Miss World Fiji 2013 finalists

By FARISHA AHMED

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, with its partners Telecom Fiji Limited and F1 Mobile, together with Vodafone and Inkk have teamed up to provide a texting platform for the Miss World Fiji vote.
The team launched their ‘Vote for me – My Miss Fiji’ text voting platform yesterday.
TFL manager marketing, Sitiveni Tawakevou, said it was a very exciting promotion for people to call in and text to vote for their ‘My Miss Fiji’.
“This is the first time we have opened calls together with texts which also gives people from other countries to vote for their choice as well,” Mr Tawakevou said.
Damien Whippy, of F1 Mobile, said the company liked working with creativity and young people.
He said the voting platform and hosting the voting website would provide the public a wide option to vote.
FBC marketing manager, Morika Hunter, said the platforms were going to provide wider opportunities as the public would get to choose and vote as well.
“The contestant receiving the majority votes will be chosen as the winner of the ‘Vote for me – My Miss Fiji’ competition and the results will be revealed during the coronation event on June 1at The Pearl South Pacific Resort in Pacific Harbour,” Ms Hunter said.
“The texting platform is for people to vote in their choice but the decisions of the judges will be final as there are certain criteria that needs to be followed,” she said.
Trump Model Management’s director of model scouting, Duane Gazi, will be the head judge to select Fiji’s representative to Miss World alongside a panel of judges whose names will be revealed soon.
Miss World Fiji 2013 will be crowned on June 1 at what is expected to be an evening of glitz, gala and fashion.
Members of the public can refer to the Fiji Sun and FBC TV for the finalists’ profiles and their messages on climate change as well as their initials for text voting.

By FARISHA AHMED

Four buses of Maharaj Buses Limited’s fleet have been given the green light to resume services.
Land Transport Authority spokesperson, Iliesa Sokia confirmed this yesterday.
The company’s entire bus fleet was grounded after one caught fire in March.
The company had two bus fires and two major accidents last year.
“Today we have allowed only four of their fleet to resume service after we had grounded the entire fleet and we will continue to conduct our internal investigation on the rest before they can resume servicing again,” Mr Sokia said.
“We are dealing with each bus on a case by case basis and if the authority is satisfied with its internal investigation, it will give the green light to resume its service.
“But in the meantime expressions of interest have been called and another bus company is currently supplementing the service along the area.”
Meanwhile, when the Fiji Sun contacted the company owner, Shiu Maharaj, he said, “I have no idea about it.”

The march from Rishikul Primary School to Valelevu ground which kicked off the Transforming Nasinu Festival on Monday.

By TALEBULA KATE

The Transforming Nasinu Festival began with a march from Rishikul Primary School to the Valelevu grounds on Monday.
The festival, which is aimed at transforming the lives of the youths in Nasinu, was organised by the Nasinu Pastors’ Network with the special administrator  of Nasinu Mosese Kama as chief guest.
Mr Kama, in his address, emphasised the values of transformation.
“Appreciating one another as a community and to understand our responsibilities as ratepayers like paying rates when it was due.”
Festival secretary, Pastor Ravulolo Draunibaka said the theme of the festival was, ‘Transforming lives, smarter youths and better citizens.’
“We have a great opportunity in our day to envision a new town called Nasinu. Transforming Nasinu offers creative new opportunities for urban ministry that generate transformation. It’s all about transforming the mindsets of youths through the word of God,” Pastor Draunibaka said.
With all the problems that youths faced today, Pastor Draunibaka said they would put forward solutions which God had in the Bible during the festival
“When there is an evangelical crusade, only Christians come but when there is a festival, everyone comes, so this is a way not only to do business but to also to share the word of God with others enjoying the festival,” he said.
More than 100 youths had turned up during the combined Christian youth rally they had organised for Pentecostal churches around the Nasinu area  on Saturday night.
Seminars on different topics will be conducted throughout the week by different pastors..
This morning, young people will be able to listen to seminars at the Police Bure in Valelevu, starting at 9am. The topic will be sexual abuse.
The other topic will be marriage at the JDC Hall, also starting at 9am. A rally begins at 4pm led by Christian pastors.

Right: The accused Raiwaqa bus fire driver, Kaminieli Tuimavana outside the High Court in Suva yesterday. Photo: RONALD KUMAR.

