1. FIJI REPRESENTED IN PNG POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY – Fiji’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His ExcellencyRomanu Tikotikoca was the Chief Guest this week at Papua New Guinea’s Police Remembrance Day.
2. SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TO BENEFIT FIJI’S FUTURE GENERATIONS – His Excellency, the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau reaffirmed the Fijian government’s mandate to realize sustainable fisheries management, within the context of a green blue economy.
3. MINISTER EDUCATION PRAISES RATU RAVUAMA SCHOOL – The Minister for Education has praised Ratu Ravuama Memorial School in Mokani for its commitment to provide education for children in neighbouring communities and villages.
4. FACTORY WORKERS THANK LABOUR MINISTER FOR VISIT – Women employees at the Pacific Fishing Company Limited (PAFCO) have commended the visit by the Minister of Labour, Jone Usamate this week.
5. CWM HOSPITAL REFITTING A MODERN LOOK – Government through the Ministry of Health is focused on modernising health facilities with top of the range technology as well as providing an improved level of health care to all Fijians.
1 FIJI REPRESENTED IN PNG POLICE REMEMBRANCE DAY
Fiji’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Romanu Tikotikoca was the Chief Guest this week at Papua New Guinea’s Police Remembrance Day.
HE Tikotikoca said it was an honour for him to be part of the Remembrance Day to honour police personnel who had lost their lives in the line of duty, through illness or other circumstances.
Fiji and PNG have enjoyed close and friendly relations ever since the arrival of the first Missionaries from Fiji in 1875.
The two countries have also enhanced relations through the strengthened and genuine spirit of solidarity under the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
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2 SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TO BENEFIT FIJI’S FUTURE GENERATIONS
His Excellency, the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau reaffirmed the Fijian government’s mandate to realize sustainable fisheries management, within the context of a green blue economy.
In his address at a special reception held this week and facilitated by international agencies, Ratu Epeli acknowledged the private- public partnerships resulting in becoming responsible custodians of our seas and resources.
“Such partnerships allow for the continuance of such activities as fisheries management, environment protection, enhancing ecosystem services, building resilience and adapting to climate change – to name but a few – thus ensuring that future generations can benefit from them as we do,” Ratu Epeli said.
He highlighted the role of Fiji’s new constitution in further advancing this cause and protecting Fiji’s natural resources.
“Earlier this month, I gave my assent to Fiji’s new constitution, which protects the right of every Fijian to a clean and healthy environment, which includes the right to have the natural world protected for the benefit of present and future generations,” Ratu Epeli said.
The President reiterated the urgent need for pro-active management of the off-shore fishing sector and protecting sensitive areas of biodiversity while respecting the objectives for economic development.
“Indeed, I am pleased to note that the new offshore fisheries management decree provides the scope to conserve manage and develop Fijian fisheries to ensure long term sustainable use for the benefit of our people. Once again, we are leading the way in the pacific,” Ratu Epeli said.
At the same time, he challenged international agencies, government officials and individuals to explore new ideas for sustainable fisheries management in order to sustain and minimize the environmental degradation on pollution to Fiji’s marine ecosystems.
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3 MINISTER EDUCATION PRAISES RATU RAVUAMA SCHOOL
The Minister for Education, Filipe Bole, has praised Ratu Ravuama Memorial School in Mokani for its commitment to provide education for children in neighbouring communities and villages.
Mr Bole was responding to the fundraising efforts carried out by the school to fund a new school building. While the Commissioner Central’s office provided more than $60,000.00 to the school, the Minister said that the school’s decision to hold a fundraising drive should be commended for their positive attitude towards providing the necessary facilities for its students.
“I must thank the hard working school committee for this project and other projects like the construction of the school walkway protecting students from the hot sun and prevent them from getting wet when it rains and of course the upgrade of the students quarters,” Mr Bole said.
While the school raised funds for the new school building, the Commissioner’s office was approached for funding. Once an agreement was reached on funding between the two, Fiji’s military forces through its engineers division agreed to carry out construction work.
