Local News
Namara villagers reminded of the importance of good hygiene practices
HEALTH Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete visited Naisausau Village, Namara, today. He said the tour was to remind the people of Namara about the importance of good hygiene practices. “We are here to advocate on WASH...
‘Backyard gardening could alleviate poverty and birth a healthy Fiji’
IN a bid to promote healthy living in Fiji, the Ministry of Agriculture distributed 50 backyard gardening materials to farmers in Lami Village today. Officiating at the event was the Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development Jale Sigarara who said backyard gardening could alleviate poverty and birth a healthy Fiji. “Start practicing backyard...
Committee questions the operation of FNU vice chancellor
FIJI National University’s vice chancellor Professor Nigel Healey was today questioned by the standing committee on social affairs as to why the VC operated without the guidance of a council for second half of 2018. Prof Healey while presenting FNU’s 2018 Annual Report said on July 13, 2018 the Fiji National University Amendment Act was...
Re-emergence of measles within region
THERE was a re-emergence of measles within the region with declared outbreaks in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and American Samoa. In a joint statement by the World Health Organization and UNICEF they have highlighted that the deadly disease had a significant impact for Samoa which cost lives, with infants and young children being the most affected....
States seeks time to respond to rape case agreed facts
THE State has sought time to response to the proposed agreed facts in a case involving a 23-year-old man accused of raping a 25-year-old woman. The man appeared before judge Justice Aruna Aluthge today. He is charged with two counts of rape. State lawyer Sadaf Saneem informed the court that the State was ready to...
FHEC assures committee on teaching positions
THE Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC) today assured the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that it was working to ensure that all teachers who take up teaching positions in Fiji are well qualified. Today, FHEC appeared before the standing committee to present their submission on Asia-Pacific’s Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (2011 Tokyo...
Alleged arsonist granted bail
A MAN charged with one count of arson was granted bail by the High Court in Suva today. Accused person, Eseroma Daulako appeared before judge Justice Daniel Goundar. It is alleged Mr Daulako and another willfully and unlawfully set fire to the dwelling house of Malakai Naduve on December 18, 2019. State lawyer Rajneel Kumar...
Weather watch: Strong wind warning cancelled
A STRONG wind warning previously in force for land areas of Lomaiviti and Southern Lau group is now cancelled. The weather bulletin issued from the National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi this morning says the forecast to midnight tomorrow for the Fiji group expect cloudy periods with some showers and possible thunderstorms over the eastern...
Only son’s death shatters parents
BABU Sharma of Velovelo settlement was in church when his only son, Hasneel Sharma, was lying dead metres away at an old service station in Topline, Lautoka. When a church member informed him of his son’s demise, the 51-year-old ran from the Good News Church to find the lifeless body of the 22-year-old with his...
Grisly find
A LAUTOKA family is mourning the loss of their only son whose body was found near an old service station in Topline, Lautoka yesterday. Next to the service station was Good News Church where Hasneel Sharma’s father Babu Sharma was attending an early morning church service. Mr Sharma alerted police after he found his son...
Chinese mark new year
FIJIANS of Chinese origin yesterday gathered at the Suva Civic Centre to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama commended the Chinese community’s contribution to the nation’s economy. As part of the event, China’s top acrobats and theatre performers, Yunnan Art Troupe, displayed classical dances. President of the Chinese...
New classrooms open, teachers reminded to be team players
STUDENTS deserve teachers who are on par with the latest strategies in teaching, said Ra education officer Maika Moroca. He made the comments at the opening of a new block of classrooms at the Nabau District School in Ra where tier 1, 2, 3, and 4 students moved into their new classrooms that were recently...
President, family tax exempted
THE President or his family are exempted from paying value added tax (VAT) on imports, states the draft Value Added Tax Bill 2020. The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service will begin holding public consultations on the draft legislature from this week. Under schedule 3, the draft Bill has a list of areas, entities and individuals...
‘Ensure you maintain high levels of integrity’
LEGAL Aid Commission support staff members were reminded of the importance of maintaining a character of integrity and transparency while they served under Fiji’s largest law firm. While speaking to participants of the Legal Aid Commission Corporate Workshop in Natadola over the weekend, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said each officer should have the ability to report...
NGO opens new branch
Soroptimist International (SI) of Fiji has now a total of eight branches in the country after its latest group was officially launched in Nadi over the weekend. Members of the Soroptimist International Nadi Jetset, led by Cynthia Gepte, were inducted into the charity group’s global movement by SI of the South West Pacific Federation president...