By FONUA TALEI

Five passengers of the ill-fated 2008 Raiwaqa bus fire at Malaqereqere, Sigatoka and a Raiwaqa bus driver gave evidence in court yesterday.
Kaminieli Tuimavana, 35, the driver of the said Raiwaqa bus, registration RBL 001, was undergoing trial in the High Court in Suva.
He pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of manslaughter.

State witness
Natokalau villager Laisani Sokosoko gave evidence as one of the 60-odd passengers on the Raiwaqa bus travelling to Nadi on August 28, 2008 when it caught fire.
Ms Sokosoko, who lived in Ovalau in 2008 had come to Suva to attend a funeral at Suva Corrections Centre, Korovou compound in August.
She said after the funeral she had to travel to Nadi to attend another funeral with other relatives.
She revealed in evidence that she was sitting in a two-seater seat on the inside of the third-last seat during that fateful Nadi trip.
She said after they left Korovou at about 7pm on August 28 they only stopped once at Lami Town because some of the women wanted to get off the bus.
“One of the ladies got off because she was afraid of the sounds coming from the bus,” Ms Sokosoko said.
She added after they reached Korovisilou Village and while approaching Matanivusi Hill she could hear the bus giving off screeching and grinding noises when the driver changed the gears.
She said at that point she got really frightened, adding she could also smell smoke in the bus.
The witness said as the bus went past a few villages going towards Nadroga they could hear villagers on the roadside calling out to their bus driver to stop the bus.
She said even though she was sitting at the back she could see flames coming from the engine of the bus and some of the men were trying to put it out using pieces of cloth.
Ms Sokosoko said it came to a point when all the passengers were on their feet shouting for the driver to stop; at the same time she saw one of the women jump out of the bus while it was still moving.

Cross examination
Defence lawyer Gavin O’Driscoll asked the woman to confirm where along their journey she folded up her legs after she felt heat coming from underneath her seat, to which she replied, ‘after they went past Sigatoka.’

State witness
The second witness in court yesterday was Natokalau farmer, Isireli Navukalou.
Mr Navukalou, who was sitting on the second- last seat in the bus told the court that during the trip he had asked his brother what kind of bus they had hired; if it was a good bus or a bad bus.
He said he noticed that the bus was making a different sound on two occasions while they were on the Delainavesi Bridge and at the Korotogo roundabout.
The witness said the bus had difficulty going up Matanivusi Hill, adding it stopped a few times before they continued on the journey.
He said he thought when they reached the top of the hill the driver would make a decision to stop the bus and call another bus to take them to Nadi. However this did not happen.
Mr Navukalou said when they reached Tagaqe Village he heard villagers screaming from outside the bus saying, “Fire! Fire”, but despite that the driver kept going and all the windows were closed because it was drizzling.

Cross examination
Mr O’Driscoll questioned the witness if any of the passengers had asked the driver to stop at Tagaqe Village or before Sigatoka. He replied saying no.

State witness
A Raiwaqa bus driver Avinesh Chand Varma told the court in evidence yesterday that he had been driving that same bus, RBL 001, for about two years from 2006 to 2008.
He said during this time he had never encountered any major problems.
In fact Mr Varma said it was company policy drivers to ensure their buses had a First Aid kit and a fire extinguisher before taking out buses.
He stated a week before the bus fire he had driven the bus to Lautoka and it was in good condition when he parked it at the garage.
He said upon returning from Lautoka he was on sick leave for a week so he did not take the passengers on the Nadi trip.

Cross examination
Mr Varma told Mr O’Driscoll that he never knew the bus was undergoing repair works in the garage after he returned from Lautoka because he had been sick.
The two-week trial continues into Day Three today at the High Court in Suva.

Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations Peter Thomson (left), with the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales yesterday. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

Trade amongst South-South countries has increased to 33 per cent in the past 20 years.
These sentiments were expressed by Doctor Noeleen Heyzer, the executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), told delegates at the G77 + China High Level Panel of Eminent Personalities of the South.
She said in moving the new development agenda ahead, investment must be made in people.
Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Peter Thomson said Dr Heyzer also spoke about the need to address issues of inequality.
Dr Heyzer said that 20 years ago, South-South trade was 10 per cent.
Mr Thomson said the change was indicative of emerging trends which showed the way the world was heading.
“The world over is changing and G77 has a very important part to play in designing that change.”
Mr Thomspon said the recent trade expo to Papua New Guinea, led by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, was a great example of South-South co-operation.
Papua New Guinea’s Finance Minister James Marape also spoke strongly about the co-operation.
Mr Thomson said the recent trade show between PNG and Fiji was a sign that South-South co-operation in the Melanesian region was taking off.
“We are seeing it happening in a way we had never seen before. We have got cross investments between the two countries and the labour market,” he said.

