1 NEW ADDITION TO FIJI’S JUDICIAL RANKS – His Excellency the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, today swore-in the new High Court Judge Degiri Seneviratne at Government House before senior members of the judiciary.
2 COMMISSIONER LEADS GOVT DELEGATION TO ROTUMA – The Divisional Commissioner Eastern Luke Moroivalu is leading a Government delegation to the island of Rotuma to hold a Government awareness roadshow on the island.
3 U20 Fiji Football Team Presents i-Tatau to the president – His Excellency the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau today received the i-Tatau presentation from the U20 Fiji Football Team to the FIFA U20 World Cup.
4 Expo to be an annual event: MINISTER Akbar – The National Women’s Expo will be hosted annually and will give every women in the country a space to display their talent and potential.
5 FOREIGN MINISTER HOLD TALKS WITH VISITING CHINA INVESTORS – The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in the pursuit of increasing investment in Fiji met today with a group of investors from Shenzhen, China.
6 YOUTH OFFICERS CALLED TO DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE –Youth officers and youth trainers from the four divisions have been urged to nurture the potential of Fijain youth in the country through the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Know About Business program.
1 NEW ADDITION TO FIJI’S JUDICIAL RANKS
His Excellency the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, today swore-in the new High Court Judge Degiri Seneviratne at Government House before senior members of the judiciary.
Judge Seneviratne began his legal profession after he qualified as an attorney-at-law and practiced for five years until he was appointed as a Magistrate. He worked as a Magistrate and a District Judge for almost 19 years.
Judge Seneviratne was appointed as a Judge of the High Court in 2007 and prior to his appointment to the Fijian judiciary, he worked as a Judge of the High Court of Colombo.
2 COMMISSIONER LEADS GOVT DELEGATION TO ROTUMA
The Divisional Commissioner Eastern Luke Moroivalu is leading a Government delegation to the island of Rotuma to hold a Government awareness roadshow on the island.
Mr Moroivalu said the trip to Rotuma is a two-way trip given that the delegation will be part of the Rotuma celebrations and will also conduct the roadshow.
“Every year we have a high Government delegation visiting the island for the celebrations and this year we have decided to have the celebrations along with the roadshow.
“This way we would be able to have all the islanders in the village attending the celebrations including the roadshow.”
“Along with Government officials we also have financial institutions and other statutory bodies that will also provide services to the people of Rotuma,” Mr Moroivalu said.
“This is continuous effort of the Government in providing services to rural and maritime islands in Fiji,” he said.
“This is where we take our services to the people and as Commissioner Eastern, I may say that Rotuma is very fortunate to have access to these services brought to their doorstep.”
The two-day event will be officiated by the Assistant Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Honorable Joeli Cawaki.
3 U20 Fiji Football Team Presents i-Tatau to the president
His Excellency the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau today received the i-Tatau presentation from the U20 Fiji Football Team to the FIFA U20 World Cup.
Speaking to the team at Government House, His Excellency said they the team would be representing Fiji with honor at an International arena.
“You are the chosen lot of young men who had your trial by fire and are now on the verge of international representation,” His Excellency said.
“You have pledged to the President and the people of Fiji that you are prepared to undertake this herculean task that you have been given.”
His Excellency said the team will be competing with budding superstar footballers and the training has built them up for international platform.
“Go with the blessing of the all the people of Fiji here and overseas and I wish you well and look forward to the reports of your game.”
The team is set to play with Germany in their first match at the FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand early next month.
4 Expo to be an annual event: MINISTER Akbar
The National Women’s Expo will be hosted annually and will give every women in the country a space to display their talent and potential.
This was highlighted this morning by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Hon. Rosy Akbar as she addressed Parliament.
“The National Women’s Expo will be an annual event for the women and it will create new marketing opportunities for the women. Particularly the women in rural and maritime areas who have immense talents yet they require marketing opportunities. The National Women’s Expo and Division Craft Shows 2015 is based on the theme, “Connecting Women to Markets, Making it Happen.” It will be held in Suva from the 14th to 16th of October this year.
“Currently we have 1702 registered women’s groups with the Ministry and through National Women’s Expo, they will have the opportunity to showcase their talents and secure new markets for their products. The Fijian government has allocated a budget of $500,000 for this year’s Expo,” Minister Akbar explained.
