The National Dialogue Forum on Fiji's future will convene on February 1st and pave the way to the Consultative Constitutional Forum starting in September 2012. Government has urged leaders in the church, vanua, civil groups (but not the old political parties) to participate. Prerequisites for attendance include:
- Interest must focus on Fiji’s future
- Views must not be inconsistent with the principles of the People’s Charter
- Participants must not have any pending criminal charges
- Participants must not represent political organizations based on communal representation.
No good will be served with the appointment of an unknown or a person seen to be a Government stooge. Full story.
The Disaster Management Committee estimates the financial cost of Cyclone Mick will be about $25 million, much less than the $200 million cost of January's floods.
The NGO Femlink has had its licence to operate its mobile "suitcase" radio station renewed. Radio 89.2FM uses a low powered transmitter that reaches a 10 kilometre radius.
Diabetes great concern
A Fred Hollows Foundation survey found 40% of adults had diabetes, one of the highest rates in the world. The survey claimed the cost of medication alone will outstrip the present resources of the Fiji health system. Full story.
Readers' Copmments:
"Prison reform part of Roadmap"
A reader commenting on this post wrote:"This is true. During a working trip to Naboro about 3 months ago, we were taken around the hills at the back of the complex to see a vast commercial enterprise being undertaken by the Prison Services. There were roughly 80,000 dalo plants already planted and they are still clearing more hillside for this big undertaking. We were told that as this commercial enterprise rolls, the Prison Service will be self-reliant and the government will not need to fund their food supply anymore. I also heard that they will then start supplying the major hospitals which seems to drain a lot of funds for the government, and so forth. This is an amazing undertaking and I was very very impressed." Another reader (Lol, Laugh Out Loud) thought we were making it all up (See Comments). It is unfortunate that people like this Doubting Thomas won't change their minds until their hand can feel a hoe wound in one of the 80,000 dalo.
... and another reader commenting on the cyclone, suggested a regional disaster relief organization should be a priority for the Pacific Islands Forum.
... and while on Comments, there is no security risk in signing your comment with a pseudonym. Bebe, Beka or Bulumakau included with your comment is just as safe as Anonymous without.
Reader "Wetsie": Thanks for the greeting to "Croz and team." Other people do help occasionally -- mainly in informing me of news releases I could have missed and in providing ideas on what to publish -- but there is no team. I wish there were.
Pacific Sun's first flight to Vanuabalavu in the Northern Lau Group and new services to Gau and Cicia in the New Year will probably see the airline add pilots and aircraft to its operations. Full story. Photo: Fiji Village.
A Tamara McLean article in the NZ Herald/AAP provides readers with a rehash of what was once news, and "fresh" comments from "an Auckland University academic sympathetic to Bainimarama" (Prof.Hugh Laracy) countered by three "Pacific specialists (Dr Jon Fraenkel, Jone Baledrokadroka and Prof. Brij Lal) at the Australian National University" who are not." The use of "academic" and "specialists" tells readers where Tamara is coming from, but it's neither subtle nor accurate for all four are academics and specialists.
The article makes no mention of any recent happening in Fiji (this blog has been full of them; not even Bainimarama's response to John Key's Radio Tarana interview -- which, incidentally, the NZ Herald did not even bother to report!), and most of what the trio said resonated like echoes from one or another earlier media source. Click here to add "Forty Foot Echo" ringtones to your cellphone.
For the record, former Land Force Commander Baledrokadroka did not "reject the regime." He was send on leave (suspended) by the military prior to the 2006 Coup before resigning and leaving for an ANU scholarship in Canberra. And Tamara's account of Brij Lal's deportation was predictably light on contextual detail.
Most disturbing, though, was Fraenkel's unscholarly guesswork in interpretating happenings in Fiji. He speculates government reshuffles are "squables behind the scenes"; thinks 90 percent (sic!) of ethnic Fijians oppose Bainimarama; and that Government's policies are contradictory in providing free school buses (a "socialist" policy) and a business-friendly ("right wing) budget. His imposed left wing-right wing framework does not sit well in the Pacific -- and even in New Zealand we've had free buses for country children and business-friendly budgets for as long as I can remember.
Supporters of The Foundation for the Education of Needy Children in Fiji (FENC), a group of mainly Indo-Fijians in the Brisbane area, have donated $8,000 to the Foundation, run by Irshad Ali, formerly of Save the Children Fund.
Tourism target $900m earnings
Tourism Fiji chairman Patrick Wong says the industry is targeting $900m. in direct tourism earnings, and 600,000 visitors, in 2010. Earnings in 2008 were $892m. Wong thinks the targets achievable because of improved marketing, a "good geographic mix, targeting markets of UK/Europe, Russia, China and the Gulf region," new airlines and new routings that increase capacity and provide better connectivity opening up new markets and regions with better market penetration... V Australia and Jetstar [also] give better access from non-mainstream ports, like Western and South Australia. Broadening our markets with a geographic will spread the constant flow of visitor arrivals throughout the year, levelling out the trough and low season periods," he added.
Fiji Rugby Union Chairman Bill Gavoka has confirmed that the Cibi will be performed by all national rugby teams before international test matches, thereby overturning Coach Samu Domoni Junior's decision to drop the Cibi because it is a "throwback to the days of heathen cannibalism and not indicative of modern Fiji." Domoni is wrong on both counts.Full story.
Happy 2010 Everyone.
May the New Year bring Fiji As It Was and Is appreciably closer to
the Fiji it Can Be.
the Fiji it Can Be.
Drawing: Kids Art. www.squidoo.com