G77+China High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

Source: MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION

Strengthening South-South cooperation amongst members of the G77 + China group was the key focus of discussions by the members of the G77 High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons at yesterday’s morning session.
Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations Peter Thomson, briefed media outlets on the outcomes of the first session of the meeting.
Held behind closed doors, yesterday’s morning session saw leaders expressing their desire to work together towards pushing the needs and challenges of developing countries.
Bolivia’s President Evo Morales highlighted the need to adopt economic models that put the plight of ordinary citizens at the forefront.
Mr Morales said basic services such as water, power, and telecommunications are basic human rights.
He said Bolivia wanted to work in solidarity with the South.
His statements were echoed by his Kiribati counterpart, Anote Tong, who also urged for a balance in future developments including environmental concerns.
Mr Tong also highlighted the need to address the over-exploitation of tuna reserves in Pacific waters and solidarity amongst Pacific Small Islands Developing States (PSIDS) to ensure they gained higher economic returns from tuna sales.
Other panel members emphasised the need for a stronger stand on global challenges that affected them directly.
Vanuatu’s prime minister, Moana Kalosil, spoke on the inequities of climate change.
His Solomon Islands counterpart, Gordon Darcy Lilo, said participants should use the meeting to make the South-South Co-operation a force in the economic development of the South.

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

The President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, has made Kiribati’s intentions of joining the G77 known at the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons of the South.
Speaking during the first session at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa yesterday, Mr Tong also spoke in great detail of the effects of climate change on their island state.
Kiribati is not a member of the G77 plus China, however, Mr Tong said after being invited to be part of the meeting, they were considering applying for membership.
Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Peter Thomson said Mr Tong urged the panel to unite in stopping the exploitation of Pacific resources.
He gave the example of tuna fishing in Pacific waters, adding that only five per cent return was given to the countries.
Mr Tong said they needed to tackle this problem of overfishing together with ensuring the right returns were given to the island nations.
He also spoke about the need to balance development. He said the social and environmental conditions had to be balanced with development.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Gordon Darcy Lilo, also spoke along similar lines.
Mr Lilo however, pointed out that the meeting at Natadola needed to be used to make South-South co-operation more viable.
He said there had to be equity in the new programmes that would eventuate from this meeting, adding that even if it meant having to change international laws.
Mr Lilo said there was a need for North-South co-operation as well, because “North must correct the things that they have done in the past”.

Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama (left), with Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, at the InterContinental Fiji Golf, Resort & Spa in Natadola, yesterday. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

Source:    MINISTRY OF
INFORMATION

Fiji’s chairmanship of the largest voting bloc within the United Nations, the G77, was commended yesterday by the Solomon Islands.
The Solomon Islands is one of the nations participating with other small islands states at the G77 meet in Natadola.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo addressed the G77 High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons meeting and expressed his thanks for Fiji’s role.
“It’s an honour to be here and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Fiji for assuming the responsibility as chair of the G77”, he said.
Mr Lilo highlighted that Fiji’s chairmanship demonstrates the commitment of the Fijian government to bringing Pacific Small Island Developing State (PSIDS) closer together. He also paid tribute to officials working to advance the affairs of PSIDS on the global stage.
He said the G77+China meeting in Natadola must use the opportunity to make South-South co-operation more viable.
“We must have equality”, he said. “We need this to be a basic principle of South-South co-operation”.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama (left), with President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma (middle), during the G77 meeting at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Natadola yesterday. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

