Voice of Fiji News

31/05/2021

As announced by the Honourable Prime Minister, the FNPF, in collaboration with the Fijian Government will be extending Phase 2, Phase 3 & the Lockdown relief.

Full details will be released from Wednesday, 2 June 2021 via our website, social media, newspaper, and radio. Keep a lookout for our updates.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

Stay Home, Stay Safe.

SOURCE FNPF

31/05/2021

COVID-19 31 infections recorded with Muanikoso and Nawaka growing further Indra Singh Manager News and Sports [email protected] | May 31, 2021 8:48 pm There is a total of 31 COVID-19 cases for today after nine more infections were recorded this evening. After the earlier 23 announced, the...

31/05/2021

For people living along coastal areas of Fiji. Issued at 2pm Monday, 31 May 2021 A Damaging Heavy Swell Warning is now in force for Mamanuca Waters, Southwest Viti Levu Waters,...

31/05/2021

Businesses, except for high risk, can operate in all non-containment areas of Viti Levu following COVID safe measures and observing the 8pm to 4am cur

31/05/2021

Only essential businesses and those businesses approved by the Ministry of Commerce can operate in containment zones. While highlighting this, the

31/05/2021

Pray for the frontliners

Please pray for our frontline workers in Fiji and abroad because we are here sacrificing a lot for your safety. These were the sentiments shared by Katarina Niubalavu, a nurse...

31/05/2021

A police officer controls the long traffic at the Laqere checkpoint in Nasinu on Sunday, May 30, 2021. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

31/05/2021

31/05/2021

It is advised that you do not go to the vaccination site, if you:

Know you have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19
Have been instructed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to self-isolate

Are feeling sick or experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms of Dry Cough, Fever, Fatigue, Tiredness, Loss of taste or smell, Shortness of breath, chest pain, aches and pains.

Going to the vaccination site or out of your home may put others at the risk of COVID-19.

✅Stay home and call 158, get checked. You will get a chance to be vaccinated after you have recovered from your sickness.

31/05/2021

More than 300 residents of Yaladro and Garampani in Tavua will no longer have to worry about crossing the flooded road to access Tavua town during the rainy season after de-silting was carried out in the main drains and settlement drains by the Ministry of Waterways.

This will benefit close to 300 households, farmers and school children.

The advisory counsellor for the settlement, Mr Paras Ram Reddy, said Yaladro road which is used by the residents of Garampani and Yaladro often gets flooded during rainy days as the drains in the settlement were filled with soil and sand due to water runoff.

“Before this drainage assistance, the roads used to get flooded as water from the farms collects on the roads since the existing drains were all silted with soil,” he said.

Mr Reddy said due to the flooded roads in the past, farmers from these settlements could not take their produce to the market due to transportation issues.

“Most of the residents from these areas are farmers and they mostly depend on farming for their household income."

“When the area gets flooded, produce does not reach the market and goes to waste - which affects their family. Not only this, but school children cannot attend school,” he said.

To address these concerns, the Ministry of Waterways under the “Drainage for Rural residential” program has assisted these communities with de-silting works to safeguard them from the threat of flooding and to also ensure that their daily activities are not affected.

The Minister for Waterways, Environment and Agriculture, Dr Mahendra Reddy said their services such as drainage works will continue despite various challenges faced by the Ministry due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Minister Reddy said their agenda to protect and safeguard communities will remain a priority for Fijians to have access to all public services.

He said the core objective of Government is to ensure that communities around the country are well protected from floods given the restriction of movement due to the pandemic.

Minister Reddy further stated that the Ministry of Waterways will continue to assist rural households with their drainage and flood mitigation program.

31/05/2021

31/05/2021

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4367458806620354&id=207532522613024

Protect your personal space at home and work by making sure you maintain COVID-safe measures at all times, whether you are in your home or outside your home. Do not engage in any gatherings outside of your home. Avoid crowds and contained spaces, and keep washing your hands.

