tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217338362024-03-16T11:52:49.672-07:00BabasigaFiji stories, Labasa, South Pacific culture, family, migration, Australia/Fiji relationshipPeceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.comBlogger2458125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-68900046834990829032017-06-28T06:13:00.001-07:002017-06-28T06:13:21.624-07:00I remember Rakiraki<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The Methodist Church in Fiji posted pictures about Rakiraki Indian Circuit Outreach at Rakiraki Town in facebook today </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eVMjhIHvLb4/WVOrUtk5hmI/AAAAAAAAZqM/ElgVVexaXFgtwAPeb3Vj7R9g-uvlht0jQCLcBGAs/s1600/Rakiraki%2BMethodist%2BSchool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eVMjhIHvLb4/WVOrUtk5hmI/AAAAAAAAZqM/ElgVVexaXFgtwAPeb3Vj7R9g-uvlht0jQCLcBGAs/s320/Rakiraki%2BMethodist%2BSchool.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xThI2srrW-U/WVOrZWPDSrI/AAAAAAAAZqQ/jdLMxL1WRUY-InWDUnnyNxvVWpG_4AsNACLcBGAs/s1600/Rakiraki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xThI2srrW-U/WVOrZWPDSrI/AAAAAAAAZqQ/jdLMxL1WRUY-InWDUnnyNxvVWpG_4AsNACLcBGAs/s320/Rakiraki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
and the photos and story took me way back two generations to the wonderful years Peceli, me, George and Robin had living there. Peceli was the padre to the Indian community and manager of the school where we taught Religious Education on Fridays, visited cane farms, Peceli's church was a classroom in a school near the sugar mill Our good friends were the Ari Siri family and t<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">heir teenage daughter was Meraia Siri who later became a highly educated Methodist minister.. Fiji became independent about that time and my Class 8 students sang a version of 'This Land is your land' at the celebration. We had three years there, many people staying with us including Loloma Tukei a deaconess, and blind Pastor Timothy, Peceli's mother and many others. I taught mainly English at Penang Sangam Secondary School. We enjoyed visiting the families on the cane-farms, yarning and drinking very sweet spiced tea. They were not rich people, their houses sometimes plastered with cow dung and the baby sleeping in a kind of swing made from a sugar bag. Our house was cement block, multi-coloured and we had two pet pigs, Kanakana and Lesu Mai. Peceli climbed the Kauvadra mountain with the local English doctor one time and brought back a vadra plant and we buried Georgie's umbilitical cord under that plant. We had a puppy called Biscuit - named after my problem with nausea one month and having to eat cracker biscuits with lemonade! This was a very long time ago.</span>Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-52944970833303917482017-06-20T15:26:00.002-07:002017-06-20T15:26:38.928-07:00A babasiga woman weaving matsfrom the Fiji Times<br />
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Weaver's new ideas</h1>
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Matilda Simmons<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Wednesday, June 21, 2017</div>
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Adi Arieta Kabu of Nakawaga, Mali Island with her array of weaved products. Picture: RAMA</div>
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IT takes great skill to weave intricate basket or fine mats. Fijiians, like the people of other Pacific Island countries, are blessed to have many talented craftspeople in their midst. From wood carvers to weavers, the skills continue to amaze many today.</div>
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So when more than 400 women artisans converged at the Vodafone Arena, at Laucala Bay in Suva last week to showcase their many products, it was a feast of beauty and craft. Women from as far as the Lau Group, Rotuma and islands in the North attended the 2017 National Women's Expo.</div>
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Among those talented women was Adi Arieta Kabu of Nakawaga, Mali Island, an island off the coast of Vanua Levu.</div>
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The mother of four caught our attention with her eye-catching products which were a bit different from that of the the other women. Hers was a dinner set made entirely of pandanus leaves or voivoi in the iTaukei language. She also had picture frames made from the leaves. Shells collected from the seashore were used as decoration on her frame boards.</div>
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"I've been doing this work for more than nine years but for weaving of mats and other traditional handicraft items, I've been doing it since I was in primary school," she said.</div>
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With four children still in high school and primary school, she said it helped supplement their family income.</div>
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"My eldest son is in Form Seven (Year 13) at Niusawa High School on Taveuni, my second son in Form Five (Year 11) in Labasa while my two youngest are in primary school," she said.</div>
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"Coming to the national expo has been an eye-opener. I've been attending since 2014 and each time I leave with new ideas.</div>
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"I'm amazed at the different talents on show. The other women have such an array of crafts and it's astounding to see the various products on display."</div>
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Adi Arieta added she hoped to incorporate new ideas to her many products and return to the expo next year with a variety of handicraft products.</div>
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"The only challenge with working with pandanus leaves is the weather.</div>
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"The leaves cannot be dried well. It sets my work back by more than a week. It's terrible especially when you trying to meet orders from clients," she said with a smile.</div>
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"I hope after this expo, an overseas market is secured for us. This would open a lot of doors for most local women artisans.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-57404515989234793712017-06-19T14:27:00.001-07:002017-06-19T14:27:56.588-07:00A babasiga woman cane-farmerfrom the Fiji Sun<br />
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Akisi's passion for cane farming</h1>
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Serafina Silaitoga<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Monday, June 19, 2017</div>
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Akisi Vinaka, a canefarmer, canecutter, sardar and traditional leader in Wainikoro has challenged landowners to make use of their land. Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA</div>
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AKISI Vinaka is a popular name in the cane belt areas of Wainikoro and Lagalaga in Macuata.</div>
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She is 59 years of age but is swift and frisky when it comes to harvesting cane. This certainly speaks of her determination to make a difference in the iTaukei farming community.</div>
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Mrs Vinaka has been a canefarmer for the past 17 years and is a sardar (administrator) for seven cane farming gangs in the area, a Justice of the Peace official and is the head of yavusa Kedekede in her village of Wainidrua.</div>
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She certainly had a lot to share when we met at her cane field and her name "Vinaka" meaning "good" or "all is well" was reflected in her demeanor.</div>
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Our search for her was not a difficult one because every farmer, who we enquired to regarding her whereabouts, told us of her exact location, which was in her cane farm.</div>
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"I love farming. It's my hobby and I have six children who are all in Viti Levu and they have told me to leave farming and join them, but this is where my heart is," Mrs Vinaka said.</div>
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"I have a lease of about 13 acres, I pay lease of $970 and I am leasing this land from my own yavusa. It's the best way to do it because cane farming is a business and we should treat it professionally."</div>
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During the interview, she kept dabbing her T-shirt and laughed as she noticed our silent observation.</div>
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"My T-shirt is damp because I swam across the river to come to my farm and cut cane," Mrs Vinaka explained.</div>
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"It was wet early this morning when I arrived but thank God for the sun as it is drying my T-shirt."</div>
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Swimming across the river has become part of her sardar duty even at night when farmers need to clarify the tickets or quotas with FSC officials.</div>
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"I swim at night because it is the shortest and fastest way to get to my gang members who need my help. That's actually my job, you know, to serve my members," Mrs Vinaka said.</div>
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"Then I have my traditional role so it's not easy, but I guess I manage well because I live alone and it's easier to work alone."</div>
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Like other farmers concerned about the high cost of cane farming, Mrs Vinaka feels costs on some products should be dropped.</div>
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"The lease cost should decrease because farmers are trying to make ends meet in this industry and it's not easy," she said.</div>
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"Our transport cost is high like $25 per tonne if we have to hire a lorry to take our cane to the mill.</div>
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"If we load the cane on a tractor from our farms to the main line, it will cost us $5 to $9 per tonne so it's not easy. (The main line is a spot where farmers need to off load their cane loaded on rails which will get picked up by FSC locomotive operators)."</div>
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Compared with 15 years ago, cane farming operations, she said was affordable.</div>
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"We could hire labourers and pay them about $4 to $5 a tonne and that was cheap because other costs were affordable," Mrs Vinaka said.</div>
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"Today, the cost of living has increased and we the canefarmers can feel a big difference.</div>
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"When we get our cane payment, very little or nothing is left after all our deductions are made so reducing the costs of transport, lease and fertiliser will help us very much."</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-67418640723840468962017-06-16T17:46:00.003-07:002017-06-16T17:46:49.496-07:00Youth with a Mission in LabasaI like the YWAM movement with young people encouraged to explore their faith and the world. We've met them in Melbourne at their headquarters in Surrey Hills, and also one time a group came to Geelong and led a wonderful youth program down at Eastern Beach. A group have been in Labasa last week.<br />
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Youths spread gospel of Christ</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Saturday, June 17, 2017</div>
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Members of the YWAM missionaries from the Pacific Islands currently spreading the Gospel in Fiji. Picture: LUKE RAWALAI.</div>
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IN an effort to spread the gospel of Christ, the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) has deployed 13 of its members from the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa to carry out evangelistic work in Fiji.</div>
