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High demand for fish fish species in province
FISH farmers in Cakaudrove can only supply 15 per cent of customer demand for tilapia and maleya species. According to the Ministry of Fisheries, this 15 per cent is equivalent to 1.6tonnes out of the...
Oil prices drop as China economic slowdown threatens to spread
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Oil prices fell on Tuesday on signs that an economic slowdown in China, the world’s second-largest economy and oil consumer, was spreading, stoking concerns over future fuel demand. The gloomy economic news has pulled down financial markets across Asia, including crude oil futures. International Brent oil futures <LCOc1> were at $62.26 per...
Consumer watchdog warns traders to refrain from selling damaged goods
THE Consumer Council of Fiji has issued a stern warning to supermarkets and food retailers to exercise a sense of responsibility by refraining from selling goods that have been damaged by floodwaters. Frozen food such as meat and dairy products could have thawed as a result of floods from the recent bouts of heavy rain affecting...
Ba farmer raises health concerns of 50kg fertiliser bag; Ministry concurs under OHS standard
A BA farmer has questioned whether packaging fertiliser in 50-kilogram bags breached occupational health and safety (OHS) standards. Sunil Chandra from Varoko sector raised the concern during National Sugar Industry Policy consultations in Ba this week. He said lifting 50kg bags proved to be quite difficult for farmers to manage, especially female farmers who worked on the field. Sugar Ministry...
FSC admits soot emitted from the sugar mill is a concern
THE Fiji Sugar Corporation has admitted that soot emitted from the Rarawai Mill is a concern and potential health risk for farmers and families residing in the immediate mill area. FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark made the comment during the National Sugar Industry Policy consultations in Ba this week. “When I arrived in Fiji,...
22nd January
Construction council welcomes Fiji’s move to review building code
THE Construction Industry Council (CIC) has welcomed the support by the Fiji Government to review the National Building Code, the focus of a workshop scheduled tomorrow at Novotel outside Suva. “The National Building Code is the premium document for all licensed builders, engineers, architects, surveyors. It defines the minimum standards for the construction of buildings and...
Need for permanent solution to rail systems
DESPITE spending copious amounts of money on replacing posts on rail carts, more needs to be done to find a permanent solution for the issue. Farmer Udesh Kumar from Rarawai, Ba raised this issue during a consultation in Ba yesterday. He said farmers had to fork out money from their own pockets to pay for...
Give incentives to farmers who harvest above basic allotment: Grower
INCENTIVES need to be given to farmers who harvest above their farm basic allotment. Grower Jai Ram Khelawan from Rarawai, Ba said he previously harvested an average of 300 tonnes of cane from his farm. “As the weather is getting better, my farm will produce more cane by 30 to 40 tonnes of sugar each...
21st January
Theresa May wants Irish treaty to break Brexit impasse: paper
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Theresa May plans to seek a bilateral treaty with the Irish government as a way to remove the contentious backstop arrangement from Britain’s divorce deal with the European Union, a newspaper reported. The Sunday Times said aides to May thought a deal with Ireland would remove the opposition to...
20th January
Austrian data privacy activist files complaint against Apple, Amazon, others
VIENNA (Reuters) – Apple and Amazon are among eight tech firms named in a complaint filed in Austria by non-profit organisation noyb, which cited their failure to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The action by noyb, chaired by data privacy activist Max Schrems, also named Netflix, Spotify and YouTube, after...
Relationship on the mend between ATS management and FASA members
DESPITE their issues, the relationship between Federated Airlines Staff Association members and Air Terminal Services management is on the mend as both parties continue to engage in dialogue. FASA national secretary Manasa Ratuvili said despite several setbacks after returning to work in January, 2018, the association has been able to engage in positive discussions with ATS management. “Since...
19th January
Government signs partnership for two western hospitals
FIJI’S first public private partnership (PPP) for the Ba and Lautoka hospitals in the country was signed on Thursday in Suva. The signing was done by the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on behalf of the Fijian Government with Healthcare Fiji Pte Ltd and Aspen Medical. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said Healthcare Fiji Pte Ltd was the...
TLTB: Not enough staff to monitor all cane farms in Tavua
THE iTaukei Land Trust Board says it does not have enough staff members to monitor all sugarcane farms in Tavua. The issue came to light during a National Sugar Industry Policy consultation in Tavua this week. Tagitagi, Tavua, farmer Umesh Prasad said there was vacant land in Tavua and it was imperative that agencies like...
Farmer airs concern on mill efficiency
STAKEHOLDERS in the Sugar Industry have acknowledged how poorly Rarawai mill operated in the last crushing season. Speaking during the National Sugar Industry Policy consultations in Tavua this week, Rajendra Raghlu a prominent grower from Yaladro said mill issues was one of the biggest challenges for farmers. “When we talk about mill efficiency, people will...
Seafood at the Suva Market
PLANNING a seafood lunch? Here’s what’s available at the Suva Market this morning. Tilapia fish are being sold at $10 a kilogram. Bundles of fish are being sold from $25 to $50. Crabs are a bit pricey at $60 to $150 a bundle while lobsters are priced between $35 to $80.
