HOTEC is back

Fiji doing well against its global competitors, says Hill

Fiji is doing extremely well against its other global tourism competitors, says Tourism Fiji chief executive Brent Hill. “There have been fantastic amount of businesses from Malamala Beach, South Sea Island to right to Sheraton,” Mr Hill said. “That’s really exciting from our perspective, and that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing. “We’re seeing tourists...

New route to offer cheaper flights, says Viljoen

Around 80,000 Canadian residents who trace their roots to Fiji can now have direct access to the country through Fiji Airways’ new Vancouver flight. Addressing guests after arriving on a promotional flight to Vancouver on Wednesday night, Fiji Airways CEO and managing director Andre Viljoen said the new route beginning on November 25 will offer...

Bank reaffirms its confidence in the local economy

This year BRED Bank Fiji marks its 10th year anniversary with a commitment of further investments in its Fiji operations. BRED Group chief executive officer Olivier Klein, who is in the country, met the bank’s corporate clients, mainly larger company CEOs who provided their views on the economy and their confidence in the economy. Mr...

Successful trade

Pacific Trade Invest Australia Trade and Investment commissioner Caleb Jarvis has heaped praises on Fijian kava exporters saying “Fijians have very successfully added value to traditional agricultural commodities”. He said Fiji kava had very good quality and well packaged. “Fiji is leading the charge in the exports particularly to Australia with the biggest volumes,” Mr...

New route will open up Canadian market for Fiji

Tourism Fiji has noted uplift in interest from visitors in Vancouver and some major cities across Canada. And chief executive Brent Hill heaped praises for the introduction of the Nadi-Vancouver route saying it would open up the Canadian market. “It’s really good to have another market; this is the perfect time for us to be...

10-year extension on mining lease

The Fijian government has extended the mining lease for Lion One Metals that operates the Tuvatu Gold Mine by another 10 years that will end on February 28, 2035. The company states this license will be renewable. “I am proud to say that it is with great elation that the Government of Fiji has renewed...

Promotional flight to generate interest of travellers

Fiji is the ideal location for your holiday. The tropical climate, warmth of our people, hospitality and service is of par excellence. This is the message taken across to Canada by a high-level VIP delegation led by Economy Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in a Fiji Airways promotional flight that left Nadi for Vancouver last...

Industry update

An update on the state of the construction industry in Fiji will be provided to stakeholders at its third annual conference scheduled to be held next month. The Construction Industry Council’s (CIC) annual conference will be held at the Warwick Fiji on September 9, 10 and 11. CIC president Gordon Jenkins said there were many...

S Nagindas opens new outlet in Labasa

Customers packed the newly-opened S Nagindas shop in Labasa this morning. Company general manager Amrit Khatri said the shop was opened in the Babasiga town to serve customers who shopped online. “We have also observed customers travelling from Labasa to do their shopping in Savusavu so we thought of opening a branch in Labasa,” Mr...

RBF: Sale of numismatic banknotes complements bank income

The Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) has generated more than $8million in income through the sale of numismatic banknotes and coins in the past three years alone. The RBF confirmed this while clearing the air on some misinformation and speculation circulated on social media regarding the new non-circulation $0.88 numismatic banknotes that had begun to...

FINTEL records an operating profit of $3.89m

FINTEL recorded an operating profit of $3.89 million and a profit after tax of $3.31 million in its 2022 financial year, states the annual report of the Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH Group) for the end of the financial year March 31, 2022. FINTEL is a subsidiary of ATH which owns 100 per cent of...

Report: Growth remains a challenge

Telecom Fiji Pte Ltd recorded a revenue of $85 million and a net profit after tax of $20 million in its 2022 financial year, states the annual report of the Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH Group) for the end of financial year March 31, 2022. Telecom Fiji Pte Ltd is a subsidiary of ATH, which...

Service provider rakes in $378m

Vodafone Fiji Pte Ltd Group consolidated revenue increased by 15 per cent to approximately $378 million in the 2022 financial year, states the annual report of the Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH Group) for the end of the financial year March 31, 2022. Vodafone Fiji is a subsidiary of ATH and has reported a net...