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This newspaper caught up with the young spirited youths in Labasa yesterday as they prepared their journey to Savusavu after spending a week in Labasa.</div>
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The group's spokesperson, Kovati Asotau, described his Fiji experience as amazing and an enjoyable one.</div>
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The 23-year-old Samoan YWAM representative said he just loved the weather in Vanua Levu.</div>
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"I loved meeting the people because they are some of the friendliest people I have ever seen," he said.</div>
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"The laid back Labasa Town reminds me so much of Apia compared with Suva which is busier and bigger.</div>
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"We have with us 13 youth missionaries who are part of this trip and we will be spending some time on Vanua Levu before moving to Viti Levu."</div>
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Mr Asotau said the youths paid for their trip through fundraising and money collected from donors.</div>
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"Most of us fasted and prayed for this trip and we felt the power of God provide for each one of us," he said.</div>
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Solomon Islanders Lydia Ialife and Robinson Kale considered it a blessing to be part of the trip.</div>
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Mr Kale said he was looking forward to the second and final leg of their trip, adding that he was trying to spread the Word of God and also soak in the Fijian experience which was a "one of a kind".</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-9786566926601316522017-06-13T18:47:00.003-07:002017-06-13T18:57:40.159-07:00Fiji Women's Expofrom Fiji Sun<br />
http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/06/14/womens-expo-commemorative-stamp-launched/<br />
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Women’s Expo Commemorative Stamp Launched</h2>
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The Fiji National Women’s Expo 2017 commemorative stamp was launched at the Vodafone Arena this morning.</div>
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The postal stamps are designed to promote the authentic Fijian culture.</div>
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The pictures on the stamps are from the past Women’s Expo.</div>
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A total of 479 women will be showcasing their Fijian Art, Crafts and Culture at the expo from today till <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_384985759" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Friday</span></span>.</div>
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These women are from Lau, Kadavu, Lomaiviti and Rotuma.</div>
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Here are a few clicks from the Expo which starts from today at the Vodafone Arena:</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-49180168902867829552017-06-11T18:27:00.001-07:002017-06-11T18:27:22.533-07:00Andrew's birthday<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">It's Andrew Snr's birthday today. My youngest son. No party and he's helping me a lot as I have to fast today for a medical procedure tomorrow. He's a great son. Here are some photos of the three boys. George, Robin, Andrew. Andrew was born at Labasa hospital in Fiji and he was nine pounds six ounces, the biggest baby in the hospital. I was in a ward with young women - Indian, Fijian, Chinese and me. Home in two days and it cost 20 cents a day. We were living at Vatuadova cane farm at the time and Peceli had taken leave from the church to help the family tribe and their land issues. He started several development projects - trochus fishing, timber logging, a shop in Mali Island, building a church at Wailevu, small tourist bures, etc but mostly the family didn't really care much about development at the time and after three years we came over to Australia.</span><br />
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-9937030028437760522017-06-09T15:09:00.001-07:002017-06-09T15:09:14.021-07:00About Village By-lawsThe Rewa chiefly lady certainly has some good points in her discussion of the proposed Village By-laws. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 36px;">Ro Teimumu wants changes to draft village by-laws</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">By</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"> Vijay Narayan and Iva Danford</span><div class="clear10" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 10px; height: 10px; line-height: 10px;">
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<span class="subtext" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Friday 09/06/2017</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"></span><span class="socialMediaBtns" style="background-color: white; float: right; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; padding-right: 10px;"><div id="fb-root">
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<span class="pictext" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">The head of the Burebasaga confederacy Ro Teimumu Kepa</span><div class="clear" style="clear: both; font-size: 1px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px;">
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The head of the Burebasaga confederacy Ro Teimumu Kepa has recommended changes to the proposed village by-laws.She made this submission during a Catholic Church of Fiji organized seminar on Reading The Sign Of The Times in Fiji - Catholic Social Teaching And Socio-Political Issues.</div>
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Ro Teimumu said that her presentation is based on the submissions heard from the nine tikina in Rewa who agreed, in principle, that the draft village by-laws, with a few proposed amendments, would be better in creating a more conducive environment for the people it is designed for.</div>
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She says what was stressed is that the laws to be enacted are to be for the good of the people as a whole rather than for any individual person.</div>
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Ro Teimumu says although people may be created in God’s own image and likeness, they, through democracy were given too much freedom.</div>
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She spoke about people participating in village commitments.</div>
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Ro Teimumu says presently there is no enforcement and an amendment was proposed by several tikina that a penalty fee of $200 to be included. She says some people’s religious beliefs prevented them from undertaking cultural activities, yet when it concerned them, they were beneficiaries of people’s kindness and generosity.</div>
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Speaking on the section concerning stray animals destroying crops in the village, Ro Teimumu said that conflicts should be resolved by peaceful means as the draft village by-law proposes that the crop owner after killing the animal is to inform the owner of the slain animal to remove it and if after 6 hours the animal has not been removed, the crop owner may utilize the animal meat. Ro Teimumu says submissions on this section from several tikina were that the animal owner apologize to the farmer and replace or replant the destroyed crops, or the village organizes an impounded area for stray animals.</div>
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She says most of the villages disagreed with the section of the draft village by-law that states that people intending to marry should be a home owner. Ro Teimumu says the villages felt this would be a hindrance to young people wishing to marry which will impact on the village population, although they agreed young men should have a plantation for food security.</div>
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She also spoke about rights and responsibilities. Ro Teimumu says the social teaching is that rights correspond to the duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families and to the larger society. She says one the concerns expressed in the presentation is the motion that individual human rights overrides group or communal rights especially when they hear people from Suva expressing forcefully through the media the power and authority of human rights.</div>
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Ro Teimumu says often quoted is that Fiji is a democracy and everyone has their rights meaning no one can tell a person how to dress or act in a village setting. She also said that Turaga Ni Koros should be well paid as they would be given added responsibilities and also raised the question whether they will be contracted like civil servants.</div>
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Ro Teimumu says the Rewans also suggest that the religious committee in the village monitor the activities of all church denominations in the village and for them to actively participate in vanua activities. She says it was also suggested that villagers should cooperate and collaborate in addressing issues of truancy, absenteeism and being used in child labour economic activities.</div>
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Ro Teimumu says villagers should also look after the environment. She says she is embarrassed to say that probably 90 percent of the household refuse is discarded through plastic bags into the Rewa River, travels down river, through the qoliqoli areas and ends up on the reef.</div>
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Other people present in the Catholic seminar included Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Niko Nawaikula, Pio Tikoduadua, Fred Caine, some SODELPA and NFP youth, Peter Waqavonovono and Fiji Council of Churches.</div>
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We are currently trying to speak to Archbishop Peter Loy Chong. Stay with us for that.</div>
Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-43528885272549368822017-06-07T16:07:00.000-07:002017-06-07T16:07:27.147-07:00The low wages in Fiji are shockingHow on earth can a family be fed if workers in Fiji get little more than $2F an hour. Read this from today's Fiji Times.<br />
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Fijians need a 'living wage'</h1>
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Avinesh Gopal<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Thursday, June 08, 2017</div>
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National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad and Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry believe Fijians need a "living wage".</div>
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Prof Prasad raised the issue at the party's meeting in Lautoka at the weekend.</div>
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Mr Chaudhry says it is widely accepted that low wages is the root cause of poverty in the country among working class families.</div>
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"It is estimated that some 60 per cent of those in full-time employment are earning wages below the basic needs poverty line (BNPL) currently set at $203 a week. These employees are all in the private sector," he said.</div>
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"Government's own survey shows that those in the lower wage group are spending less than $40 a week on food for their families.</div>
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"This is absolutely shocking. What can a family of five buy for $40 a week except for the base essentials?</div>
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"A living wage pegged to the cost of living and one that meets the basic needs of our workers must be a priority for any caring government."</div>
