$973.4m in circulation

Room for women to take up senior positions in force

Opposition member of Parliament and chairperson of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence Viliame Naupoto while reviewing the Fiji Police Force (FPF) August 2018-July 2019 annual report, noted there were not enough senior positions held by women in the force. He made the following remarks in Parliament on Monday and said there was...

Talks on land bank

Government had promised it would consult people on whether the land bank would be maintained and “that is exactly what we will do”. Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo said this in response to an Opposition question on what the plans for the land bank initiative was. He said as of December 31,...

‘Increase in violence’

There is an increasing prevalence of crimes against women, children and suicide in Fiji society, says Opposition MP and chairperson of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence Viliame Naupoto. He made the following remarks while reviewing the Fiji Police Force (FPF) August 2018 to July 2019 annual report. Mr Naupoto said the committee...

‘Unfair’ advantage over other suppliers

A company that was paid more than $1 million by the Civil Service Ministry to coordinate and manage suppliers, service providers and volunteers for the 52nd Asian Development Bank annual meeting in May 2019, pocketed an additional $47,000 by engaging its own vehicles to provide transport services for the event. In a special investigation report...

Minister responds to Usamate’s question

Lands Minister Filimoni Vosarogo says the fact that the Land Management Use Division spent $18.1 million to earn $11.4m for landowning units begs the question whether it is the ministry’s role to administer land other than State lands which really should be administered by the iTaukei Land Trust Board. He said this in response to...

Seruiratu is the new Opposition Leader

Inia Seruiratu is the new Opposition Leader after being nominated by FijiFirst MP, Alvick Maharaj in Parliament this morning. While delivering his speech after being elected, Mr Seruiratu said he wasn’t expecting to deliver a speech after being elected as the Opposition Leader. “I am indeed honoured and privileged for this opportunity,” Mr Seruiratu said....

82 leases issued

Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo says of December 31, 2022, 82 leases have been issued under the Land Bank that came into effect under the Land Use Act 2010. He said the Land Use Unit was presently administering 66 leases and out of the 82 some have expired and a couple have been re-entered. Mr...

Ministry looks at efficacy of system

The Lands Ministry is looking at the efficacy of the Land Bank system in comparison with the iTaukei Lands Trust Board’s management of iTaukei land. Lands Minister Filimoni Vosarogo said this in response to a question from Opposition member Inia Seruiratu in Parliament on Monday. Mr Seruiratu has asked the minister to provide a timeframe...

Auditor-General finds conflict of interest in board member

The Auditor-General found a board member of Housing Authority of Fiji, who also chaired the tender committee, to have potential conflict of interest because of his professional background in construction. This is stated in the Housing Authority of Fiji Special Investigation on Lots and Tender Processes report that was tabled in Parliament on Monday. “There...

Housing staff fail to declare interest

A probe into the Housing Authority of Fiji by the Office of the Auditor-General has revealed that 23 present and former staff members and their family members were awarded lots by the authority. This according to the Housing Authority of Fiji Special Investigation on Lots and Tender Processes report that was tabled in Parliament on...

$951.6m in personal remittances – RBF

Personal remittances into the country amounted to $951.6 million, states the Reserve Bank of Fiji August 2021-July 2022 annual report that was tabled in Parliament yesterday. The RBF said this continued to increase with a significant rise in funds received via the mobile money platform. “Inward remittances (including international mobile money transfers) rose by 15.9...

Report: $77k net loss for FICAC

The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) had a net loss of $77,873 in its 2017-2018 financial year, states its annual report that was tabled in Parliament yesterday. FICAC had a total income of $8.2 million compared with total expenses of $8.3 million. Almost 100 per cent of FICAC’s total income was a government grant...

Immanuel: Municipal council audits in backlog

A majority of the municipal council audits are in backlog. Chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Assistant Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel said this in Parliament during debate on the review of the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 Audit Reports on Municipal Councils. “Section 57 (1)(3) of the Local Government Act 1972 establishes the financial...

Turaga: Other important issues to deal with than social media posts

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga says “there are other important issues to deal with” than his recent social media posts. He was responding to queries from The Fiji Times about critics of pictures he took while on an overseas trip on his official account. “There are more important issues we can deal with...

$10.9m paid for motor vehicle accidents

Payments amounting to $10.9 million were made for motor vehicle accidents which accounted for the highest percentage of compensation in 2018. Minister for Public Works and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau said this during debate on the “Review Report of the Accident Compensation Commission Fiji 2018 Annual Report” which was tabled on August 29, 2022. “If...

