The Fiji Times

Retracing his roots | Asish uncovers family history dating back to Fiji’s girmit era

PART 1 It is a rare thing to find recorded family history that has been neatly articulated by our forefathers. For most of us, our greatgrandparents and greatgreatgrandparents were too poor to go to school and were unable to read or write even their own names. For them, family history was passed down through stories,...

Back in history | Yomiuri tours Fiji

In 1985 district teams were formed in preparation for a touring football club from Japan called, Yomiuri. All district teams in the West, East, and North formed three major clubs to face the visitors. These clubs were called the Westerners, Southerners, and Easterners. The visitors had successfully won the first match of their tour against...

Global warming to global boiling

Movers and shakers in the fight against climate change are gathering for the United Nation’s Climate Ambition Summit in New York Wednesday September 20, while climate scientists and Pacific activists call on Australia to ramp up its own ambitions. The summit comes as the Australia Institute has published a full-page ad in the New York...

Lloyd’s to enter Fiji | New climate-related insurance product design

Fiji will be on the frontline of a new climate-related insurance product designed to help Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developing Countries (LDCs) mitigate climate-related financial risks. In a statement this week, Lloyd’s, the world’s leading marketplace for insurance and reinsurance, announced a partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to...

Growth in service exports

Fiji has experienced a growth of $445.1 million in service exports in the second quarter of 2023 as compared to the same period the previous year, while the import of services has only grown by $122m for the same period, boding well for the nation’s economic growth. According to a statistical news release by the...

Italy criticises Germany for funding migrant charity groups

ROME (Reuters) – A German plan to finance charities helping migrants in the Mediterranean causes difficulties for Italy, defence minister Guido Crosetto said on Sunday, as Rome tries to enforce tougher measures to stem the flow of sea arrivals. Following reports in Italian media, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said on Friday that...

Singh: Climate Change is main global challenge

Climate change is one of the main global challenges facing households and businesses, having profound impact on employment and productivity prospects — all important ingredients for economic and social growth progress. This was relayed by Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh to a room full of accountants while officiating the opening...

$5b investment towards tourism industry

The $5 billion investment by three Middle Eastern families towards the tourism industry has been confirmed and is legitimate, says professional landscaper Naushad Ali. Mr Ali, who acquired his dual citizenship together with his wife Sherene Ali in 2016, says because of the previous governments draconian ruling style they waited until after the Coalition Government...

China, resource-rich East Timor upgrade bilateral ties

BEIJING (Reuters) – China and East Timor have upgraded bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, potentially giving Beijing more influence in the region while satisfying the young half-island nation’s desire for stronger ties with major economies. The agreement to enhance relations came after China’s President Xi Jinping met with East Timor’s Prime Minister Xanana...

‘Common cultural heritage vital for all our identity’

Heritage is priceless and one cannot afford to let it go, said Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Katamotu Nalumisa at the 2023 Vodafone Rakiraki carnival on Saturday night. The theme for the carnival was “Our Heritage, Our Future”. “Common cultural heritage is vital for all our identity and the preservation of our culture...

Delay in investigation a concern, says family

A family on Taveuni is concerned over delayed investigation involving their daughter believed to have been indecently assaulted two months ago and the alleged suspect remains free. In an interview with the victim’s mother, she said she frequently visited the Taveuni Police Station to follow up on the report and made several phone calls, but...

China’s Xi seriously considering South Korea visit

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) – China’s President Xi Jinping on Saturday said he will seriously consider visiting South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported, as part of efforts to support peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. Separately China Central Television (CCTV) reported that Xi had told South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Saturday that China is...

Charges labelled ‘defective’

The Public Services Disciplinary Tribunal (PSDR) has stated that charges laid on a staff by the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations are “defective”. Talei Boletawa was referred to the tribunal on charges of insubordination and backdating National Employment Centre (NEC) application forms for PALM scheme. She pleaded guilty before the tribunal. Ministry of...