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Mr Chaudhry said it was not correct to suggest that the Government has brought down working poverty from 35 per cent to 11 per cent as Employment Minister Jone Usamate stated in this newspaper a week ago.</div>
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"The bottom line is that 60 per cent of our low income earners are receiving wages below the poverty line and that most of them have difficulty spending $40 a week on food for their families."</div>
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He said the National Minimum Wage (NMW) of $2.68 an hour was not the answer to the country's problem of tackling poverty.</div>
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"We need to raise the national minimum wage rate above starvation wages to a level where a worker is able to meet the basic needs of his family and still be able to save a little.</div>
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"What then is a living wage for our workers? This is the crux of the matter."</div>
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Mr Chaudhry said the NMW should not become a subject of political propaganda in the lead up to the 2018 election, saying a negotiated NMW should have a bearing on the basic poverty line.</div>
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He said an interim solution to the impasse may be to raise NMW to $3.50 per hour to give immediate relief to workers in this category.</div>
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The NFP maintains Fiji needs a "living wage".</div>
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"Our 'living wage' suite of measures is for a minimum of $200/week or $5/hour net for those on a minimum wage," said Prof Prasad.</div>
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"These are not ideas just made up on a whim. We have analysed the trends and the figures and it is very, very possible.</div>
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"Grant the NFP the social contract to make it happen, and we will.</div>
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"The current minimum wage rate of $2.32 an hour is simply insufficient for a livelihood of a family of four.</div>
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"This rate means our workers on minimum wage earn $104.40 for a 45 hour working week. Even if the wage rate is increased to $2.68, it will be $120.60," said Prof Prasad.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-26302031395960877332017-06-04T15:28:00.002-07:002017-06-04T15:28:48.280-07:00Fiji and World Environment Day<h2 class="article-title" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #232323; font-family: Merriweather, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 31.2px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top;">
STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY</h2>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">World Environment Day</span></div>
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June 05</div>
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<a class="icon-link" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Print This Article</a><a class="icon-link" href="http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/06/05/statement-from-the-prime-minister-on-world-environment-day/#share" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Share it With Friends</a></div>
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<a class="icon-link" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"><img alt="👤" class="emoji" draggable="false" src="http://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f464.png" style="background: none !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; display: inline !important; height: 1em !important; margin: 0px 0.07em !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; width: 1em !important;" /></span> by Prime Minister</a><a class="icon-link" href="http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/06/05/statement-from-the-prime-minister-on-world-environment-day/#comments" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> 0 Comments</a></div>
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Today, the Fijian people join citizens from all around the world to celebrate World Environment Day. We can all be proud that we come together at a time when Fiji is leading the world to defend our natural environment from two of the greatest threats it has ever faced – the degradation of our oceans and seas, and the disastrous impacts of climate change.</div>
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I am currently in New York, where Fiji is co-hosting the first-ever United Nations Conference on Oceans. And in November of this year, I will be heading to Bonn, Germany to preside over the global negotiations on climate change, known as COP23.</div>
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Our oceans are home to most of the life on our planet and make up three quarters of the Earth’s surface. Oceans support the life of every person on earth and, for the Fijian people, our identity and well-being are tied intimately to the health of our oceans and marine resources.</div>
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Over the next several days in New York, Fiji will drive the international effort to reduce pollution and over fishing in our oceans – threats that strike at the heart of the Fijian way of life. And I am fully committed to preserving the health of our oceans, for the sake of every Fijian, and every global citizen.</div>
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The destructive impacts of climate change also present a serious threat to our natural environment, as low-lying coastal areas are being washed away by rising seas, and increased global temperatures threaten the survival of all life on earth. Later this year, at COP23, Fiji will rally the world to defend and implement the Paris Agreement, so we can spare our world from the worst effects of climate change and give vulnerable nations a fighting chance to adapt to the climate-related effects we are already experiencing.</div>
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It is a tremendous honour and responsibility for Fiji, as the world looks to us to lead on issues of such importance to the protection of our environment. But to be true champions on these issues, we must treat out own islands with the same respect we are asking from the rest of the world.</div>
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I urge every Fijian to take time today to renew our commitment to take responsibility for our surroundings. We are lucky to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and we should be an example to the world on environmental stewardship. If you see someone litter, tell them to stop. And if you see anyone violating our laws that protect our environment, report them, so we can safeguard our oceans and our islands today, and leave them in better condition for future generations.</div>
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Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-47479242237749045582017-06-01T15:13:00.000-07:002017-06-01T15:13:50.767-07:00Cane cutting season starts in Labasa<div id="storyHeader" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-width: 1px; border-style: dotted none; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-width: 1px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0.6em; padding: 0px 0.5em; text-align: center;">
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Labasa Mill Opens Today For Crushing</h2>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Fiji Sugar Corporation chief operating officer Navin Chandra at a sugarcane farm in Kulukulu, Waiqele, Labasa on May 31, 2017. Photo: Josaia Ralago</span></div>
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June 01</div>
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The Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) Labasa Mill will be opened today by the Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum for another crushing season.</div>
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This is projected to be a year of success for the mill as they are looking to crush 800,000 tonnes of cane.</div>
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The mill crushed 653,353 tonnes of cane last year.</div>
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FSC chief operating officer Navin Chandra said that farmers were excited as they were ready for a new crushing season.</div>
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“What we are looking at is the reduction in the tonnes sugarcane needed to make sugar.</div>
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“When you have less sugarcane needed to make sugar that is when there is a better yield for sugar,” Mr Chandra said.</div>
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“We are definitely looking at an improvement in mill performance and the tonnes of cane to tonnes of sugar (TCTS).</div>
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“We are expecting over 800,000 tonnes of sugarcane this year which has improved compared to last year. Sugar is made in the fields which means that is we need fresh green cane delivered to the mill as soon as possible, so a very important requirement is that we need quality cane into the mill.</div>
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“Then the milling process has to be very efficient so your boiling process, extraction process has to be efficient so if all work together we can all reach our per tonnes of cane to tonnes of sugar (TCTS) of around 8 to 8.2 this year and our budget is 8.5.”</div>
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One particular cane farmer, Mohammed Rafiq of Kulukulu in Waiqele, said he looked forward to this crushing season.</div>
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And also, this time from Fiji Times</h1>
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41 harvesters for farms</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Friday, June 02, 2017</div>
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FORTY-ONE cane harvesters will be deployed to cane farms around the country this year.</div>
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Sugar Cane Growers Council chief executive officer Sundresh Chetty said of this, 21 were supported by Government for farmers co-operatives.</div>
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Mr Chetty said the rest of the harvesters were either privately owned or owned by other farming bodies.</div>
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"In Labasa we currently have nine harvesters and are expecting another five or four harvesters in the next few weeks," Mr Chetty said.</div>
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"So this will bring the number of harvesters in the North to about 14.</div>
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"It may take some time for the five harvesters to reach our shores because they are being shipped from overseas."</div>
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Mr Chetty said Government had allocated $2 million in the 2016/2017 National Budget to help farmers and farmers co-operatives purchase harvesters.</div>
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Mr Chetty said canecutters would be utilised where harvesters could not operate, such as on hilly cane farms.</div>
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"The idea is that when we provide the harvesters for the flat (farms), canecutters from these areas are freed to work in farms in the hilly areas," he said.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-40194388680712386792017-05-30T22:27:00.000-07:002017-05-30T22:31:05.369-07:00FNU to build an arts complexThis is excellent news, that the FNU plan to build a brand-new complex for arts which I presume means visual arts, theatre, dance and music. Gone are the days when these subjects were regarded as on the periphery of studies. When I taught art in Fiji I was one of the very few art teachers and even the training of teachers in these areas was minimal. A man or woman was expected to lump art, music and phys ed all together. Much better today and we know that there is work out there for artists, musicians, actors and so on. (Article from Fiji Villagle)<br />