Gandhi awarded top accounting honour
IN recognition for his outstanding service to his profession and community, Fijian chartered accountant Nitin Gandhi was recently awarded a top accounting honour known as the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) Fellowship. The managing partner of multinational professional services firm PwC in Fiji and past President of the Fiji Red Cross Society...
$6m for the sale of the GPSD
A CHEQUE of $6 million was presented to Government for the sale of the Government Printing and Stationery Department (GPSD) as part of its divestment. In receiving the cheque that completes the sale to Serendip Investment Limited, the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted the opportunities that exist with this privatisation such as...
18th January
Egypt resumes air freight service to United States after 2015 halt
CAIRO (Reuters) – EgyptAir has resumed air freight service to New York after a three-year halt following the downing of a Russian airliner over the Sinai Peninsula in an Islamist bomb attack, a source at the flagship carrier said on Thursday. “(The United States) was apprehensive after the incident, and this may be normal for...
Many coffee species threatened with extinction, scientists warn
LONDON (Reuters) – Climate change and deforestation are putting more than half the world’s wild coffee species at risk of extinction, including the popular commercial coffees Arabica and Robusta, scientists warned on Wednesday. Research published by experts at Britain’s Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew found that current conservation measures for wild coffee species are not...
Walking out of poverty
SEKONAIA Kotobalavu received his New Year’s wish yesterday in the form of assistance to start his own business from Kontiki Finance Ltd. The 36-year-old from Kalabu, Nasinu lost mobility in his limbs after an accident in 2002 and since then he has been assigned to a wheelchair. Mr Kotobalavu said he had business ideas but...
Company focuses on career development
FULTON Hogan Hiways has introduced a program that includes on-the-job training as well as workshops and seminars, which provide a pathway for promotion within the organisation. This program also includes bringing in road specialists from overseas, to not only enhance the quality of work, but also to share international expertise that supports the FHH staff...
130 cruise liners to visit the country this year
WITH the tourism industry growing in the country, 130 cruise liner visits are expected in the country during this year. According to Kenua Fiji schedule, these liners would visit Suva, Lautoka, Levuka Port Denarau, Savusavu Dravuni and Beqa. For the month of January, a total of 17 visits are expected at various ports around the...
State-of-the-art laboratory for fuel aviation opens
A BRAND new state-of-the-art laboratory has been commissioned in Lautoka, supporting Fiji and surrounding islands with aviation fuel recertification. Intertek Caleb Brett, a Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, has launched an aviation fuel recertification facility in Fiji. Previously, all fuel brought into the country took up to five days to get tested and...
Digital TV delivery
SKY Pacific is expected to start preparatory work for channel delivery and billing integration soon to enable the rollout of Sky Pacific subscriptions via Walesi later this year. This has been made possible through a memorandum of understanding that was signed between Digicel founder and chairman and interim CEO Denis O’Brien and Walesi chairman Sharvada...
Australia to ease restrictions on kava; Fijian PM welcomes this move
FIJIAN Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has welcomed the decision by his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison to ease the restrictions on kava exportations to Australia. Mr Bainimarama said this was sure to benefit a lot of farmers in the country. “The Fijian economy is in the process of rapid growth. A move that will undoubtedly enrich the lives of...
17th January
Traffic change in Nadi’s central business district
CHANGES have been made to the route in Nadi’s central business district after a safety audit at Koroivulo Avenue, Vunavau Street, and Queens Road intersection. And the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) is advising members of the travelling public that the flow of traffic out of Koroivulo Avenue and Vunavau Street into Queens Road is now...
Exclusive: Facebook brings stricter ads rules to India ahead of general election
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Facebook Inc told Reuters on Tuesday that it would extend some of its political advertising rules and tools for curbing election interference to India, Nigeria, Ukraine and the European Union before significant votes in the next few months. As the largest social media service in nearly every big country, Facebook since...
Start-up Bamboo Airways launches flights in crowded Vietnam market
HANOI (Reuters) – Bamboo Airways launched its long-delayed maiden commercial flight on Wednesday to become the fifth Vietnamese airline, heightening competition in the aviation sector of the Southeast Asian nation which is emerging as a popular tourist destination. The inaugural flight of the start-up airline, owned by property and leisure firm FLC Group, landed at...
Use registered bus cards to avoid travel disruptions: FBOA
MEMBERS of the travelling public are urged to use their registered eTransport cards to avoid the inconvenience of the shortage of disposable cards. The Fiji Bus Operators Association (FBOA) made this call as he reiterated the statement by card supplier Vodafone Fiji – also the electronic ticketing administrator – that disposable travel cards are intended for...
Fuel price decrease still leaves huge shortfall for bus operators: Latchan
THE Fiji Bus Operators Association says while the recent fuel price decrease has given some comfort to operators, it is still a long way from addressing the rising costs of operating bus services. In the past year, the world price for crude oil was about USD$70-80 per barrel, which had increased fuel price to about...
