1. SUVA SCHOOL WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER – Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has reassured the Gospel School for the Deaf that government will look into their request of renovating the school’s Harland Hostel.
2. MALAWI ACCEPTS FIJI ENVOY’S CREDENTIALS – Fiji’s non-resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Malawi, His Excellency Beniamino Salacakau has presented his credentials in the Southeast nation in Africa.
3. CELEBRATIONS TO CREATE AWARENESS ON RICE PRODUCTION – The Agriculture Department in the Northern Division will celebrate Rice Day this week in Wailevu, Labasa as part of efforts to boost Fiji’s own rice production.
4. FIJI’S FIRST HIGH COMMISSIONER TO MOZAMBIQUE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS – Fiji’s High Commissioner to South Africa, H. E. Beniamino Salacakau was warmly received and welcomed as Fiji’s nonresident High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique.
1 SUVA SCHOOL WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER
Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has reassured the Gospel School for the Deaf that government will look into their request of renovating the school’s Harland Hostel.
Commending the visit today to the school by the head of the government, Gospel School for the Deaf head teacher, Laisa Raiqeu said that the students were grateful to have the Prime Minister respond positively to their request for assistance.
“We had requested for aid or assistance to the government for the renovation of our hostel which was established in 1995,” Mrs Raiqeu said.
“Harland hostel accommodates 30 of our deaf students who come from rural areas in Vanua Levu and Viti Levu.”
Mrs Raiqeu added that it was also an exciting day for the students to meet with the head of Government.
“The school was a hype of activity today with the Prime Minister meeting all the students who introduced themselves to him in sign language,” Mrs Raiqeu said.
“There was even a student here who pointed at the Prime Minister’s poster in the classroom and explained in sign language that he knew who the head of government was.”
The Gospel School for the Deaf has a total roll of 45 students.
-ENDS-
2 MALAWI ACCEPTS FIJI ENVOY’S CREDENTIALS
Fiji’s non-resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Malawi, His Excellency Beniamino Salacakau has presented his credentials in the Southeast nation in Africa.
High Commissioner Salacakau who is Fiji’s resident envoy in South Africa presented his credentials to Her Excellency Joyce Banda, the President of the Republic of Malawi. The presentation of credentials took place at a ceremony in the nation’s capital, Lilongwe.
In accepting High Commissioner Salacakau’s letters of credence, H E President Banda called for greater exchange between the two nations. She added that while direct trade and investment may be remote, the areas of both cultural and technical exchanges should be pursued.
While Malawi faces significant challenges similar to Fiji in terms of a high growth rate, large population and a largely agro-based economy, the past two years have produced positive growth for the African nation. The recent discovery of large natural gas reserves in Lake Malawi has spurred optimism.
Despite the geographical distance between the two countries, this has not limited exchange. A recent workshop in Fiji with the Homes of Home saw the participation of ‘Raising Malawi’, a non government organisation. This new development opens opportunities for greater exchange between the two countries.
-ENDS-
3 CELEBRATIONS TO CREATE AWARENESS ON RICE PRODUCTION
The Agriculture Department in the Northern Division will celebrate Rice Day this week in Wailevu, Labasa as part of efforts to boost Fiji’s own rice production.
The Ministry’s Principal Agriculture Officer Northern, John Cox said the celebration is an opportunity to show farmers new techniques and methods in rice planting.
“The celebration will also see the participation of government officials, schools, provincial councils and farmers”, said Mr Cox.
He added that this will be held in the Macuata Province and they intend to have the same celebrations in the Bua and Cakaudrove Province.
“We are into the planting season now and will try to show the different ways of planting and the variations in yields.”
He said while this event is intended for the farmers, the Ministry is encouraging members of the public to attend the event.
“Rice farming is now being taken seriously and we can see a lot of farmers planting rice especially along the Wailevu Area in Labasa as well as Taganikula outside Labasa.”
He said as most farmers are looking at rice farming as an income generating project, they are also using rice farming for food security.
-ENDS-
4 FIJI’S FIRST HIGH COMMISSIONER TO MOZAMBIQUE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
Fiji’s High Commissioner to South Africa, H. E. Beniamino Salacakau was warmly received and welcomed as Fiji’s nonresident High Commissioner to the Republic of Mozambique..
High Commissioner Salacakau recently presented his credentials as Fiji’s first nonresident High Commissioner to the former Portuguese-controlled nation.
In receiving the letters of credence, the President of Mozambique, His Excellency Amando Emilio Quebuza welcomed the new High Commissioner to the African nation.
In his presentation speech, H.C Salacakau expressed the greetings and well wishes of the President, Prime Minister and people of the Republic of Fiji to the President and people of the Republic of Mozambique. He highlighted the commitment undertaken by the Bainimarama government to grow its relations and presence all over the world. This is in line with its desire to strengthen both the North- South and South-South cooperation.
H.C Salacakau said that Mozambique’s consistent high annual growth trajectory and vast natural resources are areas that Fiji intends to learn from. In his statement, he offered the opportunity for Mozambique to also learn on developments taking place within Fiji.
In response, H.E President Quebuza encouraged exchanges in tourism, sugar, marine resources, climate change and culture among a few of the possible areas of cooperation.
As Fiji’s first ever envoy to Mozambique, High Commissioner Salacakau will now look at areas of mutual benefit to both nations. The Fiji Mission will now work on formalising a Memorandum of Understanding for General Cooperation to be signed by both countries.
-ENDS-