<span class="newstitle" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 36px;">FNU estimates costs to design and build a creative arts department in Nasinu</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;">By</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"> Lena Reece</span><br />
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<span class="subtext" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Wednesday 31/05/2017</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px;"></span><br />
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<span class="pictext" style="color: #666666; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Nigel Healey.</span><br />
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The Fiji National University is estimating costs to design and build a creative arts department in Nasinu that will be included in their capital budget for 2018.</div>
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This has been confirmed by Fiji National University Nigel Healey, who says that they have commissioned a comprehensive engineering report to establish the cost of repairing the Raiwai FNU campus and bringing it up to a high standard.</div>
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He adds that because the damage is quite extensive and the building is old, this cost was very high and the University Council concluded that it would be more economic to build a purpose‑built creative arts building, housing a television studio, performing arts theatre, mixing suites, sound‑proofed and music practice rooms.</div>
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Healey says that the Council has also considered the most appropriate location of a new facility and, because Raiwai campus is in an industrial zone with no sidewalks, it is not ideally suited for a university building. </div>
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He adds that the consensus was to build the new facility at Nasinu campus, where there is a lot of unused land and space for car parking.</div>
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FNU Vice Chancellor says that the new building will give the campus a cultural hub.</div>
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Healey says that their Capital Infrastructure team is presently liaising with staff from the FNU creative arts departments to design the concept for the building.</div>
Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-18851590199814791812017-05-30T15:37:00.001-07:002017-05-30T15:37:06.529-07:00Indian Division Labasa fundraising<h2 class="article-title" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #232323; font-family: Merriweather, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 0.195px; line-height: 31.2px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: top;">
Church Walk To Fundraise, Champion Civic Pride</h2>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Methodist Church of Fiji Labasa and Savusavu Indian Circuit members after cleaning up roads and footpaths along Labasa to Seaqaqa on May 27, 2017. Photo: Shratika Naidu</span></div>
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May 30</div>
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<a class="icon-link" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.015em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"><img alt="👤" class="emoji" draggable="false" src="http://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/72x72/1f464.png" style="background: none !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; display: inline !important; height: 1em !important; margin: 0px 0.07em !important; outline: 0px; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; width: 1em !important;" /></span> by SHRATIKA NAIDU, Labasa</a><a class="icon-link" href="http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/05/30/church-walk-to-fundraise-champion-civic-pride/#comments" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #232323; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.015em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="icon-text" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: Entypo !important; font-weight: normal !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> 0 Comments</a></div>
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In a bid to raise funds to build a church, the Methodist Church of Fiji Labasa and Savusavu Indian Circuit conducted a walkathon with a difference on Saturday.</div>
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Church representative Alfred Wiliame said they held a walkathon by holding a clean-up campaign from Labasa Town to Seaqaqa.</div>
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Mr Wiliame said more than 20 members started cleaning the streets, footpath and drains of Labasa from 5.30am.</div>
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“The members walked to collect rubbish and this is the first time we have done this. It is like a cleanup campaign and a walkathon for us,” Mr Wiliame said.</div>
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He said ‘cleanliness was next to Godliness’, thus the choice of their main activity for the walkathon.</div>
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Currently the congregation are having their services at a temporary shelter in Naodamu in Labasa.</div>
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They aim to raise $300,000 to build a church complex and the walkathon was one of the fundraising activities.</div>
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“The other reason we decided to have a clean-up campaign is because we have civic pride.</div>
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“We want people to practice the right way of disposing rubbish and refrain from throwing them on our streets, footpath and drains,” Mr Wiliame.</div>
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The church has also made an appeal to those who are willing to lend a helping hand to contact them on 9359794 or make a deposit into their Church Savings Account at Westpac – 9806351483.</div>
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<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">Edited by Caroline Ratucadra</strong></div>
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<a href="mailto:shratikan@fijisun.com.fj" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #ced0d1; letter-spacing: 0.015em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s; vertical-align: baseline;">shratikan@fijisun.com.fj</a></div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-80031890440688300502017-05-29T14:03:00.001-07:002017-05-29T14:03:52.562-07:00Fish poisoning in Labasafrom the Fiji Times<br />
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Fish poisoning scare</h1>
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LUKE RAWALAI<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Monday, May 29, 2017</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Update: 3:31PM</strong> THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services has confirmed that 17 villagers from Ligaulevu in Mali were rushed to Labasa Hospital on Sunday afternoon over the weekend for fish poisoning. A statement from the ministry said the villagers were treated and sent home.</div>
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"It is believed they ate Dabea (Giant Moray Eel) for lunch," the statement said.</div>
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"There were classical signs of fish poisoning like numbness of hands and feet and some had vomiting and diarrhea resulting in mild dehydration. The team had Labasa Hospital responded promptly to attend to all of them, they had to be hydrated and given medication."</div>
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"All the patients were sent home after receiving the medical care and all of them have been advised to report back if encountered with any complications."</div>
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The statement said the Divisional Medical Officer (DMO) Northern and his team would continue to monitor the situation and any patients who may appear to be at risk would be carefully monitored and treated as required.</div>
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Meanwhile the Ministry of Fisheries and police confirmed that 16 villagers had been rushed to hospital while 13 were treated and sent home and the other three recovering at Labasa Hospital. Mali district representative Seru Moce confirmed this adding villagers were well aware of poisonous fish species but continued to consume them.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-23956224524750037952017-05-29T06:04:00.002-07:002017-05-29T06:06:27.329-07:00Day in the life of the widow of a Fijian talatala<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Day
in the life of a widow of a Fijian talatala<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">6
a.m. cup of tea and honey on toast. It’s 5 degrees in Geelong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Feed
guinea pigs vegetables then put Ginger Meggs and Ratu Vulavula inside a carton
to bring into the lounge room near the gas heater for a couple of hours. They huddle together,a but anxious to be away
from the freedom of the large puppy pen in the verandah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Andy makes porridge for three, Take four
pills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Watch
TV news – death, mayhem, chasing Corby unsuccessfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Check
emails, facebook, Addie, Age, Fiji media. Not much going on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">10
a.m. to the medical clinic, read the paper Addie in 4 minutes, meet the new Diabetes
Educator Georgia. (Every six months have a checkup.) A long session – of nearly
an hour - with a new girl learning the computer options, slowing it all down.
Bit of joking to mask my mismanagement of diet, etc. BP is 150/70, way too
high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back
home decide to try out Andy’s swing, high, low, high, low, then when I get down
I spew up into the garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Grandson
calls in on the way to work and we make arrangements for one of the cars to be
serviced. We are grateful that the grandsons are working full-time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Make
tomato soup for lunch and pick grass in the garden for the guinea pigs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2
p.m. Instead of going to the library for
our Book Club we go to the cafe in James Street where they have spectacular
cakes for $8 a piece. There are six of us, a wake to remember our delightful
member Maria whose funeral some of us attended a few days ago. Last meeting a
month ago she was with us, animated, intelligent, sparkling with wit - but alas two weeks ago after surgery there
was a setback. Her body in now back in Portugal with kin. So we mainly buy
coffee and little Portuguese cakes – like French madeleines. We talk about the
book of the month – The Vegetarian – by a South Korean writer. Very dark, sad,
scary. It’s now a movie – art-house kind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
walk a block (with a walking stick) to catch the Newcomb/Whittington bus –
haven’t used the buses for two months. It’s a run to catch it - the buses pull up about four at a time – for
less than a minute -and my BP is way up as I scurry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back
at home, the TV ‘Heartbeat’ is starting – small rural setting in England and
the lives of the police and others. I’m a sucker for this program at present.