Deal to open ‘capacity building opportunities’

Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) chief executive officer Christopher Cocker says “capacity building and regional networking opportunities are invaluable to professional growth and development and must be supported by regional agencies as the Pacific tries to recover from the severe impacts of COVID-19”. In a statement, he expressed the sentiments while signing a partnership agreement with...

Biogas an alternative for gas

Lautoka-based commercial piggery farmer Subhash Chandra’s household expense on purchasing cooking gas has significantly been reduced after the Ministry of Agriculture provided him with a biogas digester worth around $4000. Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy, who was present during the handover, said a total of $250,000 has been allocated in the budget for biogas digesters...

Hotel appoints cluster manager

Hilton Hotel Fiji has appointed Australian Carey Osborne as their new cluster general manager. While announcing the new appointment, the resort, in a statement, said Ms Osborne would handle all aspects of hotel operations for the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa on Denarau Island and the Double Tree Resort by Hilton Hotel Fiji on...

A-G: ‘Need to establish standards in local businesses’

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has emphasised the need to establish standards in local businesses to ensure Fiji withstands overseas competition. In his address at the launch of the Prime Minister’s International Business Awards at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, he said that was one of the main reasons why the Government had allocated an enormous...

Patel: 76 per cent of EFL employees below 40 years old

Seventy-six per cent of employees at Energy Fiji Ltd in 2021 were below the age of 40 years. This, according to the electricity provider’s 2021 annual report that was presented in Parliament last week. EFL chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel said they represented the new millennials. “We have marked 55 years of our very rich,...

2 per cent increase in EFL customers – Report

Energy Fiji Ltd had 210,320 customers in 2021, compared with 205,580 the previous year, says CEO Hasmukh Patel in the utility provider’s 2021 annual report that was tabled in Parliament last week. He said the additional 4740 customers marked an increase of 2 percent. “As Fiji had experienced unprecedented decade of economic growth, more Fijians...

FCCC’s worst three areas of complaints

Automotive, building and construction and white goods are the worst three areas of complaint to the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC). This, according to its 2018-2019 annual report that was tabled in Parliament last week. FCCC received a total of 649 formal complaints in the 2018-2019 financial year out of which 57 per cent...

Savusavu hotels fully booked

Hotels in Savusavu have been fully booked over the past few months. Savusavu Tourism Association president Delia Rothnie-Jones said their members have reported full occupancy. “Over the past few months has been really good with a lot of hotels full to capacity,” she said. “So we have had really good months with most accommodation providers...

EFL spends $77m on fuel

Energy Fiji Ltd CEO Hasmukh Patel said the electricity provider spent $77.7 million on fuel purchases in 2021. This was detailed in the company’s 2021 annual report that was tabled in Parliament last week. He said EFL has a dedicated Foreign Exchange and Brent Oil Hedging team that constantly and carefully monitor fuel prices and...

EFL to spend $428m on capital expenditure projects

Energy Fiji Ltd will spend $428.34 million on capital expenditure projects in the next five years. Company chairman Daksesh Patel said this in EFL’s 2021 annual report that was tabled in Parliament last week. He said new shareholders, Sevens Pacific Pte Ltd requested that EFL should prepare a five-year business plan instead of a three-year...

Fijian hardware company retains staff during COVID-19

One of the country’s leading hardware companies made every effort to retain staff at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being on the “back foot” when supply chains were affected around the globe. Vinod Patel and Co Pte Ltd chief operating officer Neelesh Pal Singh said they had to re-strategise in order to keep...

‘$2million tonnes not achieved’

Despite the injection of more than $452 million into the sugar industry since 2016, the two million tonnes of cane target has not been achieved, says the Ministry of Sugar Industry (MOSI). In a post on its Facebook page, the ministry said it injected the funds through various grants and subsidies. “The challenges that our...

$1.5m allocation for mechanisation program

A total of $1.5 million has been allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture for its mechanisation program. Minister for Agriculture Mahendra Reddy said the mechanisation initiative boosted exports from the sector recently. “In recent years, we have seen that one of the major drivers for increased productivity in the agriculture sector has been mechanisation,” Mr...

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