World Day of Prayer

from w
Yesterday in many churches in Fiji the annual World Day of Prayer linked women and also men to the rest of the world.  Dudley church in Toorak, Suva.  A Labasa church. Many others in towns and villages. Ecumenical, not just Methodist.

Here where we live in Geelong, Wesley Uniting Church was one of the local venues for this annual World Day of Prayer, something we feel connected with women and men all over the world using the same material in a worship service, this time from Egypt but written before the current political troubles. The theme - water in the desert. I went to this service and we shared lunch afterwards. children from St Mary's School took part also, and it was truly ecumenical. The preacher Joy was from the Church of Christ in the city. It is always a good feeling to feel connected with people in hundreds of countries through this service. One photo is two of my friends from East Geelong, our local church on the corner of Boundary Rd and Ormond Rd. behind a funeral parlour!

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Ro Kepa leader of political party

from w  and from Fiji Village this afternoon:   - Strong words from a strong lady.


The Marama Na Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa

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Ro Teimumu Kepa is the new leader of SODELPA
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Ro Teimumu Kepa is the new leader of SODELPA

Publish date/time: 07/03/2014 [17:10] Print this page Email this page The Marama Na Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa is now the President and Leader of the Social Democratic and Liberal Party. She was unanimously elected as the Leader by the party management and the announcement was made in the Special General Assembly at the FTA Hall. Ro Teimumu has also announced that she will contest the general elections later this year. While speaking as party leader to over 200 people gathered, Ro Teimumu said SODELPA will ensure that religion will be allowed to be practiced openly in any institution without any limitations.  She said that if SODELPA wins, then God will be put in it's rightful place. She also questioned why the Fiji Military Forces and the Police are not subject to any religious restrictions.  Ro Teimumu said both these institutions are allowed to pray together. SODELPA has also revealed that their intention is to ask the Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on the status in law of the 1997 constitution. There is an audio file attached to this story. Please login to listen. Ro Teimumu said if SODELPA comes into power after the elections, it will resume a multi party government with the Fiji Labour Party and will invite like-minded parties to join.   She also laid out SODELPA's plan for the first 100 days in office which include the removal of any restrictive decrees, removal of the restrictions that were placed on the Methodist Church of Fiji, undertake a comprehensive review of the legality of the Fiji National Provident Fund's unilateral reductions of pension entitlements and ensure that pension contractual agreements are honoured.  Ro Teimumu also said that the Fijian Affairs Board and Multi Ethnic Affairs scholarships will be brought back. SODELPA also said that it will reinstate the Great Council of Chiefs. There is an audio file attached to this story. Please login to listen. Ro Teimumu said the Land Use Decree and the Mahogany Decree will also be abolished and all itaukei land will only be managed by the Itaukei Land Trust Board.  She said the Chairman of the TLTB will be chosen by the landowners. Ro Teimumu said the equal distribution of lease money to landowning units will also be reviewed as she claims the current system is effectively destroying the communal foundation of the indigenous Fijian society.  SODELPA also said that if it forms government after the elections, it will seek traditional reconciliation meetings with the military under its new leadership. Ro Teimumu also welcomes the pledge from Army Commander, Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga that the military will be non-political.  Those who attended the Special General Assembly included Mahendra Chaudhry, Lavenia Padarath, Viliame Gavoka, Leba Qarase, Raman Pratap Singh, Mick Beddoes and Attar Singh.   Checkout for the photos on fijivillage facebook page.  Story by: Vijay Narayan and Gwen McGoon

Ash Wednesday in Fiji

from w
It's a Catholic and Anglican tradition to put an ash cross on the forehead of members of the church on Ash Wednesday.  Even in the Uniting Church in Australia this custom is happening nowadays, such as in Geelong when our Tongan minister took a lovely service last night using ashes from our written prayers of confession burnt with palm crosses from last year's Palm Sunday.  We did this outside the church on a garbage bin lid as we didn't want the smoke alarm in the church to go off. Then the ashes was mixed with oil. Then we moved inside into a quiet reflective time. We had words and wonderful photos put up on the wall by the data projector to remind us of fire and ashes and our lives mixed up by  hurting one another and occasionally grace. We had Holy Communion next and the song 'Comfort, comfort, all my people.'