The Ministry has also partnered with the Fiji Arts Council, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry to organise divisional craft shows.
“The winners of the divisional craft shows will be sponsored by the Ministry whereby their transport fares, accommodation, meals will be looked after by the Ministry during their stay in Suva. The Fiji Arts Council is partnering with us in trying to select winners from the four divisions in terms of handicrafts and Ministry of Health’s partnership will be important in terms of selecting winners for homemade products.
“With the assistance of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, we will be exploring new marketing opportunities for locally produced items. Such an annual event will entice rural women to raise their standards of handicrafts produced and develop market-driven mindsets pushing for higher quality.
“The Expo is an initiative that aims to build self-esteem, moral and confidence of the Fijian Women to realise their potential and ability to contribute towards national development,” Minister Akbar said.
The main objectives of the Divisional Craft Shows which begins first on Rotuma Island on 13th May include the following:
- To encourage the production of better quality and higher value products displayed during the Craft Show;
- Strengthen existing markets that are available at the Divisional Level for rural women;
- Identify best artisans groomed for a larger platform such as the National Expo and more so connecting to markets at the national and international level.
5 FOREIGN MINISTER HOLD TALKS WITH VISITING CHINA INVESTORS
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in the pursuit of increasing investment in Fiji met today with a group of investors from Shenzhen, China.
The eight-member delegation came from the Bonus Sky Investment Group and is interested in high-end real estate business, health care and tourism projects. They hope to open up a centre in Fiji that will combine the specialised health care with leisure and tourism.
The Chinese delegation was delighted to be in Fiji and emphasised that the good relationship between the Government of China and the Fijian Government as well as Fiji’s pristine natural environment were the two main factors that attracted them to pursue investment opportunities in Fiji.
Hon. Minister Kubuabola offered his support to such projects that will bring in additional tourists, health care specialists and further investment opportunities to benefit the people of Fiji.
6 YOUTH OFFICERS CALLED TO DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE
Youth officers and youth trainers from the four divisions have been urged to nurture the potential of Fijain youth in the country through the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ Know About Business program.
Addressing participants of the week long Know About Business Training of Trainers workshop at the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development in Nadave, the Ministry’s permanent secretary Mr Josefa Sania reiterated the need for Fijian youth to venture into entrepreneurship.
“I hope that you will put into practice all the valuable lessons gained through the workshop for the enhancement of our country’s youth which I am sure will be boosted once you take this Know About Business initiative to their doorstep,” he said.
Mr Sania added that in the past, officers who had undertaken the Training of Trainers workshop did not disseminate what they had learnt during the training.
“I urge you as youth officers and youth training officers to take back all that you have learnt and understood through the 9 modules which you are about to partake in for the development of our young people.
“Take this chance to fully grasp the mechanisms behind the implementation of a successful business and advocate to young Fijians the benefits of entrepreneurship,” said the permanent secretary.
He stated that there was tremendous potential in young Fijians and that the onus was on youth workers to help youths realise it.
“Our role is to nurture and assist them in order for them to realise their full potential and at the same time instil in them that much needed confidence that is imperative for them to successfully establish and manage their very own youth run enterprise,” Mr Sania said.
Mr Sania also emphasised the importance of the workshop in addressing the rate of unemployment in the country and that entrepreneurship offered solutions to the problem.
“Unemployment is a global issue and as is the case everywhere else in the world, the job market is scarce.
“A remedy to this problem is entrepreneurship and through this workshop, you can assist young people understand the concepts of entrepreneurship which is to be innovative and creative for socio-economic benefits so youths can establish their own businesses in order to create jobs rather than become job seekers,” he added.
Community business trainer Inoke Nasinivata thanked the ministry for the workshop which was aimed at setting up more youth entrepreneurial opportunities around the country.
“This workshop is a timely one as youths have regularly been enquiring as to how soon a workshop on business management can be conducted for them in order for them to successfully run their own projects,” Mr Nasinivata said.
“I look forward to this one week training workshop as it will greatly help the youths that I closely work with in the province of Naitasiri and also youths from around the country,” he added.