The High Level Panel of Eminent Persons of the South started their meeting at Natadola yesterday.
During the first session of the meeting, visiting delegates spoke of what they wanted to see deliberated over the next two days.
Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Peter Thomson, briefed the media on the first session and what the heads of delegations had put forward.
Mr Thomson said the presence of the Bolivian president, Evo Morales Ayma, showed his passion and commitment to South-South cooperation.
“The first session of the panel was all about developing the vision and policy options in key areas of strategic interest and importance to South-South cooperation,” he said.
President Ayma told the delegates that the South (developing countries) have a difference in approach from the North.
He said that the North countries’ economic models, systems and programmes did not take into account the welfare of the ‘poorest people’.
He said in the South, because, a large population fell in the category of the poorest, the policies needed to reflect that and have to be given priority in that area.
Mr Thomson said the Bolivian president’s focus was that the South should have its own processes to deal with poverty.
“We can’t follow what has been done in the North. That model would not work for us.”
President Ayma called on the South countries to work in solidarity, adding that one country would not be able to make the progress that all countries together could.
He further said that basic services were human rights.
“A lot of things that people take for granted, such as water, electricity, education, telecommunications, all those services should be categorised as human rights and not privileges that only a few get to share,” he said.
Another point that the Bolivian president made very strongly was that the banks,  the financial institutions, cannot decide the ‘destiny of the people and people are above banks’.
His point being that as the G77+ China shaped the new development agenda of the world, it cannot be just about what the financial institutions want, it must be about what the people need.

Visiting the Fiji islands for the first time, the President of Bolivia, Juan Evo Morales, yesterday receives a tabua (whales tooth) during the welcome ceremony held for the delegates of G77+China high level meeting of eminent persons at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola. More on pages 2, 3, and 4. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

The G77+China meeting of the high level panel of eminent persons at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa will shape the future landscape of South-South co-operation.
In welcoming the heads of states and delegates from around the world yesterday, the chair of the G77, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, said the Group of 77 must take a lead role in South-South Co-operation.

AIM
“This meeting aims to pursue the Group of 77’s South Summit mandates, in order to address the relevant development challenges of the South, taking into account the evolving realities and hardships facing the developing world.
“Through our discussions, we will reflect on the future landscape of South-South co-operation and recommend action-oriented decisions that will contribute significantly to the development platform for the South,” he said.
Commodore Bainimarama said the G77 must continue to take the lead in transforming the landscape of South-South co-operation.
This would be done by updating the South Development Platform, he said.
“Our efforts should aim to enhance the solidarity of the Group of 77 in order to improve the development efforts of southern countries.”

STRENGTH IN UNITY
Commodore Bainimarama said the Group of 77 must work together to strengthen the role of the G77 and reshape the architecture of the UN development system in support of their aims.
“We must also bolster our efforts to make the importance of South-South co-operation clear to our people,” the Prime Minister said.
“This means that we must promote wide public awareness campaigns about its benefits for the developing world through the full use of modern information technologies.
“Mass media, including social media, has an important role to play and we should encourage its use as widely as possible.”
The outcome of the meeting this week would be included in the upcoming G77 ministerial meeting to be held in New York in September and will be fully integrated in the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the G77.
The President of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma, said this was an historic moment, since this was the first time a Bolivian president had visited ‘this part of the world’.

BY MAIKA BOLATIKI

The Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) has been awarded the Best Occupational Health and Safety Workplace Management System for 2013.
The Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Jone Usamate, said it was a significant milestone for the service.
The Corrections service fulfilled all the requirements of the Ministry of Labour in terms of OHS standards.
Corrections Service Commissioner Lieutenant-Colonel Ifereimi Vasu acknowledged his staff.
OHS manager Suresh Chand received the award on his behalf. of the FCS.

Fiji Electricity Authority chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel (left), and National Fire Authority chief executive John O’Connor during the signing of the memorandum of understanding yesterday. Photo: Talebula kate

By TALEBULA KATE

The Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) has joined the fight to ensure the risk of fires is decreased.
The National Fire Authority and the FEA signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday to ensure effective collaboration when responding to emergencies.
Authority chief executive John O’Connor said co-operation was important because cutting off power supply to a building on fire was one of the first things firefighters requested.
“The MOU ensures the co-ordination of working together during emergencies and also in preventative fire measures,” Mr O’Connor said.
He was thankful for FEA’s support.
In response, FEA Chief Executive Officer Hasmukh Patel said the MOU was long overdue.
“We have been talking about this for some time now and finally we have come to the table,” Mr Patel said.
He said FEA wanted to reduce the number of fires by providing the right information through NFA.