Rabuka criticises decision
OPPOSITION Leader Sitiveni Rabuka says “Government’s failure to work in partnership with religious and community schools” and “refusal to recognise the special nature of such schools” was “short-sighted and discriminatory”. In a statement released on Wednesday last week, he said rather than working with communities and religious bodies who owned 95 per cent of schools...
Incomplete applications delay processing
THE Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board (TSLB) has received 2822 incomplete applications from students which was causing a delay in processing. TSLB chief executive officer Bobby Maharaj said the board would not be held responsible for delays in the processing of applications, tuition and allowances because of a delay in the students submitting their final...
Miller’s account of nuclear bomb blasts
IN 1957, 40 Fijian naval officers boarded a British led fleet headed for Malden Island for the start of what would later become a cataclysmic event in global history. The Fijians, led by chief petty officer, Warrant Officer class one Ratu Inoke Bainimarama, were hand-picked to join the British and New Zealand Naval Forces for...
Holistic approach to overcome border security challenges
THE Fiji Revenue and Customs Service investigated four cases regarding vehicle smuggling rackets involving 13 vehicles in 2019. FRCS chief executive officer Visvanath Das said: “We uncovered the modus operandi being used is accident and insurance written-off vehicles purchased and the same number plates and road worthiness are used on illegally imported vehicles”. Mr Das...
150,000 businesses expected to register online
ABOUT 150,000 businesses would be expected to register online during the Registrar of Companies digital registration process. The digital registration began on January 15 and is expected to continue for nine months. While speaking to Legal Aid Commission support staff in Natadola over the weekend, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the initiative under the Digital Fiji...
Police request info on alleged hit and run victim
MEMBERS of the public are being requested for information that can identify an old man believed to be in his 60s and was found lying unconscious on the road at Olosara in Sigatoka over the weekend. Police say the victim is believed to have been walking on the road when he was alleged to have...
Lingam fulfils mum’s wish
AS a Form 6 student in Ba, Avinesh Lingam had to sacrifice the chance of pursuing his education because of financial constraints. His father tirelessly as a driver to make ends meet and Mr Lingam knew he had to give up pursuing an academic life to help his dad support their family. With his two...
Lautoka family mourns death of only son
A LAUTOKA family is mourning the loss of their only son whose body was found near an old service station in Topline, Lautoka yesterday. Next to the service station was Good News Church where Hasneel Sharma’s father Babu Sharma was attending an early morning church service. Mr Sharma alerted police after he found his son...
West Police express concerns with series of armed robberies
A SERIES of robberies in the Western Division involving masked men armed with weapons threatening the lives of Fijians has deeply concerned police. Divisional Police Commander SSP Surend Sami said the element of threat to human life was also a cause of apprehension. “Any robbery is one too many,” he said. “It is of great...
EFL crew work on restoring power in Labasa
ENERGY Fiji Ltd (EFL) teams worked tirelessly to restore power supply in Labasa with restoration works expected to be completed by midnight. EFL spokesperson Karunesh Rao yesterday confirmed that power supply in the Northern Division, namely Taveuni and Savusavu, were fully restored with some areas that remained. He said some of the challenges faced by...
19th January
Ministry investigates a teacher’s 20-day leave without notice
FIJI’S Ministry of Education is now investigating a case where a teacher at a school in Nausori took leave without informing the respective head of school. Minister Rosy Akbar made this known at the meeting she had with heads of schools in Suva last week. She said the teacher had taken a 20-day leave without...
Bure: Teachers do not need qualifications but passion to be good
TEACHERS do not need university qualification to be good at their profession, says Director National Education Service Delivery Timoci Bure. Speaking at a forum with heads of schools in Suva last week, he said teachers should be passionate about their job. “You don’t need a post-grad degree or a bachelor’s degree, all you need is...
Ashok: Raiwaqa Buses is not a charitable organisation
RAIWAQA Buses Limited is not a charitable organisation to accommodate students with no funds in their e-ticketing cards. These were the comments made by the company’s managing director, Ashok Kumar, during an interview with this newspaper. “I have a business to sustain and workers to pay, this is a not a charitable organisation,” Mr Kumar...
Fiji’s Chinese community celebrate Year of the Rat
FIJIANS of Chinese origin across the country gathered today at the Suva Civic Centre to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The event was attended by Fisheries Minister Semi Koroilavesau and New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr. Delivering his speech, Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said Chinese communities around the world were ushering in the Year...
FNU to resume classes tomorrow
ALL Fiji National University (FNU) Labasa Campus and Technical College of Fiji (TCF) staff members have been advised to report to work tomorrow. FNU vice-chancellor Professor Nigel Healey has advised all students that classes will continue as normal. Prof Healey said the FNU Labasa and TCF campuses in the Northern Division will resume as normal...
