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Local News
8th July
Grandma stretches income from selling candies to feed seven children
Sovaia Rarawa is a 68-year-old grandmother who takes care of five of her seven grandchildren who attend primary school. Yesterday she prepared fried noodles and rice for their lunch, bought from the little income she...
Eight remain at home as students attend classes
As parents and caregivers prepared their children for school yesterday, eight children of a household at Bilo Rd outside Lami remained at home because of the family’s financial situation. Mereoni Adimaisau said her husband was a fisherman but fish sales had also decreased. The 44-year-old said they had to take in five nieces and nephews...
Initiative to give food to 9000
More than 9000 students will not have to worry about lunch after the TISI Sangam Fiji launches its school lunch program tomorrow, July 8, 2020. TISI Sangam Fiji CEO Jai Narayan said preparations were in progress to cater for students from 22 primary and five secondary schools. “At the moment we are all just preparing...
‘61pc have parents laid off, terminated’
About 61 per cent of students from seven schools in the Western Division have parents who have either been terminated or laid off from work. This, according to a survey by TISI Sangam of students who returned to classes yesterday. TISI Sangam Fiji president Damend Gounder explained the survey was conducted to assist the religious...
School lunches not on help list
The Education Ministry will not be providing lunches to students affected by COVID-19, says Minister for Education Rosy Akbar. She said the ministry would continue with the existing bus fare assistance and the ministry was watching out for students whose parents had been affected by COVID-19. Ms Akbar said the ministry was gathering data on...
7th July
675 schools yet to receive school grants
As many as 675 schools have yet to receive their Fiji Education Grant (FEG) allocation for this term, says Education Minister Rosy Akbar. She stressed there would be no exceptions — all schools would only get their grant when they submit the required documents. She said 10 secondary and 194 primary schools were on the...
Initiative to build capacity, resilience
The newly launched “Health Care On Air Pacific” initiative will build capacity and resilience within frontline workers around 14 Pacific Island countries that are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Officiating at the launch yesterday, Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said global data indicated that the presence of the virus on one country represented a...
Three deaths from dengue
Fiji recorded three deaths from 300 dengue fever cases recorded between November last year to date, says Minister for Health Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete. Dr Waqainabete said of these deaths, one was recorded towards the end of last year while two were recorded this year. “That number is much less now than what it used to...
‘Fiji contained’
FIJI is still a COVID-contained country and the 19th case diagnosed over the weekend does not change this, nor will Government review the reinforcement of COVID-19 restrictions. Ministry of Health’s acting permanent secretary Dr James Fong said this as he explained the framework for safely reopening the economy. Within the framework, Dr Fong said the...
Strict guidelines for hotel staff, guests
A hotel in Nadi used to quarantine returning Fiji citizens has been following strict guidelines to ensure staff and guests are protected from the deadly coronavirus. Hotel manager Novitesh Chand explained that a set of rooms had been blocked off at the resort where passengers had been quarantined since March. “We have very strict guidelines...
Man tests positive for COVID-19; Passengers remain in quarantine
A 66-year-old man has tested positive for COVID-19. The man, who is now recorded as Fiji’s 19th case, tested positive for the virus three days after returning from India on July 1 with his son. He is considered a “border quarantine case”. Ministry of Health acting permanent secretary Dr James Fong said the man had...
150th anniversary: Island mercy voyage
Torchlight and adhesive tape were once used by a medical team to give emergency treatment to a mother and her unborn baby on Matuku Island in the Lau Group. This happened in October 1969. The team was rushed by the Governor’s yacht, Ra Marama, to Matuku Island on a mercy mission to save the lives...
GPH to be rebranded
From this month the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva will join the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and by 2022 it will be rebranded as InterContinental Grand Pacific Hotel following a refurbishment. According to a statement from IHG, it had signed an agreement with Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) to take over management of the leading...
Ex-official receiver appeals sentence
Former acting deputy official receiver of the Ministry of Justice, Viliame Katia, has appealed his 23-year sentence for corruption-related offences. Katia appeared before Court of Appeal in Suva judge Justice Chandana Prematilaka yesterday. Appearing on instructions from Law Naivalu and representing Katia, lawyer Romano Vananalagi told the court Katia was appealing his sentence only. Mr...
31-year-old man is latest road fatality
Police have reported Fiji’s latest road fatality. A 31-year-old man from Natabua in Lautoka was allegedly hit by vehicle around mid night yesterday. The victim was found lying in a pool of blood near Saweni Service Station in Lautoka. Investigations continue and a post mortem will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. The...