By MAIKA BOLATIKI

The church bazaar and choir competition are likely to be part of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma’s annual conference (Bose Ko Viti) this year.
Church general secretary Reverend Tevita Nawadra said they had been regularly in touch with the Commissioner of Police, Brigadier-General Ioane Naivalurua on the conference and all the events to go with it.
He said in March he had forwarded to the Commissioner a list of their annual events and this included the annual church division meetings, the church annual conference (Bose Ko Viti) and the church bazaar and choir competition.
Reverend Nawadra said the Commissioner had told them while they no longer required permits for meetings, the power still rests with the Commissioner to intervene in any meeting or gathering.
All the 55 church divisions had completed their annual general meetings without any Police intervention.
Reverend Nawadra said division heads had been warned not to entertain any political motions but concentrate on church development.
“The church divisions are meeting to prepare for the Bose Ko Viti which will be held during the first week of the second term school holidays in Suva,” Reverend Nawadra said.

The Psychiatric Survivor Association team outside Roqomate House.

BY SITERI TALEITAKI

“The community should aware of mental disorder and that we are here to create awareness and support.”
These were words of the Psychiatric Survivor Association project officer Jese Mamanavesi at the Subrail Park Labasa yesterday.
The PSA team from Suva, led by Mr Mamanavesi and six survivors, conducted an outreach programme at Subrail Park as part of their one-week programme.
The team focused on developing members’ skills, accessing funding and creating links with other mental health stakeholders in the Northern Division.
The Association seeks to improve the lives of psychiatric survivors in the Northern Division.
“The Suva Psychiatric survivors are here to impact the northern survivors and see that they are capable to do anything if they are determined,” Mr Mamanavesi said.
“We want a support group here in Labasa to act as a support group by organising social gatherings to bring together members who have been diagnosed with mental illness.
“We have also introduced the outreach programme in Savusavu,” he added.

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

More efforts and resources will be invested in the South-South Co-operation.
This was one of the outcomes from the G77+China high level penal of eminent persons of the South meeting at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa at Natadola.
Chair of G77 Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, in his closing remarks, said it was now the time to further the South-South Co-operation.
This means that more resources would be set towards this co-operation of countries that fall under the South-South partnership- the developing countries.
“There was a high level of agreement that South-South Co-operation can produce greater results and that the time has come to invest more efforts and resources into this co-operation.
“In this regard, we call on the UN System and all development partners to make it a priority to promote South-South Co-operation in order to secure real progress in countries of the South,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
He assured visiting delegates that the South-South Co-operation would continue to represent the best form of solidarity, self-reliance and inter-dependence among the members of the Group of 77.
Fiji’s permanent representative to United Nations Peter Thomson said the outcomes document would be sent to New York for the September meeting.
“We will be reporting everything discussed here, including financing possibilities, at the G77 foreign minister’s meeting, which would be chaired by foreign affairs minister (Ratu Inoke Kubuabola),” Mr Thomson said.
He also recommended that Africa be given the opportunity to host the third summit next year.
“The panel has asked me to make it clear to everybody in New York how much they appreciated the Government of Fiji’s hosting of the high level panel, which has enabled this progress to happen.
“They have particularly asked me to express their thanks to the Prime Minister of Fiji for being with us for the full session, chairing it throughout,” Mr Thomson said.
Commodore Bainimarama said they would pursue their work with commitment for the unity of the Group.
It was also decided that the South-South Co-operation was a key element in the development agenda of these countries.
Commodore Bainimarama said it was now important that a strong platform be constructed for the countries to harness political will, as they move ahead.
“We have also emphasised that the obligation of the North to financially and technically support the South remains.
“Thus in the interests of global harmony, equity and development we must strengthen the development commitments of North-South, South-South and triangular co-operation. We have agreed that the current international architecture needs to be restructured in order to respond to the new realities and opportunities for development,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
Commodore Bainimarama also acknowledged that the development platform for the South was an invaluable tool for guiding and strengthening multilateral South-South Co-operation.
“It will provide a pathway for the South in approaching the international economic arena.
“Furthermore, the platform is a strategic tool for political guidance, a compass for the South, which contains the goals and aspirations for economic growth and prosperity in the South.”