And other English detective/forensic kind of programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Andrew
has made flatbread wraps with chicken and greens so that’s my late afternoon
snack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 12.0pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
the computer I do half-an-hour of the church bulletin for next week – including
a contribution by one of the women and a prayer by St Francis of Assisi which
sounds quite contemporary for our modern world. There are some good posts from the Methodist Church in Fiji. There’s lots of comments that started with Margaret
Court’s letter re definition of marriage – that really got the possums out of
their hidey holes, their bushy tails shaking with anger. Plenty of bias and
prejudice on both sides of the argument.
Even in the local paper there are arguments about flying rainbow flags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
angel from Christ Church Anglican has dropped in with a box of vegetables and
all sorts of goodies. We are so blessed by these gifts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tea
is bacon and eggs and greens. I have now
a plan for six months which includes care with diet, twice a week at the heated
swimming pool, etc. And after the periscope examination in a couple of weeks,
then I can find out if I have a serious illness or not – to know why I have
anaemia and low iron stores, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tidy
up the kitchen, do the dishes. Nothing
much on TV tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aching
despite the Panadol Osteo so find the Deep Heat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s
about it for the day so it’s time for bed and listening to the ABC talkback and
quiz after midnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-30941556400791416262017-05-27T23:10:00.001-07:002017-05-27T23:12:39.517-07:00A legend of MacuataThis reposted from a story I wrote a few years ago in this blog.<br />
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<span style="background: url("https://resources.blogblog.com/blogblog/data/thisaway/bg_date.gif") 0% 0px no-repeat; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 25px;">SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2006</span></h2>
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<a href="http://babasiga.blogspot.com.au/2006/06/legend-from-macuata.html" style="color: #ba8247; text-decoration: none;">A legend from Macuata</a></h3>
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<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6170/2201/1600/2%20girls%20mixing%20kava.2.jpg" style="color: #bf4e27; font-weight: bold;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6170/2201/200/2%20girls%20mixing%20kava.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />From Wendy,<br />I collected this story from Jovilisi from Sueni village. It is a story of Toatagane's daughters and their adventures and travels in Macuata as told by Jo using the English language.<br /><br />Toatagane was one of the chiefs or our place in our old ancestral village of Nabatini. He had two daughters, Adi Senibua who was younger, and Adi Wata who was older. They were cooking their breakfast one morning consisting of yams. The method of cooking was preserving the liquid in the pot which was a clay pot. Their father returned from planting in the garden and the food was ready. The table was prepared for breakfast with nicely cooked yam. But they had made a mistake. They had poured away the juice from the pot which was earthenware. It was usual to eat the cooked yam with the liquid. 'What have you done with the juice?' shouted Toatagane. He was furious, sad, and angry.<br /><br />So he told his daughters to pack straight away, to take their belongings and go to a faraway place where his name was not know. They were downhearted and started to cry to be banished like that. They travelled down the track towards the sea because their village is on top of the mountains in Vanua Levu.<br /><br />The first place where they rested was near a river with big stones, big rocks piled together. They started to wonder how that came about and one said to the other, the young one. 'Just look at the big rock all piled together'. In our dialect the older one replied, 'They are just sitting on top of each other.' From then till today that placed is called <strong>Vatuveitikoni</strong> which means rocks on top of one another.<br /><br />Further down it started to rain. The girls were getting wet and cold and they came to a deserted house, probably deserted during the war. In the kitchen they saw a burning fire so then took two sticks of fire with them and travelled further on. The older one was holding them, blowing them, and the younger girl was warming herself. That place is called <strong>Nabukaraliga</strong> which means that she was holding the fire in the air and blowing them to warm the younger sister.<br /><br />Then they moved on and saw an orange tree fully ripened and full of fruit. When the orange tree ripens the fruits get yellow and reddish. Adi Wata called out, 'There's a big orange tree over there.' This place is called<strong>Vunimoli</strong> which means the orange tree.<br /><br />They left that place and had to cross a small creek. They could not jump across because it was a bit swampy so the older one went and got a fallen log of a sea tree and put the log across the creek to help them cross.<strong>Kawakawasea</strong> means the sea which was used to cross a swampy creek.<br /><br />They left that place and went further down and came across another creek and there were many spots on the rocks and the younger girl was delighted at the sight before them. She wondered how this happened and they named the place <strong>Vatuboroboro</strong> which means a spotted rock.<br /><br />Then they went further down to the place that today is the town of Labasa. There was a large <em>sea</em> tree. It is a very large tree grown in Fiji which usually bears fruit which is sweet when ripe but we don't usually eat them, only when we are really hungry. Most people just chew them. When the two girls reached there, there were many bats flying all over the tree eating the fruit. They named that place <strong>Nasea</strong>, the place of the <em>Sea</em> tree. This is where the town of Labasa is situated now.<br /><br />They left there and went further down to a place where the village of Naseakula now stands. It was during low tide and because these girls were from the bush they were delighted to see seashells along the bank of that small creek. The younger girl was picking up the seashells on the bank, savulu. That is why the <em>vanua</em> of Labasa is called <strong>Wasavulu</strong> by its chiefly title until today. She stayed there and her sister went further on.<br /><br />The place she came to is what is called today Tuatua. She sat down to wait for her younger sister and she was calling on top of her voice but the younger one answered back to Wata. 'I'm not going any further. You can go. I am staying. Go on' So the younger one 3was left there, Adi Senibua, and she became the chief of that place because she was good-looking, beautiful and now I heard about this very old story that she became the <em>vu</em> of that place which is called Madraibokola.<br /><br />The elder girl Wata went further down to where the Wailevu village is situated. She was keen to see this wide river and she had to cross it so she swam across. She called this place <strong>Wailevu</strong> which means a very big river.<br /><br />Further down she was getting cold and she came across a small river just two to three kilometres down from Wailevu and she was saying 'I have to swim across'. Qalo means swim and we call this place <strong>Qalowaqa</strong> which means a place to swim.<br /><br />Then she left that place and went further down and then came across a village. The people were having lunch there, a pudding made out of tapioca and coconut cream. She came in from the bush not knowing this food. There was no tapioca from her home village. She liked the taste of the pudding and when she finished the first plate the ladies said, 'Have some more pudding' <em>Me tavi na yabia?</em> This referred toa the second serve of the pudding by calling the place <strong>Tabia.</strong><br /><br />Then she came upon a hill and on top of the hill looking down at the sea thre was a village down below. But there was an army of villagers just fighting there, burning down villages and when they saw this woman descending from the hill they thought that she was a spy. They tried to catch her and were yelling on top of their voices. 'Catch her. <em>Yalava</em>. Catch from there. <strong>Yalava</strong> is the place. Chase her from there.'<br /><br />She left there and came further down and when she came down to the second village which is Korotubu and there were some people there. They were occupied and they threw stones and rocks at her. <em>Tubua mai ina</em>. That place is called <strong>Korotubu.</strong><br /><br />She left there and it was getting dark and she was getting tired also and needed a place to sleep on the way. There were a lot of coconuts and a big<em>dilo</em> tree on the beach. She brought two coconut leaves, the dried leaves called <em>Sasa </em>and spread them around. Sasa is the dried coconut leaf. That place is called <strong>Sasa.</strong><br /><br />She left Sasa and went further down to where the village of Naduri stands today. That army of warriors that were fighting along the coast had destroyed the village, burnt it down. Only the posts were left, all burning. She was unhappy because nobody was there. It was empty. 'All the place is burnt down. Only the posts are standing up' she thought. <strong>Naduri</strong> means burnt posts. So she was there alone and made up her mind not to go further but to find a place to stay for the time being. So she looked down towards the west and saw there was an island. She thought it might be safe if she went there.<br /><br />So she turned herself into a bat and flew across to the island which we called today <strong>Macuata i wai</strong>. Nowadays in Naduri there are still people by the name of Tamaibeka, still using that word, (not nabeqa) some of the chiefs of Naduri. And she went and there was a <em>wiriwiri</em> tree. Boys came to the wiriwiri tree and saw this bat hanging up there and started to collect stones to throw at the bat. But she spoke to them. 'I'm not a bat. I'm not a flying fox. I'm a human being'. So she changed into a person and came down. They saw that she was a beautiful girl and took her home and then made her chief of Macuata i wai. She was staying there with the people feeling very safe and the people were very kind.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6170/2201/1600/fisher%20girl.jpg" style="color: #bf4e27; font-weight: bold;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6170/2201/400/fisher%20girl.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />And one day when she was collecting seashells from the beach, her father, Toatagane back at Batini on top of the mountain was very lonely and he looked down. He saw her picking up the shells and in our dialect language he said, 'Ma <em>cu o Wata ni vili mena vivili' </em>which means Wata is picking up seashells. That is where the name <strong>Macuata</strong>derives from and from that time until now these two places where the young ladies stayed most of the time, they still have a very strong link with our place.<br /><br />Up to the time when they signed the Deed of Cession there were two chiefs of Macuata who signed the Deed of Cession, one from Naduri and one from Nasekula. Katonivere from Naduri and Ritova from Naseakula, one from the older sister from Naduri, and the younger sister from Nasekula.<br /><br /><br />Jo said, This story was told by my grandfather to Ratu Sukuna in 1928 to the Native Lands Commission. This is written down. It is in the Native Lands Commission files.<br /><br />Peceli said, Maybe it is in the category of <em>ai tukutuku raraba</em>. There are stories told, this is one of them.<br /><br />Jo said, My grandfather's name is Tomasi Naceba. Ratu Sukuna was in Macuata. They held the first Native Land Commission in 1928 in Naduri. Ratu Sukuna was Commissioner of Lands. The people of Macuata could not make a history of about they originated from. There were too many stories and Ratu Sukuna could not be convinced so my grandfather came. A message was sent to my grandfather through the Tui Labasa of that time because the Tui Labasa is related to the people of the time. Their mother comes from Vuo which is bati to Labasa and he knew that their people though were not from Macuata but their mother's were. My grandfather went down to Naduri and told the story to Ratu Sukuna and this story convinced him that this was the real thing that had happened. He had been hearing this and that and couldn't believe it. After hearing this story Ratu Sukuna told the chiefs of Macuata ' I think you of the<em> vanua </em>of Macuata should by right owe their allegiance to Batini, the place they originated from.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-27142186126752009072017-05-27T23:06:00.001-07:002017-05-27T23:06:19.735-07:00A village in MacuataStory from Fiji Times:<br />
