Survivor 14 at Vunivutu - official welcome by PM

more news items about Vunivutu and Survivor 14
From Fiji Times

TV series to eject $6m into community

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, front, with Audio Visual Commission chairman Joe Mar and Taniela Bolea

POPULAR Television series Survivor will inject $6million direct into the community by creating at least 230 jobs and hosting 250-production crew at Vunivutu in the interior of Labasa.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase welcomed the production team saying 'Look North Policy' was slowly taking shape and Vanua Levu will receive international recognition through the country's expanding movie industry.

He said the 'Survivor Project' was a result of the push to transform the division.
Mr Qarase thanked the Audio Visual Commission for working hard and convincing the producers to shoot at Vunivutu.

He said income would be generated through lease money, employment and purchase of goods and services including local produce.

"When the Fiji Survivor programme goes on air our country will attract invaluable international publicity particularly for tourism,'' Mr Qarase said. "Up to 230 local people are to be employed in administrative and office work, in catering, security and land clearance." They can expect to earn a total of approximately half a million dollars in wages over three months.

"The landowners will receive significant income from the temporary leasing of their land and the figure is yet to be known because some locations are not confirmed.
"Infrastructure for the production includes a boat landing at Wainikoro River which will remain for permanent use by locals."

Mr Qarase said seven overseas productions were completed in the country so far and by the end of the year the total number was expected to be 13. He said it was estimated that more than $150million worth of economic activity was created through these projects.