1. LANE BRINGS RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS OF NASINU – Improving the livelihoods of all Fijians and ensuring easier accessibility for their daily necessities are key reforms that Government is committed towards.
2. REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEERS VISIT COMMUNITIES – Five volunteers under the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Fiji Volunteer Scheme (FVS) are working with disabled people, who have suffered accidents, as rehabilitation assistants.
3. PRE- RELEASE RECEIVES SEEDS OF SUCCESS – Fourteen participants from the Pre-Release Facility in Naboro Correction Centre received their ‘Seeds of Success’ Certificate after completing a week long workshop conducted by the Ministry of Youth.
1. LANE BRINGS RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS OF NASINU
Improving the livelihoods of all Fijians and ensuring easier accessibility for their daily necessities are key reforms that Government is committed towards.
This was the message from the Minister for Local Government, Samuela Saumatua who officiated at the opening of the new Nukutabu Lane in Nasinu this week.
Minister Saumatua pointed out that during an earlier visit to the community of Kanace in Valelevu, he noticed the extent of damage brought about by climate change.
“During one of my earlier visits to Nasinu, I noticed the ravages climate change had on your drainage system and I saw the condition of the previous gravel footpath, and was greatly concerned with the extent of erosion,” Minister Saumatua said.
He added that the project was undertaken specifically to address the effects of climate change in the context of a local municipal council setting.
The Minister also reiterated his expectations of all municipal councils to deal with climate change and its associated perils since it was the main global topical environmental issue today.
“I expect all municipal councils to deal with climate change issues, in addition to their normal responsibilities, by taking more proactive adaptation and mitigating measures to address this global phenomenon.
He said the damage sustained to the previous driveway was a direct result of excessive rainfall brought about by the El Nino Southern Oscillation and La Nina episodes which are prevalent in the South Pacific Region.
“The previous track, was narrow, rough and slippery during rainy days. The opening of this upgraded footpath would also mean that the problems I have just mentioned should be a thing of the past,” Colonel Saumatua said.
The Minister also paid tribute to the members of the community who contributed to the project by assisting Council workers in their joint-efforts to provide relief and easier accessibility for residents of the locality and those of Nasinu in general.
In a speech prepared by the late Eliki Nukutabu, who was the founder of the project, he thanked the Government for providing a timely assistance and for improving the standard of living in their community in terms of better access by the provision of the Nukutabu Lane Driveway.
Mr Nukutabu also expressed their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the assistance of the Ministry of Local Government for considering the plight of the people at Kanace Road Estate who had been experiencing this hardship for 30 years.
The project was carried out at a total cost of $23,710 and was co-funded by the Ministry of Local Government through the Department of Environment, Housing Authority and Nasinu Town Council.
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2. REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEERS VISIT COMMUNITIES
Five volunteers under the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Fiji Volunteer Scheme (FVS) are working with disabled people, who have suffered accidents, as rehabilitation assistants.
PSC Permanent Secretary, Parmesh Chand said the volunteers are graduates from the Fiji National University (FNU) who studied to become Community Rehabilitation Assistants.
He said that in partnership with the Ministry of Health, PSC through the Volunteer Scheme was able to recruit these five Volunteers to work at the Tamavua Rehabilitation Hospital.
Mr Chand said their line of work includes physically assisting patients who are totally dependent for their Activities of Daily Living (ADL) such as bathing, dressing, feeding, exercise and applications of therapeutic techniques.
“Our Volunteers teach these independent skills and techniques of ADL to patients and family members who will be caring for them including the home programme exercise.”
Mr Chand added that the Volunteers were visited this week by a team from PSC.
Vaseva Danford, a volunteer who graduated from FNU last year, said this was her first home visit to a patient whom she had been assisting at the Tamavua Rehabilitation Centre for the past few months. The patient was discharged last Thursday.
“I will be visiting once a week and my work will include teaching the patient to do a range of motion exercises like stretching of arms and legs. I also motivate the patient so that she can do better and be able to walk properly again without any aid,” she said.
Filimoni Namana, another volunteer visited yesterday said he aims to be able to get his patient to stand up and walk.
“We just finished our muscle relaxation of the knee exercise which will help strengthen my patient’s knees,” he said.
The volunteers are also expected to introduce and supervise play recreational activities and exercises to those who have suffered stroke, head injuries and spinal cord injuries in an effort to get patients to accept their disabilities and explore the potential to live and participate at home and in the community.
The concept of volunteering under the FVS is about nation building and participating in programs in society that will bring about civic pride and patriotism on the part of individuals who are involved.
FVS is a Government initiative administered by PSC as the most cost effective and caring way of providing humanitarian assistance to society.
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3. PRE- RELEASE RECEIVES SEEDS OF SUCCESS
Fourteen participants from the Pre-Release Facility in Naboro Correction Centre received their ‘Seeds of Success’ Certificate after completing a week long workshop conducted by the Ministry of Youth.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Fiji Correctional Services has been conducting the empowerment workshop in correctional centres throughout Fiji.
Officiating the closing of the workshop, Director for Youth and Sports, Mr William Naisara challenged the participants to accept who they are as individuals and finding their purpose in life.
“ We at the Ministry of Youth and Sports believe to be the key to your successful rehabilitation and reintegration back to your community is the decision first and foremost to accept who you are,” stressed Mr Naisara.
“We have all made mistakes in our lives and some who became the world’s great leaders are those who made huge mistakes,” added Mr Naisara.
Mr Naisara further summarised that the empowerment programme is a platform to re-examine purpose in life, a life that is balanced and complete.
Participant, Anitelu Tavanavanua 30, from Ono, Kadavu said that the empowerment training gave him the confidence to go back to the community and live his life.
Rupeni Vosayaco of Cakaudrove explained that the empowerment programme supported his spiritual development and was glad to be part of the programme.
The Institution Rehabilitation Officer, Waisea Sadrano said that he would highly recommend that the Seeds of Success empowerment programme be part of their training annually.
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