Business
16th December
Courts hosts in-store cookery demonstration
COURTS Mega store in Samabula, Suva, today hosted an in-store cookery demonstration with the use of Philip brands. Chef Nicholas Jordon from Malamala Beach Club presented a live cookery demonstration of how to cook a healthy-styled fish...
Fiji Airports gear up for another record financial year
FIJI Airports is gearing up for another record year in terms of profits, says company executive chairperson Faiz Khan. He said their performance over the last 12 months was a significant improvement from 2017. “The year 2018 has been a phenomenal year,” he said. “A phenomenal year thanks to the efforts of our staff and...
15th December
Apple plans new $1 billion campus for Austin, Texas
(Reuters) – Apple Inc <AAPL.O> said on Thursday it would spend $1 billion to build a second campus in Austin, Texas, that will house up to 15,000 workers as part of a broader push by U.S. companies to create more domestic jobs. The iPhone maker also said it plans to expand in Seattle, San Diego...
FSC: Crush improved
THE Labasa mill crushed 620,000 tonnes of cane and produced 64,000 tonnes of sugar this year. Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) chief executive officer Graham Clark said the performance of the mill improved this year. “Labasa did well and is the best performing mill this year and generally we have had weather impact,” he said. “We...
$816,004 bonus payout for Fiji Airport staff members
CHRISTMAS came early for Fiji Airports staff members after they were given a $816,004.62 bonus payout yesterday. In announcing the payment, Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said Fiji Airports was the highest contributor of government dividends and unparalleled in terms of performance and profit. “I want to congratulate all of you,” he said....
Nadi taxi body concerned with traffic system
THE Nadi Taxi Association claims the Fiji Roads Authority’s traffic management system in the central business district area is costing passengers extra dollars in taxi fares. Association president Vasu Nair also said the first impression tourists from Denarau had of Nadi Town was Prince Charles Park and back alleyways. “We are not happy about the...
Crushing extension for Fiji’s Western sugar mills
THE Sugar Cane Growers Council and Fiji Sugar Corporation have agreed to extend crushing at the Lautoka and Rarawai sugar mills. SCGC chief executive officer Sundresh Chetty said he was grateful to the FSC for agreeing to push the termination of crush dates back. The Sugar Industry Tribunal had earlier ordered that crushing at Lautoka...
Review examines Fiji’s debt levels
A NEW review by the Asian Development Bank has suggested that the Fijian Government reconsider its limit on external borrowing at 30 per cent of total borrowings. This is on account of liquidity and interest rate movements in the domestic market. Government intends to maintain foreign-sourced debt at no more than 30.0 per cent of...
Rise in email scam cases
THE Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) recently detected a case where an estate property settlement proceeds totaling approximately FJ$845,000 was remitted to the foreign bank account of a cybercriminal. According to Fiji FIU Razim Buksh, the cybercriminal pretended to be the beneficiary of the estate in October this year. He said it appeared that email...
Huawei $2 billion security pledge followed walkout by British official – sources
LONDON (Reuters) – Huawei’s relations with British authorities hit a low last month when a top official walked out of a meeting with the Chinese company over its perceived failure to fix security holes in its products, sources familiar with the talks told Reuters. Although Huawei responded with a pledge to spend $2 billion on...
Risk mitigation in the Pacific’s coconut sector
TWENTY-SEVEN experts and stakeholders from the coconut industry completed a four-day “Coconut Risk Management and Mitigation Manual for the Pacific Region” at the Tanoa International Hotel, Nadi. According to the Pacific Community (SPC), the training was a follow-up of the successful Coconut Industry Development Programme (CIDP) workshop conducted in April this year that resulted in...
14th December
Trade to slow in 2019, millions of jobs put at risk by trade conflicts, says new regional UN report
BANGKOK, 14 DECEMBER 2018 (UN NEWS CENTRE) – Coinciding with a recent trade truce between the United States and China to usher in dialogue and trade negotiation, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has released a new report discussing the impact of a full-blown trade war and charting...
$5m loss to scams
SINCE 2014, 39 businesses and individuals have lost funds totalling $5million in foreign remittance transactions to cybercriminals through email compromise scams. According to the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), only $169,000 was recovered. In a statement issued today, Fiji FIU director Razim Buksh has raised concerns on the continuous rise in cases of individuals and...
IEA sees global oil supply tightening more quickly in 2019
LONDON (Reuters) – The global oil market could move into deficit sooner than expected thanks to OPEC’s output agreement with Russia and to Canada’s decision to cut supply, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday. The Paris-based IEA kept its 2019 forecast for global oil demand growth at 1.4 million barrels per day, unchanged from...
Fiji Airports staff share $816k bonus
FIJI Airports staff received a bonus payout of more than $816,000 today. The announcement was made by Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the Nadi International Airport. He said the payout was testament to the dedication shown by the staff over the past year. According to Fiji Airports, 518 people would get...