Appointment of Immanuel a conflict of interest – Koroilavesau

Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad hit out at Opposition parliamentarian Semi Koroilavesau for suggesting that the appointment of Assistant Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel as Public Accounts Committee chair was a “conflict of interest”. Mr Koroilavesau raised a point of order during debate on 2018-2019, 2019-2020 municipal councils’ annual reports in the House yesterday where...

Biman: Stupid decision to change immigration laws

IT was such a stupid decision to change the immigration laws to require people to come and live here for 15 years before they got citizenship. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said this during debate on the Review of the Office of the Prime Minister and Department of Immigration 2018–2019...

Citizenship issue under spotlight

Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua says there is a probe into “a whole range of people” living in Fiji to determine if they are qualified to hold Fijian passports. Speaking in Parliament yesterday during debate on the Review of the Office of the Prime Minister and Department of Immigration 2018–2019 Annual Report, he said ministry...

What happens to the drugs – Lenora

Parliamentarian Lenora Qereqeretabua has quizzed Fiji Police Force chief of planning, research and doctrines (CPRD) ACP Aporosa Lutunauga about CCTV surveillance in evidence rooms, especially since there have been cases of “drugs walking”. The exchange happened when the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence reviewed the Fiji Police Force’s 2018-2019 annual report. “The Annual...

Biman: ‘Move on, let’s make this Parliament workable’

Forget about your former leaders who have abandoned you, move on, let’s make this Parliament workable and let’s work together for the country. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad directed this statement to the Opposition during debate on the Review of the Office of the Prime Minister and Department of Immigration...

No Opposition Leader as yet – Speaker

Fiji does not have a Leader of the Opposition as yet. Speaker of Parliament Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu yesterday confirmed he had received Opposition Leader Voreqe Bainimarama’s resignation on March 8, 2023. “I referred the matter to the Privileges Committee and sought clarification from the committee on whether there were any other further aspects or impact...

Biman fires back at Chaudhry

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry should not condemn the consultative and dialogue process undertaken by the Government for the upcoming National Economic Summit. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad said this in response to comments made by Mr Chaudhry at the Fiji Public Service Association (FPSA) annual general meeting on Saturday....

Singh sweetens deal

Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh says he will introduce incentives for high-producing farmers and those who deliver green cane to the mills. Speaking to industry stakeholders in Lautoka this week, he also said investments into the immediate repair and improvement of rail system was a priority. Mr Singh said growers could also look forward to...

2000 apply – PM: Civil servants now free

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says over 2000 applications had been received for senior positions in the public service that were advertised by the Coalition Government. He also said the recall of ambassadors and high commissioners was happening slowly. “We’re dealing with the applications that have been received for senior positions in the public service as...

COC non-functional, says Rabuka

The Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) is non-functional at the moment. This was confirmed by COC chair and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. He said this was because there was no Leader of the Opposition. “We’re not sure who the nominees of the Leader of the Opposition are and the Leader of the Opposition should also be...

Spotlight on Walesi – Narube: FijiFirst had no business in television

Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube says the previous administration has no business in being involved in television broadcasting or creating a digital platform. Mr Narube, a former governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, said these activities were the responsibility of the private sector and not the government. He was commenting on a statement by...

Preparation for council elections in progress – Qereqeretabua

Deputy Speaker and Assistant Minister for Local Government Lenora Qereqeretabua says preparations for the local government municipal council elections are in progress. Speaking to participants at a Fiji Women’s Forum candidates debrief at the Soqosoqo Vakamarama Hall yesterday, Ms Qereqeretabua said the last municipal elections was held in 2005. “And a lot has changed since...

Ownership issue needs much wider consultations – Naidu

Be careful what you wish for. Suva lawyer Richard Naidu said this in response to media organisations proposing that there be provision for foreign ownership of local media in the draft Media Ownership and Registration Bill 2023. The issue was discussed at a public consultation on the review of the Media Industry Development Act 2010...

Parkinson: Repeal Media Act 2010

Communications Fiji Ltd (CFL) chairman William Parkinson has called for a repeal of the Media Industry Development Act 2010 and more discussion on the proposed Media Ownership and Registration Bill 2023. He said this during a public consultation on the review of MIDA Act 2010 at Suvavou House yesterday where a draft replacement law was...

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