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Ancestral god's gift of water</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Sunday, May 28, 2017</div>
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<a href="http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/402261.jpg" rel="lightbox" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 102, 153); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #336699; font-style: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Namama villager Tevita Tamanilatui drinks from the spring believed to have
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originated from Geta. Picture: LUKE RAWALAI" src="http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/402261thumbm.jpg" style="border: none; display: block; float: left; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="200" />+ Enlarge this image</a></div>
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Namama villager Tevita Tamanilatui drinks from the spring believed to have originated from Geta. Picture: LUKE RAWALAI</div>
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WHILE villages and settlements along the coast of Naduri in Macuata struggled with their supply of water during the drought of 2015, the village of Namama had nothing to worry about.</div>
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In fact, when a visitor to the village asked village elder and traditional herald to the Tui Macuata, Vereti Veisamasama, how the villagers were coping with the dry conditions, he simply pointed to the rocky mountain behind the village and said: "O ea a bui (The old woman)."</div>
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Apparently the stranger did not understand what Mr Veisamasama was talking about. However, if you talk to anyone at Namama who is well versed with their folklore, they will tell you that Geta is the old woman who lives in the mountains.</div>
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Geta and her origins</div>
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She is the legendary woman who is said to be the origin of the people of Namama, a village nestled along the Naduri coast.</div>
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People in Namama refer to her as their their "vu" (a demigod from whom sprang a group of people); the protector of her people and in some instances a sign of eminent bad luck.</div>
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According to Mr Veisamasama legend has it she was the only sister of the snake god, Degei, and was one the many who journeyed with him from an unknown place to Fiji.</div>
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Legend has it Geta bore her brother's child during the journey and was banished by her brother to a place "where he was not known".</div>
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Mr Veisamasama said last year, a few officials from the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs visited the village seeking the story. He said when the legend was related to them, they said it matched some stories of the people of Vatukacevaceva in Ra.</div>
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Vatukacevaceva is a village just below the Nakauvadra mountain range, known in iTaukei folklore as the early home of some of the earliest iTaukei settlters.</div>
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Arriving in Namama</div>
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The people of Namama believe Geta came to Fiji with her brothere from somewhere on the African continent.</div>
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Upon her arrival at Naduri, she chose to settle at Namama but at a location on the hilly mountains now known as 'oro'ma'awa or old village.</div>
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After settling at 'oro ma'awa, her people decided to move to a place closer to the coast known as Na'i'o in the Namama dialect, or Natiko where they stayed.</div>
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Because of modernisation and wanting to be closer to the road, the people decided to move to Namama Village, a five-minute walk to the village of Naduri, the seat of the Tui Macuata.</div>
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The people of Namama say they originated from the old woman in the hills known as Geta.</div>
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Gift of water</div>
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Legend has it that when Geta was walking the mountains of Namama, she decided to have a rest and relieved herself in some bushes. Unknown to her, the god of the neighbouring island of Kia was watching the whole scene enfolding on the mountainside.</div>
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It was at the sight of Geta when he exclaimed in the Kia dialect 'Ai pele sa mi ce o Geta? (Is that Geta relieving herself on the mountainside?).</div>
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When Geta heard this, she hastened to rise and flee the scene knowing she had been caught in the act.</div>
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According to legend, at the spot where Geta relieved herself is a spring. This is the water source that has been sustaining the people of Namama through the ages.</div>
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According to villagers, the villages and settlements in and around Naduri can dry up but the spring never runs dry providing fresh water for the children of Namama.</div>
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Namama elder Iliesa Nakete said this was the precious sacred gift Geta continues to give to the people of Namama.</div>
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"We are thankful for the gift because we never run out of water even during droughts," he said. "However, it takes vigour and great strength to visit the site because it sits right on top of the hills."</div>
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Sightings of</div>
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'their' old woman</div>
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To this day the people of Namama claim they have special sightings of Geta who appears to either warn them that something bad is about to happen or to relay good news.</div>
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Mr Nakete says she often appears as an old Fijian lady of Indian descent begging by the roadside with torn clothes.</div>
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"Once we were going to the farm with a bunch of youths from the village when we sighted an old Fijian lady of Indian descent wearing rags by the roadside," he said. "Suspecting that it was Geta herself we accorded her with the 'tama' or greeting.</div>
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"When she did not speak we continued on not fearing her because she is supposed to be our vu.</div>
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"Sure enough, a few days later one of the members of the chiefly family in the village died."</div>
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Another incident, Mr Nakete related, was of a Namama woman on Viti Levu who had been having problems with her husband regarding the care of their child.</div>
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"I happened to be staying with the relative of ours when the incident happened and they had just begun legal proceedings in court," he said.</div>
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"Early one morning we got a shock when the father of the little girl walked to our house with the child telling my relative that she could keep the child for as long as she wanted. All we could make out was that he had been having sleepless nights after being visited by an old Indian lady who did not give him peace until the break of day.</div>
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"This is the legacy of this woman and what she means to our people."</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-15894771670720326672017-05-24T15:41:00.001-07:002017-05-24T15:42:36.582-07:00Copying Pacific designsIt is inevitable that people from overseas who like the tapa designs etc. from the islands copy these designs to make money. But how to you monitor this breach of copyright" Article from the Fiji Times.<br />
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Alisi Vucago<br />
Thursday, May 25, 2017</div>
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Australian-based model Asena Rokotuiwai, left, and PNG designer Sarah Haaoda-Todd after the press conference in Suva yesterday. Picture: ATU RASEA</div>
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PACIFIC Islanders need to prevent the exploitation of the cultural designs their countries are known for, says Papua New Guinea fashion designer Sarah Haaod Todd.</div>
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Ms Todd made this comment at the Fiji Fashion Week press conference yesterday.</div>
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She is representing PNG with her label PNGianKala and will join the event with her unique PNG flag inspired collection.</div>
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She claimed foreigners had come into her country and remade their traditional shoulder bags known as bilums and sold it to people of PNG at a higher price.</div>
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"Each province has a different style to make a bilums and its actually very diverse," she said.</div>
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"Traditional belums are woven from the barks of trees and hand-made, however, this has been exploited."</div>
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She also stated tattoo designs, which are unique to her culture, had also been used by foreigners without the permission of the traditional owners.</div>