From left: UNDP Fiji representative Knut Ostby, First Lady Adi Koila Nailatikau and President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau during the G77 farewell reception dinner at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Natadola last night. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

The Group of 77 plus China is here to stay.
This was President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau’s message during a dinner for delegates at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola last evening.
Ratu Epeli said that the South-South Co-operation was one of the central focus during Fiji’s chairmanship of the Group.
“It is clear from your deliberations that the Group of 77 Plus China is here to stay. As you would no doubt all agree, its main strengths are its unity and solidarity, its vision of a fair and equitable multilateral relations and its commitment to mutually beneficial co-operation.
“From what I have learned today, your meeting also showed that there has never been a greater opportunity for the expansion of South-South Co-operation.
Ratu Epeli said developing countries must move forward to capitalise on this opportunity to strengthen the South and come up with practical options and measures to revitalise all aspects of our co-operation.
“Our rich and diverse development experiences and know-how as well as our similar needs and problems offer a unique window of opportunity for greater South-South Co-operation.
“I believe that the outcome of your meeting will essentially provide the needed impetus to further enhance the development agenda of the South,” he said.
“Throughout Fiji’s chairmanship of the Group of 77 Plus China this year, the Fijian Government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of South- South Co-operation.
“In fact it has become a central theme – if not our mantra – as Chair of the group.”
From a Fijian perspective, he said, the changes sought for the Group of 77 Plus China is akin to the reforms that Fiji is currently undertaking to provide a stable, progressive and prosperous political, social and economic framework for our nation and all her people.
“We are indeed living in, and experiencing exciting times – both for the Group of 77 Plus China and for Fiji.”

Source: United
Nations Population Fund

If alarming rates of violence against women is to be effectively addressed, the status of women in our societies and its critical relevance to how our families, communities and economies proper, needs to be recognised.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr Babatunde Osotimehin made the remarks before launching the first report to come out of the global assessment of the implementation of the International Conference Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (POA), the Pacific Regional ICPD Review report.
The Executive Director is in Fiji as an Eminent Person of the G77 Plus China high-level meeting of the panel of eminent personalities held at the InterContinental Fii Golf Resort and Spa. Dr Babatunde was able to meet UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office partners in Suva, before the G77 meeting began proper in Nadroga.
During his meeting with Fiji’s Minister for Women, Dr Jiko Luveni, Dr Babatunde urged the strengthening of collaboration between the ministry and the UNFPA; emphasis was placed on working towards a mechanism which could improve information and services, particularly reproductive health and contraceptive services, to women, particularly in rural areas.
Dr Luveni said there was already a network of women established across the region, from recent income-generating projects implemented by her ministry across the country.
Dr Babatunde said the status of women in our societies needed to be lifted as a fundamental step towards efforts towards addressing sexual and reproductive health and violence against women; he emphasized the need to continue to invest in the education of the girl-child.
“We are committed as an organisation to continue to do what we have been doing for the last 20 years,” Dr Babatunde said.
“There are 600 million adolescent girls in the world today, imagine if they were educated to the point where they were economically viable, where we can make sure they can exercise their rights, where we can make sure they will not be abused … we would have a peaceful world because women are peacemakers, because women build nations.
“We are going to make sure that women and girls around the world have better access to education, to information and to health services, including reproductive health services.”
To Fiji’s Minister of Health, Dr Neil Sharma, Dr Babatunde reiterated UNFPA’s commitment to national efforts of repositioning family planning. Dr Babatunde emphasised the need to be innovative and to reach out to communities by taking family planning out of facilities. They also discussed the need to vigorously continue comprehensive condom programming particularly for vulnerable groups and young people.
Dr Babatunde said he felt that the characteristic small population base of Pacific island nations could be an advantage acknowledging the challenges small island states faced. Recurring themes in his discussion with Dr Sharma included the fact that approaches had to be integrated; Dr Babatunde shared the example of how maternal mortality could be prevented with a combination of a basic maternal life-saving drugs; the key was their application at critical times during delivery.
Dr Babatunde also met the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, who is also the Pacific Ambassador for HIV. Dr Babatunde expressed his gratitude for the leading role Ratu Epeli has played in Fiji, the Pacific and globally in advocating for behaviour change.
“I encouraged His Excellency the President that during his advocacy, that he also speak about preventing unintended teenage pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections, and promoting girls’ rights, girls’ education and gender equality  to make a healthy population,” Dr Babatunde said.
Dr Babatunde is expected to leave Fiji today.

