Collaboration with provincial governments key to national development: Kapu

BY INDY MAEALASIA

IN his 2025 New Year’s message, Governor General David Tiva Kapu has emphasized that working together with provincial governments is essential to boost the country’s productive sector and foster overall development.

Kapu highlighted that collaboration is crucial to ensuring provincial governments actively seek ways to open their provinces to development opportunities that benefit local communities.

“We must continue to encourage our people, particularly those who own customary land, to open up their land. Even better, we must support them in actively engaging with the productive sector,” Kapu said.

He went on to note that the country is blessed with abundant natural resources, which he described as “divine gifts” meant to be wisely utilized and equitably distributed for the benefit of all citizens.

Education and Job Creation

Tiva also underscored the importance of re-evaluating the educational curriculum in schools and universities.

He pointed out that the traditional approach of preparing students solely for white-collar or even blue-collar jobs no longer meets the demands of today’s economy.

“The status quo of preparing students exclusively for office-based jobs is outdated,” Kapu remarked.

“We need to foster resilience and encourage students to take risks, empowering them to create their own jobs.”

Kapu stressed that it is the nation’s moral responsibility to ensure that graduates have the support and resources they need to succeed in the workforce, including access to financial facilities that can help them start businesses and create jobs.