CAPTION: Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum with Vice Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Mr Liu Jieyi.
1. CHINA TO ASSIST WITH TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS – The Fijian Government’s bid to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of public servants will be boosted by support from the People’s Republic of China.
2. ‘NEVER SWIM ALONE’ – ‘Never Swim Alone’ was the key message given to primary school students from around the Suva City area who were part of the International Water Safety Day at the Olympic Pool today.
3. MINISTRY TO CONDUCT NORTHERN ROAD SHOW – In line with government’s commitment to an open door policy and taking its services to the people, the Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Jone Usamate will conduct a roadshow in the Northern Division.
1. CHINA TO ASSIST WITH TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS
The Fijian Government’s bid to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of public servants will be boosted by support from the People’s Republic of China.
This was revealed during the visit of Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr Liu Jieyi.
Mr Jieyi met with the Public Service Commission chairman, Josefa Serulagilagi and the PSC permanent secretary, Parmesh Chand on Wednesday (13/03) where they identified the different areas of training civil servants can pursue through Chinese assistance.
Here on a two-day visit, the Chinese bureaucrat said he was happy with the trust placed in them by Fiji through the expansion of training for civil servants in China.
“We want this to be an on-going feature and for the public service to have regular programmes for in-service training of civil servants in China,” Mr Jieyi said.
“This will run parallel to the other training programmes provided by different Chinese agencies with the hope to assist Fiji in its capacity building exercise.”
Mr Serulagilagi thanked the Chinese Government for its support to train the public servants.
The Vice Minister also paid a courtesy call to the Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola where discussions were held on areas of mutual interest.
He flies out of the country today after a successful fourth visit to Fiji.
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2. ‘NEVER SWIM ALONE’
‘Never Swim Alone’ was the key message given to primary school students from around the Suva City area who were part of the International Water Safety Day at the Olympic Pool today.
The programme was organised by the newly formed Water Safety Council of Fiji which compromises of many different stakeholders in sporting government and non- government sections.
The objectives of this International Water Safety Day for Fiji are to introduce and promote safe water practices to Class Three and Four students, install water safe fun and ideals, teach rescues in safe controlled manner and create interest in learning lifesaving techniques.
Students during the programme watched to learn demonstrations of safe rescues and safe water practices.
In opening the Water Safety Day, Minister for Youth and Sports, Commander Viliame Naupoto stressed the importance of children knowing how to swim.
“I am pleased to announce that the newly established Fiji Sports Commission is putting aside $10,000 to assist children learn to swim,” Mr Naupoto said.
With statistics standing at seven drowning related deaths (one every three days) in the first 22 days of this year, Mr Naupoto said he would like to reverse the existing trend with a different twist and create a different set of statistics that read ‘three lives “saved” every day through their successfully learning how to swim’.
Mr Naupoto is urging primary schools around Suva to make good use of the offer by the Fiji Sports Council in the free use of their aquatic centre.
Water Safety Council of Fiji promotes that water safety and drowning prevention is everyone’s responsibility and together we can ensure drowning fatalities are preventable.
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3. MINISTRY TO CONDUCT NORTHERN ROAD SHOW
In line with government’s commitment to an open door policy and taking its services to the people, the Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Jone Usamate will conduct a road show in the Northern Division.
Mr Usamate will address employment related concerns raised by workers, employers and stakeholders in their respective districts.
Public consultations will begin in Nabouwalu on Monday, March 18th at 2pm at Naulumatua House, and will then move on to Wairiki on Tuesday afternoon, Naqara on Wednesday, Savusavu on Thursday and Labasa and Seqaqa on Friday.
The road show will end on Friday, March 22 and the public is requested to bring all necessary documents related to their objections in order for their concerns to be considered.
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