The Fiji Times

Uncle jailed to 12 years for raping niece

A 56-year-old unemployed man who sexually abused his nine-year-old niece for more than a year has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. The man was convicted of one count of indecent assault and one count of digital rape after he pleaded guilty to the charge. The court was told the man gave a $2 coin...

Bodies retrieved from mangled car

Police and firefighters have managed to retrieve the two bodies that were trapped in a car that veered off the road at Tacirua Settlement this afternoon. It is believed the two died at the scene. Family members and relatives of the victims have arrived at the scene. There is a long line of traffic on...

Police, firefighters try to retrieve bodies at scene of accident

Police officers and a team of more than 10 firefighters are trying to retrieve two bodies from a hybrid car that veered off a hill in Tacirua settlement this afternoon. It is understood that three passengers have been taken to hospital in the last hour, while police officers are trying to retrieve the other two...

ROC market rocks downtown Suva

Carnavon Street and Loftus Street was abuzz with activities this morning as shoppers and small business entrepreneurs made use of the opportunity of the ROC Market in Suva today. It started at 9am and there are more than 40 businesses taking part this year. From food stalls to craft, bags, clothes, jewellery and art, and...

Man jailed for raping granddaughter

A 67-year-old man who raped his 11-year-old granddaughter has been sentenced to nine years and one month by the High Court in Suva. High Court judge Justice Riyaz Hamza told the man he took advantage of the complainant’s vulnerability, helplessness and naivety. “You have exposed the innocent mind of a child to sexual activity at...

Accused after personal items

The personal items of a man facing drug-related charges are yet to be returned to him, the High Court in Lautoka was told this week. Marc Winston’s defence counsel, Adrienne Ali, informed Justice Chamath Morais that despite writing to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) several times, they did not have the...

Chaudhry: Father Barr fought for the rights of the poor

Social economist and human rights activist Father Kevin Barr was someone who fought for the rights of the poor in this country at the time of the 1987 coup, said former prime minister and Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry. Responding to news of the Catholic priest’s death, Mr Chaudhry said he was deeply saddened...

Police assures SODELPA its meetings on private properties will not be stopped in future

Fijian Police have assured the Social Democratic Liberal Party that its meetings on private properties will not be stopped in the future. Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro attributed the actions of Rakiraki police to “misunderstanding and miscommunication”. “The party executives have been informed and assured that it won’t happen again,” she said. “It was an issue...

Villagers grateful for water distribution

More than 500,000 litres of water was distributed this week to villages in Yasawa, Mamanuca and Malolo. According to the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, a team was deployed for 15 days carting water to villages affected by the dry spell experienced in the Western Division. The team onboard the MV...

CAAF inspectors investigate training plane’s landing incident

Inspectors from the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF) flew to Kadavu yesterday to investigate an incident where a Pacific Flying School Cessna 172 plane went off the runway while landing at the Vunisea Airport. Pacific Flying School director Tim Joyce said no injuries were sustained by the trainer or the two trainee pilots. “I...

Japanese students allowed to return to classes in Fiji

Japanese students enrolled with Free Bird Institute Ltd (FBIL) in Nadi have been allowed to return to classes in Fiji after the company was given conditional approval from the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce. According to the company, the special approval was granted through the Specific Request under Significant Economic Value category of the Fijian COVID...

Mill downtime affects crushing

The Fiji Sugar Corporation’s (FSC) Lautoka mill recorded 23 hours of mechanical stoppages caused by problems encountered in the front end of the powerhouse. In its latest weekly crushing update, FSC stated while the problem was rectified within the week, outside stops of three hours were directly associated with rain which brought relief after a...

State mum on Fiji Day celebrations, says Chaudhry

Fiji is three weeks shy of celebrating one of the country’s biggest events as a nation, and yet, there is still no word from Government about how we are marking our 50th anniversary as an independent State. This was the view expressed by former prime minister and Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry in a...

67-year-old artist shares 30 years of experience

In her 30 years as an artist, Reapi Tuitokova Blyde has done and seen it all. And unlike many Pacific artists, the Suvalailai, Rewa, native decided to enhance her natural talent by getting a degree in artistry at Auckland University, a feat she accomplished 20 years ago. But after obtaining her degree, Ms Blyde was...

‘Girl recovering well in hospital’

A four-year-old girl who was hit by a tree trunk felled by soldiers at an informal settlement in Nabua is out of the CWM Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto said the girl was recovering well and the house destroyed by the tree was rebuilt on...