Grog Drinking: We have been seeing in recent weeks that a number of infected individuals have reported drinking grog with others in their cluster, and we have reason to believe that grog drinking is becoming a significant factor in the spread of the virus. Grog drinking involves close contact with others and drinking out of a common cup, which creates perfect conditions for the virus to spread from one person to another. Grog drinking is an important part of our culture and our social life in Fiji, but we must ask that people refrain from sharing grog with people from outside their household during this pandemic period. Don’t invite anyone to your house, don’t go to anyone else’s house, don’t share a bowl with colleagues after work, or during work or in any other place.

31/05/2021

Great Initiative....God Bless!

https://www.facebook.com/1566314570354691/posts/2949301988722602/

17/12/2020

4,000 people are currently sheltering in 73 evacuation centres in the province of Ra. This has been confirmed to fijivillage by the Ra Provincial A

17/12/2020

COURTHOUSE BLOWN AWAY IN NABOUWALU

Nabouwalu is facing the full brunt of the wind right now. Part of Nabouwalu Court House roof top has flown away. The windows have been shattered by the winds.

The Nabouwalu Police Station is now closed. All Police officers are shettering with their families at the barracks and battling the heavy rain that comes with the wind. Water has seeped through the window frames. They are blocking the water that seeps in with their blankets.

17/12/2020

17/12/2020

17/12/2020

Sunset captured in Meigunyah, Nadi by Anushil Kumar.

17/12/2020

A family in Vunivere, Seaqaqa is currently taking shelter in a corner of their house as almost half of their roof has been blown away by strong winds.

17/12/2020

17/12/2020

FAMILIES HIDING UNDER BEDS AND FLOORS IN VANUA LEVU

fijivillage reports several families in Vanua Levu is currently hiding under beds and floors while TC Yasa continues to thrash the island.

A family of 5 in Nasarawaqa Bua is hiding under the floor and cannot make any contact for rescue services and another family in Tabia is hiding under the bed.

National Disaster Management Office says rescue operations cannot take place as of yet due to safety issues.

The incident happened an hour ago. We do not know the status of these families now.

21/11/2020

COVID-19 has taken poverty in Fiji to another level, says Foundation for the Education of Needy Children (FENC) in Fiji national co-ordinator Priya Preetika Lata.

19/11/2020

Talks are underway between Government and the Fiji National Provident Fund to help those affected by COVID-19. ...

13/11/2020

05/11/2020

Human Rights and Social Welfare try to secure housing for evicted Nadi family

By Vijay Narayan
Thursday 05/11/2020

The Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is working closely with the Department of Social Welfare to secure housing for the Nadi family of seven including a 3 weeks old baby and a 74-year-old grandmother who were arbitrarily evicted by their landlord in Nadi last week.

The Commission says the family was subjected to inhumane treatment as their landlord had forcibly removed them from their rented home without a court order.

Their belongings were packed by the persons hired by the landlord and left on the roadside on the highway in Nadi. The family had to seek shelter at a bus stop.

A team from the Commission is in Nadi to conduct interviews with the family and is engaging with key stakeholders to seek assistance for the family.

As of yesterday, the family has been placed in a private home in Nadi where they can stay for 2 weeks.

This is the second place they have moved to after being forcibly evicted by their landlord.

The Commission has received food packs and baby essentials from the Rotary Club Lautoka for the family.

Commission Director, Ashwin Raj has thanked the Rotary Club Lautoka for their timely assistance.

Fijivillage has also received confirmation that the Commission and the Department of Social Welfare will continue to liaise with HART Fiji and Model Town Charitable Trust Koroipita to secure housing for the family.

The Commission is also assisting the family obtain necessary documents to make applications to access financial support available under the Department of Social Welfare.

Ashwin Raj is once again urging landlords to show compassion and refrain from arbitrarily evicting their tenants.

04/11/2020

Source Fiji Times
Father, son lose all in fire

By Navnesh Reddy
04/11/2020

A father and son lost everything in a fire that destroyed their four-bedroom house in Ba on Sunday.

Sanjeev Kumar told this newspaper his brother and elderly dad were asleep when the incident occurred on Sunday night.

“The fire started at around 11.30pm. One of the neighbours alerted them and pulled them outside, however, the blaze was too strong to put down,” he said.

Mr Kumar said his father was wheelchair-bound and weak because of his age.

“My dad is a 76-year-old man and is weak and cannot even walk properly.”