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"Amongst us, I call upon governments to penalise any foreigner that comes in and exploits our culture and heritage for monetary gains," she said.</div>
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"It is happening right now and it is going to wipe out and commercialise our culture as there is no love, no respect and it doesn't come from within them."</div>
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"They're just doing that to make money from us and it has been going on for far too long and getting worse."</div>
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Ms Todd encouraged designers to think about lobbying the issue to their governments to ensure there was some kind of protection in place for their heritage which was unique and stood out anywhere in the world.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-58042492596901002442017-05-19T14:45:00.001-07:002017-05-19T14:45:01.115-07:00Fiji Times or Fiji Sun<h1 class="storyHead" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2.75rem; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.2rem 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; text-transform: uppercase;">
PEOPLE'S NEWSPAPER</h1>
<small style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 24px;">Vijay Maharaj, Sydney Australia | Wednesday, May 17, 2017</small><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<figure style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 1em;"><img alt="This Sawakasa II village road sign is tilting on its side in Tailevu North. Picture: JONA KONATACI." id="storyPic" src="http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/400963.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box;"><small style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9.6px; line-height: inherit;">This Sawakasa II village road sign is tilting on its side in Tailevu North. Picture: JONA KONATACI.</small></figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
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I wish to thank the Attorney-General and Economy Minister, Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum, for moving around the country trying to educate the people on the system of budget preparation. He is also inviting suggestions and ideas that could be incorporated in the next budget.</div>
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While I appreciate the motives behind such campaigns, I am at a loss to understand why our A-G keeps on attacking The Fiji Times. I am a keen reader of newspapers and I closely follow the news section of radio stations and TV channels.</div>
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I believe The Fiji Times has given enough coverage and publicity to his meetings. Whatever transpires in such meetings are reported by well trained and experienced reporters. In fact, I believe I have seen more of Honourable Sayed-Khaiyum's pictures in The Fiji Times than any other current politician, for which he should be really thankful.</div>
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Some time ago in one of his meetings in Vanua Levu, I believe Hon. Sayed-Khaiyum even asked the people not to buy The Fiji Times, and now he is telling people not to believe what is reported in The Fiji Times. Such comments and actions I believe will do more damage for our A-G politically.</div>
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Finally I strongly believe that The Fiji Times is still the "people's" newspaper.</div>
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Look at the volume of its circulation and one can easily gauge its popularity. Whatever we read in this open column is entirely the views of the writers and the newspaper should never be blamed if it hurts any politician or a member of Parliament.</div>
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I believe in true democracy and according to our Constitution we have the freedom of expression and therefore any politician should always be prepared to face a bit of criticism and also accept praise if offered for good work.</div>
Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-45378866103053911662017-05-14T01:28:00.001-07:002017-05-14T01:28:14.020-07:00Mothers' Day and a barbecue<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">The boys suggested we go to the You Yangs for a barbecue for Mother's Day so nine of us prepared and drove out past Lara but there were over a thousand people with the same idea! Anyway I did some sketches near a rock and the others climbed up Flinders Peak and took some photos which I will sort out later. Then it was time to cook - BUT all the gas had gone out in the public barbecues near us! So we drove back to Geelong to Eastern Park and hoorah - there was a spare barb</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">ecue at the shelter up top of the hill. Salads, sausages, chops, hamburgers, eggs cooked heart shape in bread, etc. etc. Now we are enjoying mudcake and coffee. (Have to drink my coffee at least two hours after eating red meat for the iron to work!) So we had a mountain and the sea today for our fresh air outing. 16 degrees, sunny at first so it was okay. Also, I received some lovely flowers and chocolates - the latter to share of course.</span><br />
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-40143327208890177502017-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:002017-04-26T17:32:09.339-07:00Marijuana as a commercial crop?I don't think so. We don't want the youth of Fiji stoned and aimless with drug-taking. There is a difference though if the speaker in Parliament is talking about medical uses for marijuana but he didn't say that. It can be used for serious pain such as cancer but the farming of medical marijuana would have to be well organised.<br />
From Fiji Times:<br />
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Mixed views over pot bid</h1>
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Aqela Susu<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Thursday, April 27, 2017</div>
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Opposition Member of Parliament Niko Nawaikula during a break from the parliamentary session yesterday. Picture: RAMA</div>
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The Minister for Defence and National Security, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, told Parliament yesterday he would not recommend to Government the legalisation of marijuana in Fiji.</div>
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He made this comment in response to a supplementary question by Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Member of Parliament Niko Nawaikula who asked the minister if he would at any time recommend to Government the commercial planting of marijuana in Fiji.</div>
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Mr Nawaikula said this was because people were planting marijuana as a source of income.</div>
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"I don't think I'd like to recommend to Government the legalisation of marijuana in Fiji," Ratu Inoke said.</div>
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Mr Nawaikula's comment, however, drew mixed reactions.</div>
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Last night Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa differed from Mr Nawaikula's call, saying it was his "own opinion".</div>
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"I haven't heard him mention anything like that before. I think he took everyone by surprise and to me, it is his own personal opinion which he is entitled to," Ro Teimumu said.</div>
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She also clarified that Mr Nawaikula's call was not part of SODELPA's policy.</div>
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Former SODELPA youth leader Pita Waqavonovono spoke out strongly about what Mr Nawaikula said, saying there were other agricultural products that could be cultivated and marketed.</div>
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"Marijuana is actually a dying market and an unpopular one also," Mr Waqavonovono said.</div>
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"We are trying to build a society that is not dependent on hard drugs, making it legal is a cop-out. And young people want Parliament to come up with more substantive measures to employment creation, and legalising marijuana won't help."</div>
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Two frequent letter writers to The Fiji Times Letters to the Editor column agreed with Mr Nawaikula's call for the legalisation of marijuana for commercial purposes.</div>
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Simon Hazelman of Savusavu said as with alcohol and tobacco, marijuana needed to be legalised for control and taxes.</div>
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"Ratu Inoke Kubuabola's reply simply confirms the ruling party's tunnel vision regarding the issue. The least Government can do for now is to initiate an investigation of the benefits of commercial marijuana farming," Mr Hazelman said. "The simple fact that the variety used to produce products is of no use to stoners is enough for Government to remove the blinkers and seriously look into the matter."</div>
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Nadi lawyer Dorsami Naidu said Government should look at it as a crop that could earn this country a lot of foreign exchange.</div>
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Meanwhile, attempts to get comments from Agriculture Minister Inia Seruiratu and Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya remained unsuccessful when this edition went to press last night.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-79040425361974070482017-04-26T17:27:00.000-07:002017-04-26T17:35:58.628-07:00Plan for a hostel for LabasaThis sounds like an excellent idea. Is St Mary's Hostel still going? For many, many years the Anglican Church in Labasa had a hostel for girls in Labasa. No, it was closed two years ago.<br />
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Group to build hostel</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br />
Thursday, April 27, 2017</div>
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THE women's wing of the Macuata Methodist Church circuit plans to construct a girl's hostel that will house female students schooling in Labasa Town soon.</div>
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Women's wing president Kelera Tuiwanikai said the hostel would host students within the circuit from Cikobia Island extending to Dreketi in Vanua Levu.</div>
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Ms Tuiwainikai said most times, female students from these interior areas had to live with their relatives.</div>
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"The women's wing has already managed to collect $24,000 from our soli and we are to decide on other issues regarding the plan," she said.</div>
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"In line with Government's focus of developing the North, we found it ideal to construct a hostel for our female students in the circuit.</div>
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"We understand that the Fiji National University and other tertiary institutions, including colleges will be brought to Labasa soon and the hostel will complement such developments, providing students with a place to stay in."</div>
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Ms Tuiwainikai said they were yet to identify a suitable piece of land for the planned home.</div>
