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Members of Fiji’s media community bid their final farewell to journalist and FijiLive.com news editor Kavai Damu at a funeral service in Suva yesterday.
More than 400 people attended the service at the Seventh Day Adventist Tamavua church at Princes Road.
In paying tribute, friends, industry members and family alike described Damu as fun-loving, big-hearted and a unique individual.
Delivering a eulogy on behalf of the industry, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Ltd news director Stanley Simpson said Damu’s stand-out characteristic was that he cared for people.
“That’s what made him such a great journalist. He cared for his profession, he cared for the people he worked with, and he cared for the people he wrote about,” Simpson said.
“This to me will be the lasting legacy of Kavai, his love for the profession and the people in and around it. He was so full of life, and had this rare infectious happy personality that he shared freely and in big amounts.”
“His loss is not just a loss for the journalists of today, but for the journalists who will join us in the future. They will miss the services of a senior experienced journalist like Kavai.”
Among those present were permanent secretary for Information, Lieutenant-Colonel Neumi Leweni and University of the South Pacific journalism program head Shailendra Singh.
Damu died of an asthma attack on New Year’s Day.
He leaves behind four children and wife Sara.
He was buried at the Vatuwaqa cemetery.