He claimed the estimated cost of damage, including belongings, was $250,000.

“It is very difficult to rebuild the house during this current time,” said Mr Prasad.

Questions have been sent to the National Fire Authority (NFA) and the Fiji Police Force regarding the incident.

04/11/2020

Tamavua family back in their flat after Legal Aid gets court order in their favour
-FCCC charges landlord for breaching tenant's rights

By Vijay Narayan , Rashika Kumar , Semi Turaga
Tuesday 03/11/2020

Pramil Prasad whose family was arbitrarily evicted from an informal settlement in Tamavua says he is back in the flat after a court order was issued however he is demanding compensation as his belongings were destroyed by the landlord.

Legal Aid Commission Director, Shahin Ali and his staff took the matter to the High Court over the weekend, and Acting Chief Justice Kamal Kumar ordered that the landlord is restrained from denying Prasad and his family from entering and residing in the house at Waisasa Settlement, until the final determination of the matter.

The court has ordered that Prasad is to take possession of the premises and continue to stay there until the final determination, the landlord to arrange with the Water Authority of Fiji to reconnect water supply to the house within 7 days, the landlord is restrained from disrupting or disconnecting any utilities, the landlord is restrained from intimidating, threatening or abusing Prasad or any member of his family.

Prasad, his elderly mother, his wife who had just given birth almost two weeks ago and another five-year-old child were arbitrarily evicted on Friday.

He says he has a roof over his head today but he does not know where his new born baby will be sleeping tonight as their bed and mattresses have been destroyed because it was thrown outside by the landlord.

He says their electrical appliances were destroyed.

>>>>FCCC charges landlord for breaching tenant's rights

The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission has confirmed that it has charged a landlord for unconscionable conduct after they illegally evicted Parmil Prasad’s family from their home in Tamavua last week.

Unconscionable conduct, or conduct that is unfair and oppressive, is illegal under section 76 of the FCCC Act.

However the tenant, Parmil Prasad says he is raising the question on why FCCC did not take any action from the time he filed the complaint in September as the threat to evict them was made by the landlord.

In a statement last night FCCC CEO, Joel Abraham says in September, a complaint was lodged against the landlord regarding non-issuance of receipts, failure to keep records and a threat of lockout. FCCC has also provided some photos of the staff talking to Prasad.

Abraham says it is regrettable that while they were still investigating, the landlord decided to take the law into their own hands, and executed an illegal eviction using force. He says the landlord did not obtain a court order, which is a legal requirement for eviction and illegally removed the tenant's belongings from the premises.

Abraham says it is appalling that people are behaving with this degree of hostility with no regard for the law. He says an alleged assault also took place which was referred to the Fiji Police Force.

Abraham urges landlords against acting unconscionably and to show compassion, especially during these hard times.

The FCCC CEO thanked the efforts of the Legal Aid Commission Fiji and the Fiji Human Rights And Anti-Discrimination Commission for also assisting the family, in particular, Legal Aid's efforts in putting the family back in their home.

However Parmil Prasad says he had been taking his plight to the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission since September. He says no action was taken until he took up the matter with the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on the afternoon of the eviction.

Prasad says he is grateful for the assistance provided by the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission and Legal Aid Commission and Department of Social Welfare.

Fijivillage has asked the FCCC CEO how they deal with a threat to evict as that can eventually lead to eviction. We have also asked what action was taken by FCCC after the complaint was filed in September and how long did it take to investigate the landlord.

The initial comment is that they cannot comment on ongoing investigations.

04/11/2020

Farmer cops 17 years for ra**ng biological daughter

By Talebula Kate
04/11/2020

You have robbed your daughter’s childhood from her and made her your s*x object when she was simply 13-years-old.

High Court judge Justice Vinsent Perera said this while sentencing a farmer to 17 years and six months last week after being convicted of ra**ng his biological daughter in 2016.

“Being the father of the victim, your conduct as revealed in this case is shameful and despicable,” Justice Perera said while delivering his sentence at the High Court in Suva.

“I noted the pain in her when she gave evidence and the difficulty for her to come to terms with the reality where she was r***d by her own father on more than one occasion,” he said.

“Her mother passed away when she was seven-years-old.

