1. FIJIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER HOLDS TALKS WITH PHILIPPINES VICE PRESIDENT – The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests Lt Col Inia Seruiratu held talks this week with the Vice President of Philippines, His Excellency Mr Jejomar BINAY.
2. MORE THAN 900 MARKET VENDORS ACCESS COMFORTABLE SELLING ENVIRONMENT – More than 900 market vendors now have a comfortable environment to sell their goods following the opening of the Suva market shelter today by the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.
3. LABOUR MINISTER CONDUCTS PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN LABASA – The Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations & Employment Mr Jone Usamate today led the first 2014 Northern Public Consultation on employment matters with members of the Labasa general public at the Labasa Civic Centre.
1 FIJIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER HOLDS TALKS WITH PHILIPPINES VICE PRESIDENT
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests Lt Col Inia Seruiratu held talks this week with the Vice President of Philippines, His Excellency Mr Jejomar BINAY.
The Fijian Minister is leading a delegation to Philippines to look at ways of boosting relations between the two countries, particularly in the areas related to his Ministerial portfolio. The four day visit allowed him to also meet his Ministerial counterpart in the Philippine Government, Secretary Presco ALCALA.
Bilateral talks held this week included cooperation between the two countries in strengthening Fiji’s coconut industry, development of aqua-farms and rice industries cooperation. The talks looked at how Philippines have developed special financial products for small and medium enterprises in the primary industry sector.
The Fijian delegation also traveled onto Laguna City to visit the International Rice Research Institute [IRRI] and the University of the Philippines in Los Banos.
The issues prioritized by the visiting Fijian Delegation include briefing and detail consultation from the Philippine Coconut Authority [PCA] covering all aspects of coconut commercial farming and the development of commercial products from Coconut. This would assist the Bainimarama Government’s policies in developing new products from its primary industry industries for exports, in its effort to widen the benefits of economic growth in Fiji. The delegation visited the International Rice Research Institute [IRRI] , a world leader in rice research and where the Fijian delegation would like to get experts to undertake and audit and gap analysis of the Fijian Rice Industry, that would reset the basis of sustained excellent growth in Fiji.
Minister Seruiratu is accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Ropate Ligairi and the Permanent Secretary for Fisheries and Forests Mr Inoke Wainiqolo and Fiji’s Non Resident Ambassador to the Philippines Mr Isikeli Mataitoga.
(Photos Attached)
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2 MORE THAN 900 MARKET VENDORS ACCESS COMFORTABLE SELLING ENVIRONMENT
More than 900 market vendors now have a comfortable environment to sell their goods following the opening of the Suva market shelter today by the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.
The new $550,000 market shelter, an initiative by government and the Suva City Council, signifies a new chapter in the history of the Suva Municipal Market.
Commending government’s contribution of $500,000 for the new Suva market shelter, the Suva Market Association president, John Pratap said that they were happy with government’s investment in an are that will not only benefit vendors but consumers and shoppers who visit the market.
“We are pleased that now the market vendors will no longer have to worry about their produce getting wet and spoilt during rainy weather,” Mr Pratap said.
“Previously the vendors used to face a lot of difficulty and mothers with little children used to sleep outside with their produce and now with today’s opening of the new market shelter gone are those days.”
Sharing similar sentiments, Waivaka, Namosi rural vendor, Tobia Nataro said that today was a historic occasion for all vendors in the Suva market.
“Today is a special day for us as now we finally have shelter for ourselves and our produce from the rainy weather and the scorching sun,” Mr Nataro said.
“I have been selling here at the market for 37 years now and I would like to thank government for its commitment to improving our lives especially those of us that live in the rural areas.
“Finally our pleas have been heard.”
The 59 year old who sells dalo, cassava and duruka added that conditions at the market now have greatly improved with the new market shelter.
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3 LABOUR MINISTER CONDUCTS PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN LABASA
The Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations & Employment Mr Jone Usamate today led the first 2014 Northern Public Consultation on employment matters with members of the Labasa general public at the Labasa Civic Centre.
The Minister highlighted that the purpose the consultations is to ensure that every Fijian has access to information related to labour and employment matters.
“A better Fiji to those that run businesses and those that work for them, a better Fiji for the rich and also for the poor,” he said.
Minister Usamate reminded members of the public that labour laws ensure that workers are not to be exploited and that decent employment conditions are provided.
The Minister received a good turnout in Labasa and recorded a total of 13 employment grievance that includes areas of unfair dismissal, workers compensation, arrears of wages and contract of service of which will be resolved within the 3 months time frame.
Following the public consultations, the Minister met with villagers of Nasekula and briefed them on the 2013 Fiji Constitution and the role and responsibilities of the Ministry.
The Minister led other consultations in various parts of Vanua Levu and will also be at Naidi Village later this evening.
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