Court orders payment

The High Court in Labasa has ordered a labour officer with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations and the ministry to pay a man $67,845.90. Navneet Prasad suffered injuries while working as an electrician for Lincoln Refrigeration Ltd. Following a complaint to the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, the company remitted...

RBF posts record $102.2m profit

THE Reserve Bank of Fiji recorded a net profit of $102.2 million for the financial year ending July 31, 2023. RBF Governor Ariff Ali said this was an all time high profit recorded for the central bank and it signified the prudent investment of foreign reserves and the favourable interest rate environment in key countries...

Trade unionist hopes for media support

Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) general secretary Felix Anthony is hoping other media organisations can join the trade union after they organised and got the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation on-board. He made the comments while speaking to the media after their national council meeting on Saturday. ” It is not only about better wages, but I...

Call to appoint more tribunals

Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh has asked the Attorney-General to appoint to more tribunals and the courts to hear employment related matters. He said a concern of the union members of the Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) is the long delays in the decisions by the tribunals in the employment...

China central bank adviser proposes structural reforms to revive economy

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China has limited room for further monetary policy easing, and it should pursue structural reforms such as encouraging entrepreneurs rather than counting on macroeconomic policies to revive growth, a central bank adviser said on Sunday. Liu Shijin, a member of the People’s Bank of China’s (PBOC) monetary policy committee, told a financial...

State to facilitate more discussions with Aspen

The Government will facilitate more discussions with Aspen Medical to see how their partnership could be better used to improve overall health services in the Western Division. Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad said after his tour of the Aspen Medical-managed Ba Hospital last week that health services delivery has been a concern of the government....

New hospital ready by 2026

The new 305-bed hospital in Lautoka will be ready by 2026, says Aspen Medical chief executive officer Gavin Whiteside. He made the comments after meeting the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad, who was on a tour of the Western Division this week. “The plan is for 305 beds and...

$1.5m park project | Nalumisa: To be completed by next month

Local Government Minister Maciu Nalumisa says the $1.5 million Sukuna Park project is expected to be completed by next month. During an interview with The Fiji Times recently, Mr Nalumisa said according to the Suva City Council (SCC), the whole project should be completed by end of October, as the only thing left was the...

Good turnout at blood drive

A good number of people turned up to a blood drive hosted by the Nasinu Junior Chamber on Saturday. Assistant general secretary Rohitesh Chand said the blood drive was an annual event. “We have been doing this for the past few years,” he said. “Nasinu Junior Chambers is a non-profitable organisation and we do a...

Kindergarten teacher charged with rape

A woman has been charged for allegedly raping a four-year-old girl and will be produced at the Suva Magistrates Court today. According to Police, the 30-year-old suspect who is charged with one count of rape is alleged to have committed the offence on September 15. Police say the accused is the victim’s kindergarten teacher, and...

UK interior minister to raise ‘unsustainable’ migration pressures during U.S. visit

LONDON (Reuters) – British interior minister Suella Braverman will raise the “the unsustainable pressures” created by illegal migration when she makes a three-day visit to the U.S. this week, her office said on Sunday. In a keynote speech, Braverman will present a blueprint for how countries can combat the crisis and highlight how Britain has...

Weather watch | Heavy rain alert for Fiji

A heavy rain alert is in force for the whole Fiji Group and a flood warning is now in force for the Wainibuka River and down the main Rewa River. The Fiji Meteorogical Service says this is due to a trough of low pressure that currently lies slow moving over the Fiji Group. The associated...

FSC faces $900m debt, says Singh

The value of the accumulated loss of a $102 million loan taken by Fiji Sugar Corporation in 2005 from the EXIM Bank of India is currently estimated at $900 million, said Minister for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh. He said these losses have been calculated on the “seriously mismanaged investment” where the FSC management in 2005...

Thailand expects Tesla, Google, Microsoft to invest $5 billion

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Sunday the country expected to receive investment of at least $5 billion from Tesla, Google and Microsoft. “Tesla would be looking into an EV manufacturing facility, Microsoft and Google are looking at data centres,” he said, without detailing whether the $5 billion was expected to...

Consultant sought to shape strategic plan