By jyoti pratibha

The Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama will be leading a high level delegation to Russia next month.
Permanent Secretary for Information Sharon Smith-Johns confirmed this, saying that the finer details of the visit are yet to be finalised.
“Yes, the Prime Minister is leading the delegates to Russia. Apart from that, we are yet to confirm on all the details of the visit,” Mrs Smith-Johns said.
The Government has also been considering opening an embassy in Moscow.

Solomons Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo (left), during the G77 plus China High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa in Natadola yesterday. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

The G77 plus China high-level panel of eminent persons of the South has enabled Pacific island nations to bring to the fore issues that they faced, which had, for long been ignored.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said the North countries, which is how the more developed nations are referred to, have for long ignored the situations of the South.
And Mr Lilo said Fiji was the best country to further the agenda of South countries to the North especially in its role as chair.
He said that in 1996 he came across the statistics that the Asia-Pacific region is home to two thirds of the world’s poor.
Nothing, he said, has changed today, as the world’s most poor are still in the same region.
“Fiji’s chairmanship provides us with an excellent opportunity. I want people of Fiji to stand right behind this reality.
“We cannot have a better actor than Fiji to really bring the outside world to be able to understand and see the realities of the Pacific or the developing world component in this part of the world. Fiji has all the characteristics to be able to really feature in the kind of uniqueness that we have.”
Mr Lilo said they also needed to be mindful that all South countries did not have the same levels of development and resources.
“It is not easy for us to find a way that is common to everyone and it is quite interesting that we have been able to have an opportunity to really map that out and advocate it in such a way that we can be able to incorporate it in the framework.”
He said this framework would assist them in advancing together as the members of the Group 77 plus China.
Mr Lilo said the North countries had been greedy.
“The whole purpose of the G77 is to come up with a development option that will enable the developing countries to integrate with the globalised world.
“That process cannot be the same for all countries because there are some countries in the G77 of the South that are more dynamic, robust to be able to move forward more aggressively than others.”

Amongst prominent participants at the G77 + China high level panel of eminent personalities at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa,Natadola, was one of the Dominican Republic’s most successful presidents. Leonel Fernandez (third from left) stepped down as president of the Caribbean nation last year. He is now President of the global think tank Foundation for Development and Democracy. His wife Dr. Margarita Cedeño is the current Vice-President of the Dominican Republic. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA

New Vanuatu leader hails strong Bainimarama

By JYOTI PRATIBHA

Vanuatu’s new Prime Minister has followed his ousted predecessor when it comes to supporting Fiji.
Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil yesterday reiterated Vanuatu’s full backing for Fiji.and said Fijians have the right to make their own decisions.
“I think Prime Minister Bainimarama is a strong man and the decision he makes he would make sure that the Pacific would shine,” he said in supporting Commodore Bainimarama’s leadership of the
G77 bloc of nations.
“There are some countries around the Pacific who do not agree but I believe that as brotherhood, we should support each other and I am very supportive of Prime Minister Bainimarama.”
Mr Carcasses joined all the Melanesian prime ministers at the G77 + China high level panel of eminent personalities meeting at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, Natadola.
As this successful meeting ended yesterday, he also joined fellow Melanesian prime ministers Peter O’Neill (Papua New Guinea) and Gordon Darcy Lilo (Solomon Islands) in continuing support for Fiji.
Mr Carcasses said that although some Pacific Islands countries are not supportive of Fiji, Fiji has the full backing of the Melanesian nations.
Mr Carcasses, leader of the Greens Confederation, became Prime Minister in March, succeeding Sato Kilman.. He was born in French Polynesia and is the first naturalised citizen to become Vanuatu’s prime minister.
“I have commended the Prime Minister on the progress of the nation. He explained that the new constitution would come into place soon and he also explained that under the new constitution, there would be a 45-member Parliament.
“I said wow, because for 800,000 people that is good. In Vanuatu, we have only 265,000 people and we have a 52-member Parliament. This is very expensive.”
Mr Carcasses said he had visited Fiji numerous times since 2006 and he had taken the time to speak to Fijian workers, who, he said, are supportive of the way forward mapped out by Commodore Bainimarama.
“I commend him on taking the country towards democracy. I have come to Fiji many times after the coup and I have spoken to many Fijians, workers and they are quite supportive of the path the country has taken. It is for Fijians to decide their future.”
“If we can help, Vanuatu will always be ready.”