Fiji News

flP joins the world in strongly condemning the unprovoked russian invasion of ukraine

FIJI Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry says they have joined the world in strongly condemning the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine which is an outright assault on an independent and sovereign State.

Chaudhry has called for an immediate stop to the war.

He says there are alarming reports of Russia sending lethal weapons into Ukraine that are banned under the Geneva Convention where bombs and missiles fired by the Russian army are killing civilians and destroying homes, schools and other non-military institutions.

Chaudhry says Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he had put his security forces on nuclear alert must be denounced in the strongest terms.

He says the world sees it as a “chilling” development.

Chaudhry says the invasion has created a humanitarian crisis of huge proportions displacing more than half a million Ukrainians fleeing their country to seek refuge in neighbouring States.

He says many more have moved to safety in underground metro stations, now being used as bunkers.

Chaudhry says the aggression must stop immediately.

He says they call on the Fijian government to join the rest of the world and publicly condemn this outright display of unrestrained might by a superpower.

Chaudhry says they call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a return to diplomacy and peaceful resolution of the crisis.

feo provides voter registration services to remote locations

The Fijian Elections Office says it served more than 16,500 voters in five days in some of the most remote locations in the country.

According to the FEO, on March 2 alone, it recorded 3660 voters in its engagements.

“So far we have covered over 225 locations around the country. These numbers also include several voter awareness sessions conducted by the teams directly with Fijians,” the FEO stated.

It stated that awareness teams reached Rewasau Village in the heart of Viti Levu yesterday, and another team reached Marou Village in Nadarivatu.

The northern team reached Cikobia Island and had begun voter services to the four villages there on the island.

“As the week progresses, we continue to reach out to some of the remotest villages and settlements in our country so that all the voters in these regions access voter services right before the next general election,” the FEO stated.

Waf aims to restore water to thousands of residents in samabula, tamavua, namadi and delainavesi by tonight Burst at the Waimanu Pumping Station fixed

The Water Authority of Fiji says it is expecting to restore water to thousands of people living in Samabula North, Tamavua, Namadi, Delainavesi and Suva who are facing water cuts from yesterday.

Water Authority of Fiji’s Chief Operating Officer, Seru Soderberg confirms that they fixed the burst main at Waimanu Pumping Station late last night and the reservoirs are now filling up.

Soderberg says many residents continue to be affected and they are clearing the air pockets in the pipes now to ensure the affected residents get water by this afternoon or tonight.

The areas affected include Tamavua-i-Wai Bridge through to Togalevu Naval Base along the Queens Highway including all side streets, areas from Twomey Hospital to Reservoir Road along Princes Road, areas include the side streets along Princes Road such as Ragg Avenue, Deoji Street, Mead Road, Niraji, Wairua, Upper Mead Road, Lovoni Road, Loa Street, Goodrum Place, Kaba Road, Saimoni Vatu Place, Bureta Street, Maharaj Place, Tuvana Place, Levuka Street, Tubou Street, Lakeba Street, Helson Street, Nayau Street, Kabara Street, Fulaga Street, Sovu Place, Namuka Street, Moala Street, Vatoa Street, Matuku Street, Totoya Street, areas in Namadi Heights such as Lower Ragg Avenue, Pathik Cresent, Mika Dreu Place, Padam Lala, Salato Road, Tuisawaqa, Salesi Road and all side streets, those living along Rewa Street to Flagstaff roundabout including all side streets, Kula Street, Kaka Street, parts of Gaji Road including Jittu Estate and elevated areas along Laucala Bay and Ratu Sukuna Road.

Soderberg says people can call 5777 if they have no water and need a water carting truck to come to their area. He says people can also call to inform them if they do not have water but their neighbours are getting water supply.

‘be self-sufficient’ – municipal councils urged to undertake projects

We want more municipal councils undertaking projects in order to be self-sufficient, says Local Government Minister Premila Kumar.

Mrs Kumar made this comment last week during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Namoli Green Night Food Market project in Lautoka.

“We want more municipal councils coming onboard and doing projects because the Government cannot be funding most of the projects,” she said.

Mrs Kumar said she strongly believed the municipal councils should be one of the biggest landlords in the country.

“They should have a large number of properties and facilities from which they could generate revenue.

“In the past 10 years, a substantial sum of money has been given by the Government for various projects that were undertaken around the country.”

She said running any municipal council was not easy. “How can anyone expect better facilities from the municipal councils if the ratepayers owe rates to the council despite us not increasing the fees and charges, thus it becomes very challenging to upgrade the facilities,” said Mrs Kumar.

400 depart for australia under Pacific Labour scheme

MOre than 400 Fijians have departed for Australia in the past three months under the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS), Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations permanent secretary Osea Cawaru said.

He said there would be an increase in the number of Fijians travelling to New Zealand under the scheme as soon as New Zealand opens its borders.

“From last year December, we started with the registration after the reopening of the border and over 400 people have left for Australia under PLS as New Zealand is still close,” he said.”

We are anticipating another 1000 for the next three or four months who were registered with us since 2020.”

Mr Cawaru said COVID-19 affected the number of people applying and travelling under the scheme.

“I think we were one of the first countries in the Pacific that was affected and because of the high rush of the COVID-19 that we had, that resulted in closure of borders not only from Fiji but also from New Zealand and Australia. That actually really affected the number that we send abroad.

“There was a major decrease in the numbers from Fiji last year.”

high fever – acute febrile illnesses concern minister

rePOrTs of acute febrile illnesses are on the rise in Seaqaqa, Macuata and tend to worry the Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete.

Dr Waqainabete said these fevers could be caused by COVID-19, leptospirosis, dengue, typhoid and any of the communicable diseases.

“Specifically, I am worried about what they (staff) seem to think is a rise in acute febrile illness,” Dr Waqainabete said.

Meanwhile, an acute febrile illness is an onset of fever or raised temperature, whose cause is not clearly known.