not easy. We have witnessed the creeping in of sicknesses like Non-Communicable Diseases, the damages the climate change has done to our ocean and waters, strong winds and high tides and so many more.

Despite the hardships faced by Tuvalu and because of the impacts of climate change, let me assure you that the revenue Tuvalu receives from the fishing vessels licensed under Tuvalu’s name is running well. Tuvalu’s main domain the dot.tv and the nation’s vessels are all operating well.

Government supports sports through financial assistance in funding their participation at the Games at Wallis and Futuna, Papua New Guinea and Rio, and will continue with the games in Vanuatu and Tonga soon.

We need to be thankful to God because although some of the nations like Syria and Ukraine are facing so many troubles like suffering from poverty, hunger wars and death, Tuvalu does not experience this, and we should be thankful for this.

But let us be watchful and keep watch not to allow these to creep in our small peaceful nation especially the bringing in of drugs, and illegal monies.

I am glad because a few weeks ago, Tuvalu raised its voice again to the United Nations for assistance concerning the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs for small countries like us in order to be able to implement the Paris Agreement.

I am now at ease because our cries have heard by bigger countries and they, US, China and other 66 countries have confirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement. This message was given to us by the United Nations: Tuvalu paddle your canoe and we will help you. Let us not sit and just wait for monies from abroad to fall on us, let us work and find solutions for our own good.

Tuvalu let us follow what we have put into our Te Kakeega III (TKIII), our Strategic Plan, because by following that, we will achieve what we have planned for.

I am happy to see that most of the Islands have finished their Islands Strategic Plan, including Niutao who has just finished its ISP. I am also happy to announce that the island of Nukufetau will have its bi-election on the 18^th of this month 18/10 and the winning candidate will surely join the Parliament.

In our fight against Climate Change, let us continue working together with donor partners and let us utilize well the US$36.0 million dollars that have given to us by the Green Climate Fund GCF to save and protect Tuvalu.

Of course donor partners and the United Nations will keep an eye on us, especially on how the Government will spend this big amount of money so rest assured because Government will deal with this.

There will be a meeting next week on our shores, the Coalition of Atoll Nations against Climate Change CANCC where we will sit down and discuss and find our way forward in our fights against climate change. So I am asking everyone, let us work together in keeping our island clean to be ready for this CANCC Leader’s Summit.

Government would like to thank our donor partners Australia, New Zealand, ROC/China, Japan EU, UAE, ROK, CROP agencies PIFS, SPC, SPREP, FFA< USP, UNDP, ESCAP, UNFPA, INOCEF, UNESCOP and WHO. Thank also the Green Climate Fund Board Co-Chairs especially Ambassador Feturi Elisaia, Ambassador to the Small Island Development States SIDS.

I want to extend special words of thanks to the Governor General who is representing the Queen of England for providing the special medals, the Tuvalu Order of Merit. Therefore I would like to congratulate all of you who will be awarded with this medal. Thank you for your contributions to the nation, your contributions have been appreciated through this medal.

My countrymen, I need your support, because it is only through working together that we can paddle Tuvalu’s canoe forward. To our officers in the United Nations, New York, Brussels, Wellington New Zealand, Taipei Taiwan, Fiji, let us continue to work together. As the Prophet Micah said ‘I will wait on the Lord to save me because He will surely save me’. Let us Paddle together to save and protect Tuvalu.

All the best in our celebrations. Sipikana Tuvalu. TUVALU MO TE ATUA.

Hon. Enele, s, Sopoaga, Prime Minister of Tuvalu