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Local News
1st April
Fiji broadcaster ordered to pay doctor $50k
Fijian Broadcasting Corporation Ltd has been ordered to pay $50,000 to a doctor who was labelled as “fake” in a news story published in September 2016. Shanjivan Padarath claimed damages for cyber libel loss and...
Public Rental Board shows increase in wages
Public Rental Board (PRB) staff received a whopping $296,244 increase in salaries and wages between 2019 and 2020 pushing total expenditure in pay to $959,486. This, according to the PRB’s 2020 annual report that was presented in Parliament on Monday. The report showed that salaries and wages in 2019 for 47 staff was $663,242, which...
Farmers in Fiji ‘shortchanged’ in cane payments; lost $13.8m
Sugarcane farmers in Fiji lost $13.87 million after being “shortchanged” in their cane payments from 2019 to 2021. Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh said this in Parliament this week. “Yes, there was a shortchange but let me go beyond 2019. Let us start with 2017,” Mr Singh said. “In 2017, the previous government gave $85...
14,000 to 16,000 Fijian tourism workers overseas – Minister Gavoka
An estimated 14,000 to 16,000 tourism workers have left the industry for overseas jobs, says Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka. He made the statement while replying to a motion for debate on the review of Fiji National University’s 2020 annual report in Parliament this week. “We all know about the brain drain...
Fiji’s Home Affairs Minister apologises to Opposition MPs
Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua has apologised to members of Opposition who were “harassed” at the airport before travelling. Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu yesterday posed a question to Mr Tikoduadua and sought assistance from him in this regard. Mr Seruiratu said another member, Semi Koroilavesau, had raised a similar...
Tackling life with faith
When it comes to understanding the unique and distinct needs and issues faced by people struggling to eke out a living, women seem to have a deeper insight into the challenges grassroots people face. Whether it’s their empathy or the natural tendency, they have to always find out what is wrong and address it, they...
Sweat, tears pay off
Laisani Saumaisue was a single mother and stay-home mum for many years, but she kept her hopes up throughout that challenging period. She has never let her situation stop her from achieving her dreams. Years of sweat and tears later, Ms Saumaisue is one of many successful female Fijian business owners in the country. Hailing...
Women reminded of their key role in society
Women play a critical role in utilising digital technologies to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive economic growth. This was the message delivered by Fiji National University (FNU), Assistant Professor in Education, Head of Department Primary and ECE Dr Sofia Ali during an event to celebrate women’s achievements at Natabua Campus in Lautoka. The University...
What’s happening today!
Bula vinaka everyone. Here is another edition of some basic information you may need to know for today. First, here is your weather forecast for today: Weather Cloudy periods with brief showers over greater Suva/Nausori-Tailevu, interior Serua-Namosi, Naitasiri, interior Nadroga/Navosa, Lau & Lomaiviti group and Cakaudrove. Elsewhere, fine apart from afternoon or evening showers. Isolated...
31st March
Hard work pays – Parents’ struggle inspires son
Honest hard work pays off in life. The son of a garment factory worker and a caretaker, Amitesh Sen is of the view that learning from parents’ hard work should inspire children to strive for a better life. As a young man growing up in a blue collar household, he noticed how working for the...
Back in history: New sources sought – Unions try to ‘rule’ Fiji
Businessmen in Fiji were looking for new sources of supplies, outside of New Zealand and Australia, an article in The Fiji Times on July 15, 1977 read. The Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Fiji said importers in Fiji were looking to Japan, Germany and the United States and other countries where labour unions did...
ICJ on climate change – Vanuatu says court’s opinion will be a ‘massive win’
The United Nations has adopted a landmark resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to deliver an opinion on climate change and the legal consequences countries face for harming the environment. It is the culmination of a four-year push led by Vanuatu and other Pacific nations to get climate change in front of the...
Carbon footprint
The Sugar Industry’s product carbon footprint revealed in a study by Fairtrade International found that emissions were associated with sugarcane cultivation and transport to the mill. While speaking at a two day Fairtrade workshop for sugar cane farmers in Lautoka this week, permanent secretary for Sugar Yogesh Karan said this was a concern for the...
$1.6b investments within tourism sector
A total of 262 projects were implemented from 2007 to 2020 with a value around $F1.6 billion worth of investments within the tourism sector. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica shared this at the official opening of the inaugural Fiji Tourism Investment Summit 2023 on Denarau yesterday. “However, there are numerous opportunities...
