1. FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER SENDS CONDOLENCE MESSAGE TO SOLOMONS ISLANDS – The Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has sent a letter to the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Honourable Gordon Darcy Lilo expressing his condolences for those that lost their lives from the recent tsunami that hit the country.
2. TROPIK WOOD INDUSTRIES SEALS DEAL WITH KOREAN COMPANY – Tropik Wood Industries Fiji Ltd has successfully negotiated a joint venture (JV) agreement to export biomass chips to the global market.
3. LIGHTHOUSE REPAIRS CONTINUE AROUND THE COUNTRY – The Fiji Navy and Government Shipping Services (GSS) personnel are still repairing and maintaining beacons and lighthouses around the country.
1 FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER SENDS CONDOLENCE MESSAGE TO SOLOMONS ISLANDS
The Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has sent a letter to the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Honourable Gordon Darcy Lilo expressing his condolences for those that lost their lives from the recent tsunami that hit the country.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Fiji, I express my deepest condolences for the earthquake and resulting tsunami that occurred in the Santa Cruz Islands on Wednesday morning that claimed the lives of 10 people.”
The Prime Minister wished Prime Minister Lilo a quick recovery in the rehabilitation process and assured him of Fiji’s willingness to assist those affected.
“We convey our wishes for a quick recovery to those who were injured and my Government is ready to provide you and your people with whatever assistance that may be required,” Prime Minister Bainimarama said in his letter.
“At this difficult time, our thoughts over those who passed away weighs heavily in our hearts in Fiji and our deepest sympathies and prayers are with the families of the victims and all the people of the Solomon Islands.”
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2 TROPIK WOOD INDUSTRIES SEALS DEAL WITH KOREAN COMPANY
Tropik Wood Industries Fiji Ltd has successfully negotiated a joint venture (JV) agreement to export biomass chips to the global market.
The agreement was reached following a meeting between Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, Tropik Wood chief executive officer and chairman Mr Faiz Khan and GIMCO Company Limited’s chairman Mr Sang Sun Lee.
GIMCO is a limited liability company specializing in cogeneration plants based on LNG, biomass systems in the multi-MW range, ESCO schemes, high efficient industrial furnaces, biomass gasification and air pollution control systems. GIMCO’s sister energy company Kenertec has existing biomass and co-generation operations in Korea, China, Indonesia and Cambodia.
The joint venture agreement will initially involve the export of biomass chips or pellets. The joint venture is also looking at expanding into rural gasification and Independent Power Production (IPP).
PM Bainimarama thanked the two entities for the successful finalization of the deal and offered Government’s full support to the joint venture.
He emphasized that with the technological advantage possessed by GIMCO and the resources by Fiji Pine and its subsidiaries, the JV must also look at developing biomass gasification projects for rural Fiji.
He also acknowledged GIMCO’s confidence in taking the challenge to develop biomass fired electricity, which is a good substitute for fossil fuel and reduces our reliance on imported oil.
Tropik Wood chairman Mr Faiz Khan said there was a demand for waste-wood fuel by GIMCO and Tropik Wood Industries was in a position to supply out of its Wairiki operations. Currently TropikWood has no use for this in Wairiki.
“GIMCO’s current and immediate demand is our bark waste that is a by-product of wood chip processing and other forms of biomass fuel such as branches that are left behind immediately after harvesting,” he said.
“The JV provides a good opportunity for Tropik to utilize all forestry and agriculture waste. Tropik will sell this waste to the JV that in turn will process it for exports thus maximizing on pine wood usage. The JV will sell to the highest bidder in the open market.”
“This is in line with the company’s strategic policy of diversifying our product base as well as our customer base.”
“With Kenertec’s technology in cogeneration and our resources, the match is excellent for the future as we look at developing new power schemes in Fiji”, Mr Khan said.
An elated GIMCO Chairman Mr. Lee while sharing with PM Bainimarama the work done by GIMCO said they were a specialist company dealing with biomass and renewable energy and looked forward to sharing their expertise and experience with Tropik Wood Industries.
“Everything is ready and we can start to install the facilities in Fiji as soon as possible since we have our own market in Korea.”
“In Fiji, they only export high quality chips and other products they throw away. That is what we can use; everything else that is thrown away in the forestry and agriculture sectors in Fiji,” said Mr Lee.
The project is expected to generate around 200 jobs.
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3 LIGHTHOUSE REPAIRS CONTINUE AROUND THE COUNTRY
The Fiji Navy and Government Shipping Services (GSS) personnel are still repairing and maintaining beacons and lighthouses around the country.
The repair works include lighthouse and beacons that were damaged by Tropical Cyclone Evan late last year as well as replacing old lighthouses.
“Some of our beacons and lighthouses were partially or severely damaged by the cyclone while others that are old are currently being maintained or replaced”, the Navy Commander John Fox said.
“The maintenance of Fiji’s lighthouses and beacons are priority as it provides a path for vessels and yachts that enter our waters”.
Government has allocated $1.1 million for this exercise.
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