Focus on forests
MORE than 20 years ago, the forestry sector used to be one of the top three sectors that contributed greatly to Fiji’s economy but it seems to have dwindled today. These were the sentiments echoed by Ministry for Forests permanent secretary Pene Baleinabuli while opening the REDD+ steering committee special meeting held at JJ’s in...
Plea for ministry to take back lead role
MEMBERS of Fiji Mahogany Trust (FMT) pleaded with the Ministry of Forests to return and play a lead role in the forestry sector during their first board meeting held at the Wesley City Mission Church hall in Suva yesterday. Issues raised at the meeting in the presence of Ministry of Forestry permanent secretary Pene Baleinabuli...
Business growth
THE Pacific makes up 30 per cent of its business and is a significant driver of its profitability as an organisation. Tower Insurance chief executive officer Richard Harding made these remarks while opening their newly refurbished office in Suva on Wednesday. “Tower Insurance has been in Fiji for over 140 years and we have been...
Keenan takes over
UNDERSCORING the importance that Fulton Hogan Hiways Joint Venture has placed on its continuing role within infrastructure in Fiji, it has announced Patrick Keenan as its new general manager. Mr Keenan will replace Duncan Fraser who is transferring back to another Fulton Hogan joint venture business and will return to Melbourne, Australia at the end...
Call for more women to join apprentice scheme
MEREANI Talianaivalu believes that women/girls should get out of their comfort zones and take the challenge of studying and working in fields that were once considered as male-dominated. The lass from Kabara in Lau, is part of the National Apprenticeship Scheme at the Fiji National University’s National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC). Ms Talianaivalu yesterday...
Employment ministry maps out areas to improve
FIJI’S Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations is undergoing a mid-term review reflecting on their current work and to map out improvements needed and to formulate the 2019 to 2020 Financial Year Plan. The review is being done through a two-day Review and Planning Workshop which began yesterday. Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations...
New study to explore, boost Fiji’s cruise tourism
A SIX month study on cruise industry has been launched which will see the way forward for the lucrative part of Fiji’s tourism sector. With Fiji earning $10.4 million in cruise earnings last year, a 15 per cent increase compared with 2016, the cruise industry is becoming an important part for the Fijian tourism industry....
15pc rise in cruise earnings for Fiji
FIJI earned $10.4 million in cruise earnings last year, a 15 per cent increase compared with 2016, says Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism permanent secretary Shaheen Ali. Mr Ali said the cruise sector was becoming an important segment in the Fijian tourism industry and had been growing phenomenally around the world, confirming that the...
Prosperity through education
A TOTAL of 162 villagers from the districts of Itu’tiu and Oinafa in Rotuma recently completed and graduated from a two-week training on basic practical skills. They were graduates of Fiji National University’s (FNU) Sustainable Livelihood Project (SLP) training program focussed on technical and vocational trainings. The Sustainable Livelihood Project training is offered through FNU’s National Training...
13th December
Fiji Port Terminal staff share $376k bonus payment
IT will be a sweet Christmas for 435 employees of Fiji Ports Terminal Ltd (FPTL) who shared a bonus payment of $376,000 today. FPTL chairman Hasmukh Patel said the bonus distribution was according to the company’s human resource (HR) policy and permanent staff, registered relief workers (RRW’s) and day contractors were entitled to the payment. “For...
Bank adds more features on app
ANZ Bank has added new features to its ANZ Pacific App to make banking on the go easier and more secure for Fiji and Pacific customers. According to the announcement today, th new features include: fingerprint ID (Android) & TouchID (iOS) log in local bank and international transfers now available to Business Internet Banking customers...
Sugar tribunal orders termination of crushing at Rarawai Mill
THE Sugar Industry Tribunal, Devanesh Sharma, has ordered the Fiji Sugar Corporation to terminate crushing at the Rarawai sugar mill in Ba on Sunday, December 16. Mr Sharma issued the order after consulting FSC CEO Graham Clark and Sugar Cane Growers Council CEO Sundresh Chetty. Farmers are requested to ensure all harvestable cane is cut...
Increase in cruise ship tourism
THE number of cruise passengers arriving in Fiji has more than trebled since 2010 with more than 180,000 people visiting by ships last year, says IFC’s resident representative for Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati, Deva De Silva. However Mr De Silva said there was potential for Fiji to make even more gains and increase the...
Nadi International Airport receives another global recognition
THE newly revamped Nadi International Airport has once again received independent recognition. In a press statement released today Fiji Airports the award is from Traveller Guide that critiques best and worst tourism or travel related experiences. In a global assessment of airports Nadi received the “Best Recent Renovation” recognition. The Traveller critique said the following:...
Narrowing knowledge gap
RESERVE Bank of Fiji governor Ariff Ali has urged regional central banks to continue partnering with relevant stakeholder institutions to up-skill its researchers, build capacity and narrow the knowledge gap. Speaking at the inaugural South Pacific Central Banking Research Conference in Suva, Mr Ali said the importance of evidence-based policy meetings and deliberations cannot be...