Access to accounts: Public to examine audited books of political parties

The public will soon have access to the audited accounts of all political parties in the country, says the Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem. He said this in a statement where he gave the National Federation Party until next Wednesday to provide him with receipt books for 2016. He also said the party had...

Political parties condemn road group

Two political parties have strongly condemned China Railway No.5 Engineering Group Fiji Ltd for sending workers home while roads continue to deteriorate on a daily basis. The Fiji Labour Party (FLP) and National Federation Party (NFP) also questioned the firm’s excuse that it was not familiar with Fijian labour laws and offered this as the...

RKS headboy told to return to school

Ratu Kadavulevu School head boy Mosese Qionimacawa has been told to return to school, according to his mother Vasiti Qionimacawa. She claimed a senior Education Ministry official called her on Wednesday, September 16, to relay the decision after her son completed a counseling session. Mrs Qionimacawa said she strongly supported former education ministers Ro Teimumu...

Students urged to take advantage of school break

Students have been urged to take advantage of their school break which begins next week. While speaking in Nadi yesterday, Minister for Education Rosy Akbar said students should ensure they rested during the one week break. “Today is the last day of school and I want you to have a good rest during your break,...

Missing person: Police request information for missing teenager

Fijian Police are requesting information to help them locate the whereabout of 15-year-old Jioji Bale who was reported missing at the Lami Police Station. The teenager was last seen having lunch at his home in Kalekana Settlement on September 13. Bale was last seen wearing a blue vest with a white stripe on the edge...

Teenage brothers’ bodies found

The bodies of two brothers Shalveen and Shivnil Singh who went missing along the Vuda Point River in Lautoka have been found. After an exhaustive 48-hour search by police officers and family members, the bodies of the teenagers were found early this morning. According to family members, one of the alleged drowning victims was found...

PM Bainimarama and wife Mary declared patrons of Sai Sanjeevani Medical Centre

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and his wife Mary were today honoured as patrons of the newly-opened Sai Sanjeevani Medical Centre located at Muanikau in Suva. The centre is going to be the first paediatric hospital in Fiji and the region. The centre’s medical director, Dr Krupali Tappoo, says they will be providing services free...

Leadership Fiji’s Tilapia group members hold peace-themed poetry slam

Despite today’s poor Suva weather conditions, a group of dedicated leaders under the Leadership Fiji 2020 program held their poetry slam and spoken word event on the theme ‘International Day of Peace’ that falls on September 21. Melissa Harm, the Tilapia group’s spokesperson for the Tilapia Advocacy Project, said she was happy they had organised...

COVID-19: More alcohol-related arrests over two days

The Eastern Division recorded no cases of breaching curfew restrictions within the last two days. And Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said the 32 cases recorded for that period were mostly alcohol-related. On Thursday, the Southern Division recorded eight cases, including five people who were found drunk in Nasinu. Three were arrested in Nabua and...

Akbar: Drowning incident in Lautoka should send a warning to parents

The recent drowning of two brothers in Lautoka should be a warning to parents as the school break starts next week, says Minister for Education Rosy Akbar. She made this comment while speaking to students who participated at the international youth football academy soccer tournament at Pacific Harbour today. “There have been two more drowning...

Search continues along Vuda Point River for teenage brothers

The search continues along the Vuda Point River in Lautoka this morning for the two brothers who both failed to surface yesterday. Police said both victims were playing with their friends when the incident occurred. It alleged the 18-year-old boy was trying to retrieve a ball from the water and when he struggled to surface,...

Navua hosts inaugural market day

Navua was a hive of activity this morning as they held their first-ever market day. Riverside market day organiser Zarina Reece said it was also a platform for people who were laid off from their jobs due to COVID-19 to earn some money. “This is the first-ever market day of its kind in Navua,” Ms...

New Jaagriti pigeon pea variety released

A new Jaagriti pigeon pea variety was released in Nadi yesterday after some 15 years of research conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Research Division. Officiating at the event held at Kishore Verma’s Farm in Korovuto, Minister for Agriculture Dr Mahendra Reddy noted the significance of the release of the new variety in relation to...

Weatherman – Fiji’s climate may begin to exhibit La-Niña-like patterns

Fiji’s climate may begin to exhibit La-Niña like patterns in the coming months. This was revealed by the Fiji Meteorological Services’ outlook from September to November. According to the report, although the phenomenon would occur in the region over the coming months, it would be weak. “Most of the atmospheric and oceanic indicators in the...

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