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"We had earlier selected one but it was under an agricultural lease so we are looking around again," she said.</div>
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"The project is for a worthy cause and the fact that we would be opening doorways for children within the circuit in future is something that we are proud of.</div>
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"There are 19 circuits within the Macuata circuit and each circuit raises $200 annually for the cause and the general administration of the women's wing."<br />
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St Mary's Hostel in Labasa was closed two years ago.<br />
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Church closes hostel</h1>
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Serafina Silaitoga<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Monday, December 14, 2015</div>
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Father Gerald Billings outside the St Mary's hostel which has been closed in Labasa. Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA</div>
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THE Anglican church has closed its St Mary's hostel in Labasa as deteriorating condition poses risks to the safety of boarders.</div>
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The closure means that girls from rural areas who depend on the hostel for accommodation will have to look elsewhere come the new school term.</div>
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Church parish priest Father Gerald Billings said they made the toughest decision but was best for all.</div>
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"With pressing realities and demands that have now emerged, the Anglican Church of the Diocese of Polynesia had to make an urgent and hard pressing decision on the future of St Mary's hostel," he said.</div>
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"The church cannot guarantee the safety of all those under our care and thus the sensible need to take precautionary approach.</div>
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"This is a big factor in the closure of the hostel and another reality is the escalating cost of running St Mary's hostel which is now beyond our means."</div>
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Mr Billings said the Diocese through special funds had helped keep the hostel afloat.</div>
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"However, after two years, the sheer amount needed has brought realisation that the church cannot afford to sustain it any longer," he said.</div>
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"There is also a clear decline in the number of girls coming forward to the hostel."</div>
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Over the past years, the Ministry of Labour had also issued OHS notices to the hostel board even notices of closure. Mr Billings said the board met last month and decided to close the hostel.</div>
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"The first reality is the difficulty in ensuring a safe place to take care of young women. There are possible fire hazards within an aged building and we cannot risk fire from faulty electrical wiring or any other means," he said.</div>
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"We used to have 100 boarders and the number dropped to around 30.</div>
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"Parents in rural areas have also been buying affordable houses in the outskirts of Labasa and their children have also moved there instead."</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-29531224579868805822017-04-21T19:25:00.001-07:002017-04-21T19:25:05.618-07:00The American iguana pestWe don't want this American iguana pest in Vanua Levu! But apparently one (or more) have swum over to Vanua Levu. Some silly tourist brought some American iguana to Qamea Island and now they have spread to parts of Taveuni and even swum to Koro Island! Not happy at all!<br />
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American iguana culled</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Saturday, April 22, 2017</div>
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A Giant Invasive Iguana (GII) found in Savusavu recently. Picture: BIOSECURITY AUTHORITY</div>
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AN American Iguana commonly known as the Giant Invasive Iguana (GII) discovered in Savusavu has been culled and returned to Qamea by the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF).</div>
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The authority confirmed this after the iguana was first sighted in Qamea in 2000 and the neighbouring Laucala, Matagi and Taveuni islands by 2009.</div>
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A statement from the authority yesterday said this was the first time GII had been found anywhere on Vanua Levu.</div>
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"It is unclear at this stage how the GII made its way to Natewa Bay, Savusavu," the statement said.</div>
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"There is a possibility that GIIs were involuntarily assisted across the sea during tropical cyclone Winston.</div>
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"Although GII is an arboreal lizard, it has the ability to dive into the sea to escape predators and swim long distances."</div>
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The authority said it was alerted of the new GII sighting by local fishermen at a beach situated at the base of Natewa Bay approximately 20 kilometres from Savusavu Town.</div>
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"BAF responded swiftly and deployed its GII surveillance and awareness team for identification of the iguana and confirmed it as GII," the statement said</div>
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"The team then conducted a thorough survey of the area and visited local villages to conduct awareness. No further GIIs have been sighted in the area or areas nearby."</div>
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In 2011, the then permanent secretary for the agriculture minister, Colonel Mason Smith said there were possibilities of the reptile swimming to Buca Bay following a sighting in Koro Island.</div>
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Col Smith said then that if it could get to Koro, it could certainly get across to Buca Bay adding they were closely monitoring the situation.</div>
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However, the latest statement from the authority requested members of the public not to be alarmed, adding that the GII was primarily a herbivore.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-2954536788936686282017-04-19T15:30:00.001-07:002017-04-19T15:32:33.033-07:00Cane harvesters for LabasaSomething different from the cane gangs who cut cane in Fiji and are paid a pittance. Will this be the way to go in the future - to use mechanical harvesters though I don't think they'd be very safe on the hills.<br />
Fiji Times story:<br />
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New harvesters to benefit farmers</h1>
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Luke Rawalai<br />
Thursday, April 20, 2017</div>
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AN estimated 20,000 tonnes of sugar cane is expected to be harvested from the two new harvesters recently purchased by the Labasa Cane Producers Association.</div>
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The association's president Mohammed Rafiq said the two mechanical harvesters were purchased from India at a cost of $720,000.</div>
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Mr Rafiq said the two harvesters were estimated to generate an income of $330,000 for the association.</div>
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"This year the board and management proceeded towards buying the harvester and decided to buy Shaktiman brand from Gujrat, India," he said.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding: 0px;">
"The harvesters are in Labasa, assembled and ready to harvest cane in Waiqele and the Seaqaqa area.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding: 0px;">
"Last year the association's general assembly approved the purchase of the two mechanical harvesters." Mr Rafiq said proceedings from the harvesters' operations would benefit all sugarcane growers in the Labasa mill area.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding: 0px;">
"During the 2017 annual general meeting the gang representatives of LCPA had approved the following benefits to farmers — pre-harvest assistance with the provision of knives and files, weedicide subsidy, death benefit of $500 per farmer," he said.</div>
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However, during the association's annual general meeting last month farmers raised their concerns on whether farmers in hilly areas where harvesters could not harvest cane farms would be assisted in any way.</div>
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Responding to these concerns, Mr Rafiq said they could not find a harvester that could work on farms in hilly areas.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding: 0px;">
He said with the two harvesters now harvesting cane in the flat areas, labourers would now be spread out to the hilly areas.</div>
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Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-79295555352919933472017-04-19T15:22:00.002-07:002017-04-19T15:35:15.974-07:00Korowiri schoolA school in Labasa will have a teacher's quarters built and one of the purposes is for the teacher to guard the school out of hours!<br />
Go to http://fijisun.com.fj/2017/04/19/northern-primary-school-to-finally-get-teachers-quarters-after-42-years/<br />
The photo is of children from the Korowiri/Tovata school when they received schoolbags.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGqYusvxGaU/WPfmGL1m8HI/AAAAAAAAZn4/TOqfLqDESUchNVfwe8MLsKtTT8kmitqTACLcB/s1600/school-receives-bags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGqYusvxGaU/WPfmGL1m8HI/AAAAAAAAZn4/TOqfLqDESUchNVfwe8MLsKtTT8kmitqTACLcB/s400/school-receives-bags.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733836.post-73735977313485229832017-04-18T15:47:00.001-07:002017-04-18T15:47:39.471-07:00Thanks AkuilaA letter to the Editor of the Fiji Times:<br />
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<h5 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.2rem 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Honestly speaking I believe honestly speaking Pio Tikoduadua hit the nail on the head (The Sunday Times 16.04.17) that Fiji's biggest problem at the moment is that nobody's opinion matters, except those of the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General. It's a matter of deep and worrying concern. There seems to be a dearth of such display of costly courage in Fijian society at the moment. This does present a challenge though to leaders and especially politicians, civil servants and civil society organisations. All should take up responsibilities to uphold freedom in relation to restrictions, especially imposed by decrees on the part of state power.</h5>
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Rev. Akuila Yabaki Suva</h5>
Peceli and Wendy's Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01165668047817341837noreply@blogger.com0