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2nd April
Leaders of tomorrow: Palm is a symbol of victory, peace and eternal life – PM Rabuka
Our children will be our leaders of tomorrow. This was highlighted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in his Palm Sunday message. “As our children wave palm branches to help them connect to the story, today...
Prof Biman attacks FijiFirst for its reckless spending
Development partners like Australia, New Zealand and Japan wrote us large cheques for hundreds of millions of dollars to help us pay bills because they knew we needed help. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad said this in his ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday where he attacked the FijiFirst government for its...
Work on GCC complex to begin in June – Minister
Work on the Great Council of Chiefs Vale ni Bose complex is scheduled to begin in June this year and should be completed towards the end of 2023, says iTaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu. “The basic design and drawings are in the final stage,” he said while speaking in Parliament yesterday during debate on the...
PM Rabuka: Ageing ships becoming increasingly expensive to maintain
Ageing ships in the government fleet are becoming increasingly expensive for the state to maintain. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka highlighted the issue while delivering his ministerial speech in Parliament. “Domestic shipping services are the lifeline for our citizens in outer islands to participate in the life of our nation and our economy,” he said. “With...
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 area, interior Serua-Namosi, Naitasiri, and interior Nadroga/Navosa. Lau and Lomaiviti group and Cakaudrove Elsewhere, fine apart from afternoon or evening...
1st April
73 per cent of Fiji’s tourism earnings recovered
Fiji has recovered 73 per cent of its tourism earnings ever since it opened its border in 2021. Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka revealed this at the inaugural Fiji Tourism Investment Summit on Denarau Island where he also commended the soaring occupancy rates which continued to track above 2019 levels which was...
$30k jackpot
A Nadi woman walked away with $30,000 in cash after she took part in the Fiji Tattslotto “scratch n win” promotion at the Total Votualevu Tattslotto branch where she bought the winning ticket in February this year. The lucky winner Dilaisa Rata Delana, 43, was officially handed the prize money this week. Company senior manager...
$44.8m in compensation paid out – Tuinaceva
A total of $44.8 million in compensation has been paid under the no fault scheme since January 1, 2018, of which $30.3 million was for motor vehicles accidents, $13.5m for employment accidents and $500,000 for school accidents. Opposition parliamentarian Naisa Tuinaceva said this in Parliament on Monday during debate on the ‘Review Report of the...
Lal attacks government supporters
Virendra Lal spent the bulk of his maiden speech in Parliament on Monday attacking supporters of the Coalition Government for allegedly making “racist and discriminatory comments” and allegedly making obscene signs in front of the FijiFirst headquarters. “The President in his address spoke about uniting the people of Fiji, however, here we have a government...
Coalition Government aims to be ‘transparent’
The people’s Coalition Government aims to be transparent and will welcome dissenting opinions on difficult choices that lie ahead for the country. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad said they would be upfront with the people of Fiji, unlike the FijiFirst’s style of governance, where problems facing the nation were hidden...
$1.1m worth of farming and sports equipment
The Ministry of Youth and Sports under the previous administration distributed $1.1 million worth of boat, farming and sports equipment around Fiji between January 2018 and December 2022. Current Youth and Sports Minister Jese Saukuru stated this in a written response to questions filed by Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa...
BOVs crucial to health infrastructure
“An important element to the infrastructure improvements of public hospitals is the active involvement of its Board of Visitors,” says Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu. Speaking at the British High Commissioner’s fundraising event of CWM hospital on Thursday Dr Atonio said their role was similar to a Board of Governors. “Which is to work alongside...
‘Good practice at health centres’
After a successful training approach at six pilot health facilities around the country, the 5S-Kaizen total quality management (TQM) approach has now been introduced to 23 more health facilities. This was mentioned by the medical superintendent at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Dr Luke Nasedra during the 5S-Kaizen TQM seminar at the Holiday Inn last...
University of the South Pacific graduates 1786
The Vodafone Arena in Suva was a sea of colours, joy and celebration as the University of the South Pacific held its first graduation for 2023 on Thursday. The Laucala Campus graduation culminated over two days and four sessions with a total of 1786 students graduating with certificates, diplomas, and degrees. The first session was...
Tourism leakages in Fiji
Tourism industry leakage is a big factor in national development and there is a need to understand what leakages are taking place from which sun-sectors or the industry. This was highlighted by Professor Paresh Narayan of Monash University and the president of the Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association (APAEA) at a public lecture held at the...
FICAC to file discontinuance in Adi Litia’s case
The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) told the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court in Suva that they intended to file a discontinuance in the case of former opposition MP Adi Litia Qionibaravi. The matter was called before High Court judge Justice Dr Thushara Kumarage. FICAC lawyer Daren Hicks informed the court that the...
Ratu Epeli Ganilau burial: Tears from the sky
Light showers fell over the chiefly burial site at Vuniduva in Somosomo Village, Taveuni as the traditional pall bearers carried the casket of the late Ratu Epeli Ganilau to his final resting place. At the gates which marked the entrance to the burial site, Republic of Fiji Military Forces officers set the casket of their...
Naidu: Need to consider standardised VAT rate
Government should consider expanding the list of zero-rated VAT (value added tax) items to keep its political promise of containing the inflation rate. Business consultant Sailesh Naidu said this at the Fiscal Review Committee public consultation in Lautoka this week, where he also said, in a bid to increase consumer consumption, the State should also...
Fiji company directors ordered to pay FDB $7.4million
Two directors of a company have been ordered to pay $7.4 million to the Fiji Development Bank. High Court judge Justice Yohan Liyanage ruled recently that Anand Chandra and Subhas Chandra were bound by an agreement with FDB and liable to pay any residual debt of their company, Toa (Fiji) Ltd. The duo had approached...
Gravel extraction in Navua: Residents tell of sorry tale
Residents living along Vakabalea Rd in Navua were forced — yet again — to tell of their sorry tale of living in almost unbearable conditions because of activities related to gravel extraction when an Environmental Impact Assessment consultation was conducted yesterday for a proposed quarry in the area. And as residents repeated issues they have...
$26k for FBC rebranding
ABOUT $26,800 was spent for the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) rebranding, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad. He said the cost was far less than the $207,000 incurred to purchase a vehicle for the former FBC chief executive officer and highlighted the cost included the invitations, set-ups, logistics and evening...
One in every $5 paid as interest to our lenders – Prof Biman
Almost one in every five dollars of revenue that Government collects is now paid as interest to our lenders, of which about 70 per cent is local. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad painted a grim picture of Fiji’s finances during his ministerial statement in Parliament on Thursday. He said while the...
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 damage to his fame, profession, dignity, prospect of promotion, employment abroad, mental distress, anxiety, pain and suffering. Mr Padarath claimed...
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...