Court issues DVRO against Vakarisi
THE High Court in Suva has issued an interim domestic violence restraining order (DVRO) in a case involving Nabua resident Jone Vakarisi who is charged with three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and a count each of act with intent to cause grievous harm, breach of bail conditions and breach of suspended sentence....
Insurance company records growth in revenue
Insurance service provider FijiCare Insurance Ltd has recorded an increase for its gross revenue from insurance activities by 47 per cent to $F31.83 million in 2019, according to non-executive chairman Avi Raju in its 2019 annual report. He said the medical underwriting continued to be a core growth driver of their business as it had...
Improving Fiji’s trade efficiency
The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji has now gone live with its phytosanitary certificates, meaning effective from July, BAF will be creating and issuing Fijian phytosanitary certificates using the Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS) for commercial consignments exported from Fiji. BAF acting chief executive officer Surend Pratap said GeNS provided a secured platform that would enable...
Open for business – Gounden is not going to chicken out
“I started blank. I had no idea on how to do business, or banking or track expenses. But I have always raised chickens in our back yard and so it made sense to do this as a business.” Award-winning Gopal’s Poultry Farm in Coqeloa, Labasa, stands out as a progress story, owning its success to...
Safety and security is his game
Security officers provide a great service to the general populace. From an array of responsibilities including patrolling property on foot to securing a particular premise. Even protecting lives! Security guards also act as crime busters, deterring potential criminal activities. Basically, a security officer’s key role is to discern, prevent, observe and report theft and violence...
Murder suspects appear in High Court via Skype
The matter involving two men who are charged for the deaths of four elderly women in Benau, Labasa in May this year was called at the High Court in Suva today. Samimu Din, 19, and Zuhair Din, 40, appeared before judge Justice Daniel Goundar via Skype from Labasa High Court . The matter was called...
Public urged to excercise caution near cane lorries and trains
Fiji Sugar Corporation has asked members of the public to exercise caution when near cane lorries and cane trains. In a statement, FSC says the Sugar Industry Tribunal has approved that the Lautoka Mill be able to commence crushing for the 2020 Season on July 10. “Fabrication and engineering of the boiler fan that failed...
Partnership to strengthen export opportunities for Fijian kava
A partnership was signed today between the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Plus Program and Fiji Kava Ltd’s subsidiary South Pacific Elixirs Ltd (SPE) to strengthen export opportunities for Fijian kava to Australia and other international markets. According to a statement issued today, SPE and PHAMA Plus will partner on the design, procurement...
COVID-19: India repatriation flight passengers not among the public
All passengers that returned from India on a repatriation flight last week are not among the public. Health acting permanent secretary Dr James Fong made this very clear in a press conference saying “Not a single passenger on board that flight from India is among the public.” “Every passenger was safely transported to the quarantine...
Fijian national cops 16 years for importation of meth
A Fijian national has been jailed in New Zealand for 16 years. Tallat Rahman of Suva was arrested in February last year in Operation Nova for his involvement in importing Class A drug. The Auckland District Court heard Rahman imported methamphetamine from Mexico and New Zealand which was identified in a covert investigation known as...
FNU’s Dentistry and Oral Health School becomes part of ACODS
The School of Dentistry and Oral Health at Fiji National University’s (FNU) College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) has attained a milestone achievement by being accepted in the Australasian Council of Dental Schools (ACODS). ACODS comprises of all dental schools’ in Australia with the University of Otago from New Zealand and now FNU’s...
Combat fitness cards to boost RFMF physical training
Combat fitness cards were handed over to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces by the Australian Defence Force recently to assist the RFMF personnel maintain their wellness and fitness level. According to a social media post on the Australia in Fiji Facebook page, this will help maintain the close training links between Defence Australia and the Republic...
TV series shot in Fiji to premiere in Australia next week
A television series that was shot in Fiji in November and December 2019 will premiere in Australia next week. Channel 10 has officially announced 13 stars who will appear on season three of Bachelor in Paradise when it premieres on July 15. The show was filmed at the Mango Bay Resort in November and December,...
SODELPA in a constitutional crisis; casual senior positions lapsed
The Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) is now in a constitutional crisis. Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem highlighted this in a letter dated July 6, 2020 and titled ‘SODELPA Casual Appointments’ saying the casual vacancies of the President and Vice Presidents has lapsed. Mr Saneem said in analyzing the lifting of the suspension, he...
Fiji reaffirms global commitment on addressing disaster displacement
Fiji reaffirms its commitment to supporting global efforts to foster greater collaboration around disaster displacement amidst the challenges posted by COVID19 pandemic. In its role as the vice chair of Platform for Disaster Displacement (PDD) Steering, Fiji participated at a recent PDD Steering Group meeting organised by the Government of France in Geneva. The partnership...