“You were supposed to be her protector and the guardian.

“Your daughter will never be able to get over the fact that her father r***d her and there is no doubt that this disgusting experience will haunt her for the rest of her life and will affect her future in many ways.

“Thus, your conduct towards your daughter, to say the least, was inhuman.”

The 50-year-old widower will spend 14 years and six months in prison before he is eligible for parole.

A permanent Domestic Violence Restraining Order was also issued by Justice Perera against the father, identifying the victim in this case as the protected person.

“You are hereby ordered not to have any form of contact with the said victim directly or by any other means, unless otherwise directed by this Court.”

04/11/2020

Lesieli Qetaki has become the first woman market master in Fiji, and she is charged with the responsibility of managing the biggest market in the country.

The Suva City Council appointed Ms Qetaki last month to take over a role which had been previously held by men.

Ms Qetaki, 35, was a former tourism officer at the Ministry of Tourism. She said when she saw the vacancy advertised, she knew she could take on the position.

“I felt as if it were a calling. What I am trying to do is use what I have learnt in the tourism industry, combine it with current retail trends and take the Suva City Municipal Market to newer heights,” she said.

The role is challenging. Ms Qetaki had to establish herself with the vendors who were traditionally used to dealing with a man.

“It was challenging, but slowly everyone has come on board. I have a good team at the market and the vendors are wonderful,” she said.

“I am happy to be here and share the vision the council has for the market.”

Ms Qetaki hails from Namata, Tailevu, and is a former Suva Grammar School student. Passing through the market was a daily exercise for her, but she never imagined that one day she would be in charge of the largest and busiest market in the country.

Suva and Lami special administrator chairperson Isikeli Tikoduadua said Ms Qetaki was the right choice for the role.

“She is the perfect fit for the job. This also increases the number of women in management positions in the council,” he said.

There are more than 1000 stalls in the Suva Market and on average the market sees foot traffic of almost 15,000 people.

22/10/2020

PM Praises Afrah for Fiji50 ‘Right to Religion’ Answer

By Mereleki Nai
22/10/2020

Nadi student Afrah Nazim was praised by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday for speaking her mind.

Afrah who is in Year Six at the Nadi Muslim School was asked a question in front of her fellow mates, teachers and visitors. Mr Bainimarama was officiating the school’s new 12-classroom block when he asked the student to go forward and stand beside him. The PM said during the Fiji Day 50th Independence commemoration, a simple question was asked to all on what made Fiji special.

“To celebrate the great potential of the young people of this country, this Fiji Day, we asked the students of Fiji to answer a simple question: “What makes Fiji special?” “We had over 700 responses from around the country, including many from here at the Nadi Muslim Primary School, and I thank all of the students who participated, and the teachers who supported their contributions. “One of our submissions came from Year 6 student Afrah Nazim. Afrah, if you are here today,”he said.

In her message, Afrah told the Government that one of the many reasons Fiji is special is because people are free to follow their own religion. The PM said, “She’s right. Thanks to our Fijian constitution, we are a secular state.

“Afrah also told us that regardless of our differences, Fijians support each other through good and bad times alike. And, in the words of our national anthem, we stand united under noble banner blue, the land of freedom, hope and glory.” Mr Bainimarama also congratulated the school management for making the 12-classroom block a reality through their own fundraising. He also thanked the Fiji Muslim League on the latest demonstration of their commitment to Fiji’s education revolution.

22/10/2020

https://www.facebook.com/776984482353833/posts/3561872967198290/

Filled with emotion, Avikash Lal said being given the opportunity to be the face of Fiji again to the world was a triumphant feeling....

21/10/2020

21st October

Forty six year old Nirmala Devi has been reported missing at the Nadi Police Station.
Mrs Devi has been missing since the 11th of October after she had visited a family friend at Nawaqa Settlement in Korovuto in Nadi.

When she failed to return home a report was lodged and all attempts made to contact her have so far been negative.

Please call the Nadi Police Station on 9905 607 if you can assist us in locating Mrs Devi’s whereabouts.


Ends

21/10/2020

https://www.facebook.com/776984482353833/posts/3559299044122349/

The Year Four student of Qawa Primary said he adored the minister for being there to personally handover his award....