Bid to streamline bottlenecks
Trade and Investment Minister Manoa Kamikamica says government policies, inflation and interest rates together with investment climate and economic conditions are some factors that affect overall investment decisions. He highlighted this when officiating at the inaugural Fiji Tourism Investment Summit 2023 in Nadi yesterday. “We all know the importance of investments and its centrality to...
$3b industry
The tourism sector is projected to grow to a $3 billion industry this year as markets in Asia open up and new markets, including Canada, come on stream. This exciting development was shared by Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica with stakeholders from the public and private sector who are part of the inaugural Fiji Tourism...
Assault case outside Suva nightclub classified as murder
The case of the man who died after he was assaulted outside a Suva nightclub has been classified as murder. Acting ACP Sakeo Raikaci said the post mortem was conducted yesterday and the results confirmed he died of injuries sustained from the assault. “Investigators continue with the gathering of statements and information including CCTV footage,”...
From humble beginnings
From the barber shop in the capital city cutting hair as a young man to his home on Taveuni, Atish Prasad is now one of the biggest dalo exporters from the Garden Island of Fiji. The 28-year-old started with $2000 as investment selling new tyres from his home in Nalele before moving to the sub-urban...
Nand the pharmacist
Nirmala Nand’s foray into the pharmaceutical field was not something she planned. The 64-year-old mother-of-three has not just thrived in her profession as a pharmacist, she has also passed on her love for her profession to her children. Apart from living in Fiji, Ms Nand has also studied in Tonga and New Zealand. In fact,...
Women ‘can remake the world’
Ofeina Heletu O’Brian loves sport. But if there’s a women’s rights issue or women’s empowerment program, she will ditch her love for sport for the latter. The 50-year-old from Qalikarua, Matuku, Lau, said she knows the challenges women faced and continue to face today and wants a front seat in any movement or activity that...
Police attempt to retrieve man’s body from digger
Attempts are being made by the Navua Police to retrieve the body of a man from a digger that fell into the Navua River. Police say the man was trapped inside when the accident occurred at a gravel extraction site in Waiyanitu.
High staff turnover ‘an area of concern’
High staff turnover is forcing the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) to engage temporary custodial officers to monitor inmates during operations outside of the prisons. While replying to a motion to debate the review of FCS’s 2017-2018 annual report, Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said that was an area of concern given the international benchmark ratio of one...
Ratu Rakuita: More collaboration needed
More collaboration is needed between the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS), Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) to strengthen the FCS’ financial management system. This was highlighted by the chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure while moving a motion to review the FCS 2017-2018...
‘FCS utilised about 81% of allocated budget’
The Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) utilised about 81 per cent of its allocated budget in the 2017-2018 financial year. Opposition Whip Alvick Maharaj said this during his reply to motion moved in Parliament yesterday to debate the review of the FCS annual report 2017–2018. “It was noted that during the review of the FCS utilised...
Former FCS commissioners acknowledged
The Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) rehabilitation and reintegration programs are working with the number of reoffenders down to 27 in 2017-2018 from 72 in 2016-2017, says Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga. He acknowledged two former FCS commissioners now turned parliamentarians — Ioane Naivalurua and Ifereimi Vasu — for being instrumental in the decline...
A-G: Officers face more difficulties
Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) officers face more difficulties in performing their role than their counterparts in the police and military forces. Attorney-General and Justice Minister Siromi Turaga said this while speaking on a motion in Parliament by Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights member Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure to debate the review of the...
Ratu Epeli Ganilau laid to rest at family burial site
Former Military Commander and Taveuni chief Ratu Epeli Ganilau has been laid to rest at their family burial site in Vuniduva, Somosomo on Taveuni. His casket was led by a procession through the village to the burial site overlooking the village. At the church service, Methodist Church in Fiji president Reverend Ili Vunisuwai said he...
Fiji hosts discussions on GBV training
Members of the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW) from 13 crisis centres are in Lautoka, Fiji to discuss the roll-out of the Gender-Based Violence Counsellor Training Package for the Pacific. The event is organised in partnership with the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) and the UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO), through...
274 women die of cancer
Ninety Fijian women die of cervical cancer each year, while 184 succumb to breast cancer. According to the Fiji Country Gender Assessment (FCGA) published in 2020, Fiji recorded 293 breast cancer cases a year while 120 Fijian women develop cervical cancer. The FCGA reported that four in 10 women were not able to make their...
Tabuya: Big blocks remain – Social, cultural norms hold women and girls back
Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Lynda Tabuya says according to the Fiji Country Gender Assessment (FCGA), gender discriminatory social norms and cultural practices remain a significant obstacle to gender equality in Fiji. She made the statement in Parliament on Wednesday. Ms Tabuya said despite notable progress in some areas such as education, critical...
