Mums initiate fight against hard drugs

Prof Prasad: Pictures tell a thousand words

PICTURES tell a thousand words, says National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad. Speaking in Lautoka yesterday, he said the 24-second video that went viral on social media on Friday showed how the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama allegedly used violence against NFP president Pio Tikoduadua. “Now the people can decide,” he said. “Was it assault?...

Tikoduadua says he feels vindicated after release of footage

NATIONAL Federation Party president and Member of Parliament Pio Tikoduadua feels vindicated following the release of footage showing Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama allegedly assaulting him outside of Parliament earlier this month. While speaking at the opening of the NFP annual general meeting in Lautoka today, he said he felt the video proved he was not...

Alleged assault video goes viral

VIDEO footage has emerged online and has gone viral of Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama allegedly manhandling National Federation Party president and member of Parliament Pio Tikoduadua outside Parliament. The video is alleged to have been recorded on August 9, 2019, the day Mr Tikoduadua claimed he was physically and verbally assaulted by the PM. Attorney-General...

E-passport delayed

THE Government’s new E-passport that was expected to be on rolled out next Monday will be delayed. It was announced that on August 26, the new e-passport will be launched. However, because of the latest features and the new system, the department will organise familiarisation training for the authorities, which will take approximately seven to...

Kumar: Minimal instances of child labour and human trafficking in Fiji

FIJI is concerned about the widespread problem of human trafficking and child labour in many parts of the world. Employment Minister Parveen Kumar said Fiji was fortunate it had not faced the full brunt of the problem. He said Fiji had minimal instances of child labour and human trafficking. “Globally, we are all deeply concerned...

A-G: Workers exploited by employers will seek legal aid services

WITH the rise in foreign workers entering Fiji, legal aid services would be sought by those who found themselves being exploited by their employers, says Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He said Fiji had seen a rise in foreign workers in the construction industry, and there have been a few cases of workers being taken advantage of....

Fiji calls for multi-sectoral approach to end child labour

THE Fijian Government has called on stakeholders, non-government organisations and the civil society for a multi-sectoral approach to eliminate child labour, forced labour and modern slavery from our societies. Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Parveen Kumar made this call while officiating at the two-day forum on National Strategic Planning Forum to develop a...

Fiji’s PRUN to chair Working Group on Trafficking in Persons

FIJI’S Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Nazhat Shameem Khan has been appointed as the chair of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons at the United Nations Organisation for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna. The Working Group was established to strengthen compliance internationally with the Protocol on Trafficking in Persons. Speaking...

Cloud system to ensure farmers’ connectivity

VODAFONE Fiji Limited formally launched a cloud system with the Sugar Cane Growers Fund in Lautoka today. Vodafone’s head of Enterprise Development Antonio Kitione said the Infrastructure as a Service for Sugar Cane Growers Fund was a huge step forward for the organisation. He said under the system, Vodafone – as the cloud provider –...

Health often overlooked in climate change talks

HEALTH is an important issue that is often overlooked when leaders talk about climate change. This was the view of World Health Organization regional director for Western Pacific Dr Takeshi Kasai. He made the comment as parliamentarians attending the Asia-Pacific Parliament Forum on Global Health in Nadi, visited Namoli, Lautoka, yesterday. Fiji is hosting the...

Studying in church, shed since 2016

SINCE December 2016, students of Laucala District School have used two church buildings and a shed as classrooms because new school buildings, damaged by landslide have not been constructed. As a result, the students of Dreketi Village on Qamea, Taveuni, had had to share spaces in the two church buildings. The old school building was...

A-G says some FLS members are ‘monetary driven’

SOME members of the private Bar, including the Fiji Law Society, are “monetary driven” with no effort made to help develop a legal aid culture among its members, says Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. In his opening remarks at the inaugural Pacific Regional Legal Aid Commission Conference in Sigatoka yesterday, he said some members of the Fiji...

Parliamentarians urged to drive action

PARLIAMENTARIANS attending the 5th Asia Pacific Parliamentarian on Global Health (APPFGH) were urged to drive actions in their countries that will promote and protect the health and well-being of all. While delivering his keynote address, Speaker Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said parliamentarians played a critical role in enacting laws for health, mobilise financial resources, monitor implementation...

Fiji hosts 5th Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health

FIJI becomes the first Pacific Island country to host the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health. While welcoming delegates to the 5th Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health in Nadi, President Jioji Konrote said “Fiji, like the rest of our friends in the Pacific, are experiencing and witnessing the adverse impacts of climate change and...

Fiji ready and open for business

THE first ever Familiarization Visit Program for Non-Resident Ambassadors and High Commissioners Accredited to Fiji was launched today by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Inia Seruiratu at the Grand Pacific Hotel (GPH). The theme for the event is Nurturing Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development,” and it is intended to strengthen Fiji’s...

Outcome will be interesting: Chapman

IT will be interesting to see how authorities handle the allegations of assault against Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, says former secretary-general to Parliament Mary Chapman. Ms Chapman said the case of Opposition MP Naiqama Lalabalavu, who was suspended by Parliament for two years in 2015 for uttering a slur against the late Speaker Dr Jiko...

Timor-Leste non-resident ambassador pays farewell call

PRESIDENT Jioji Konrote received a farewell call from the Non-Resident Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Fiji, Abel Guterres today. Mr Guterres, who was based in Canberra, Australia where he has served since 2010, was accredited to Fiji. He made a farewell call to President Konrote at State House this morning.

Leaders end meeting

PACIFIC Islands Forum leaders concluded the 50th PIF Leaders Meeting in consensus but with qualifications. This was revealed by the chair of the meeting and Tuvaluan Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga. The qualifications meant that not all forum leaders agreed with the recommendations put forward by the smaller island states (SIS). The SIS had endorsed the...

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