The school’s head teacherm Ms Menani Drugu said she was thankful to the efficient work by the RFMF Engineers.
“I am thankful to the RFMF Army engineers who did a marvellous job and took them only two months to complete the construction of the school building from July to September this year,” Ms Drugu said.
Ratu Ravuama Memorial School was established in 1980 and today has a school roll of 157 students from Mokani and nearby villages.
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4 FACTORY WORKERS THANK LABOUR MINISTER FOR VISIT
Women employees at the Pacific Fishing Company Limited (PAFCO) have commended the visit by the Minister of Labour, Jone Usamate this week.
Minister Usamate visited PAFCO employees at the factory and briefed them on labour issues such as safety in the work place and OHS matters. He toured Levuka and Ovala for a roadshow to create more awareness on the services and products provided by his ministry and to receive any feedback from the public in these areas.
Commending the government initiative, PAFCO supervisor Litiana Qiolevu who spoke on behalf of the women employees said that they have never been visited by a government minister before.
“We the women employees of this company are grateful and honoured to have the Minister of Labour visit us and highlight important issues of labour related concerns with us,” Ms Qiolevu said.
The forty eight year old of Kalabu village in Naitasiri said that previously only religious leaders used to visit them.
“Before only church leaders used to come to the factory to visit us,” Ms Qiolevu said.
“We are grateful to see that government has not forgotten Fijians who live away from the main island.”
The Minister for Labour also spent a few minutes briefing PAFCO employees on the new constitution and visited Delana High School, Levuka Public School, St John Cawaci College and the business community in Levuka.
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5 CWM HOSPITAL REFITTING A MODERN LOOK
Government, through the Ministry of Health, is focused on modernising health facilities with top of the range technology as well as providing an improved level of health care to all Fijians.
The Minister for Health, Dr Neil Sharma said repair and refurbishment works are currently ongoing at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital to ensure that patients get maximum benefits from their visits to the hospital.
Dr Sharma said the hospital was in the midst of about $10million dollar upgrade works and they were also working to ensure that Fiji’s health facilities were adequately staffed.
“We have developed a new emergency department at the CWMH which provides a lot of immediate support to patients such as those who come in collapsed, traumatized patients from motor vehicle accidents or people suffering from acute medical conditions, acute asthma and internal bleeding,” Dr Sharma said.
The hospital had also commissioned an MRI machine and a CT scanner that had assisted in improved services by the staff.
“A new CT scanner was commissioned, which replaced the year old machine that we had and this is a modern and an up-to-date CT scanner. Last year saw the installation of Fiji’s first MRI at the CWM Hospital.
“Additional to the Cardiac Cat Lab, we have added a non-invasive cardiology in the form of echocardiography to see the status of the heart soon after heart attack or to detect valves and leaks within the heart,” Dr Sharma added.
The general lab facilities at the hospital have been changed to give it a totally modernised look and enhance time efficiency.
“The general lab facilities at CWM have been modernised and are now linked by an information system with all the labs throughout Fiji so that reports can be sent and transferred in the interest of patients’ safety and getting results to patients a lot more effectively,” Dr Sharma said.
The hospital would also undergo a major transition with the construction of new operating theatres and refurbishment of the old operating theatres and maternity units.
“We are going through a $9.5million dollar renovation which means new operating theatres in the east wing that will take our capability up to par with international level operating theatres. Two of these theatres will be earmarked for neuro-surgery and open heart surgery.
“We are renovating three operating theatres in the west wing as well and that will take us up to 11 operating theatres and there is already an operating theatre in the eye hospital,” the Health Minister said.
Dr Sharma stated that the maternity unit had undergone a major facelift through private partnerships with Digicel, Carpenters, Deluxe Paint and S E Holdings, who were making improvements to the toilet facilities.
The major renovation at CWMH, one of the oldest hospitals in Fiji, coincides with its 90th anniversary.
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