Earlier in the day I had met a senior lady, Mrs Fullerton, at a funeral, and she had a black smudge on her forehead. I thought at first it was a bruise but she said, 'Oh no, I've been to church this morning for Ash Wednesday!" She is the wife of the late Rev Doug Fullerton who was a beloved minister one time at Dudley, a long, long time ago.

from the Fiji Times:

Time of reflection

Rebecca Medhurst
Thursday, March 06, 2014

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Archbishop Peter Loy Chong puts ashes on the forehead of a church members during Ash Wednesday yesterday. Picture: ATU RASEA

THE Lenten season has begun, and Christians worldwide have been celebrating with the various traditions and holidays the season brings.

During this 40-day period, many Catholics will try to alter their way of living in order to become better Christians — some by giving up things they enjoy, but many others by choosing to forgive and forget about previous disagreements.

The season provides Christians with a perfect opportunity to reflect on their actions, put matters right and begin life anew, says Pacific Conference of Churches general secretary Reverend Francois Pihaatae.

"In the case of Fiji, as the nation prepares for a fresh start and elections in September, it is pertinent for all leaders — religious and secular — to recognise that much hurt has occurred throughout our history," Mr Pihaatae said.

"If we merely push ahead without addressing the hurt and division, these festering problems can come back to haunt us in future.

"With deep humility, may the PCC suggest that during Lent, all Christian churches take the time to go through the process of healing, of seeking forgiveness, of forgiving others?

"Let us open this process to people of all faiths who call Fiji their home."

Mr Pihaatae said the late Methodist Church president, Rev Tuikilakila Waqairatu, had proposed a ritual washing of the feet in all divisions and churches as the beginning of the healing process.

"We must wash the feet of our friends — literally and figuratively — during Lent, difficult as the process may be," Mr Pihaatae said.

He said reconciliation was a three-fold process: Realisation that a wrong has been committed, expressing remorse and making right through appropriate actions.

Mr Pihaatae said the message of reconciliation and forgiveness was applicable throughout the region, especially in Maohi Nui (French Polynesia), West Papua and Kanaky (New Caledonia) where people struggled for self-determination.

Other communities affected include the people of the Northern Pacific — affected by nuclear testing in the 1950s — and low-lying atolls affected by climate change.

"The PCC wishes all people of the Pacific a meaningful and blessed Lenten season," Mr Pihaatae said.

Rev Bill Gillard a friend of Fiji

It was with sadness that we heard of the passing of Rev Bill Gillard, always a friend of Fiji and of all kinds of people. Richmond Church friends wrote:
GILLARD REV Bill
In Richmond, Bill was a passionate activist for social justice over many years: a man of wise and generous vision. Bill led us in worship and offered leadership. He gave himself unstintingly to many practical and pastor matters, including caring for our Iranian friends. We grieve with June, Penny, Talei and Family but rejoice in a life lived beautifully.
The congregation of
Richmond Uniting Church.

Studying to be a minister, Bill Gillard was a colleague of Danny Mastapha and Edward Caleb then he led a  Methodist work camp to Fiji and later was a minister at Butt Street, Suva. Back in Melbourne he welcomed Fijian migrants in a fellowship group at Richmond Church. Throughout his long life he was a compassionate person, concerned with social justice and care of individuals and families.  The funeral will be held at Wesley Church Melbourne Wednesday morning from 10.30 a.m. Rest in peace Rev Bill.

(Later - Thursday)  Yesterday Peceli and I drove up to Melbourne for the funeral, a very crowded Wesley Church in Lonsdale Street. It was a dignified fine service paying tribute to Bill with some good old Wesleynn type hymns as well as  John Bell song. Afterwards we had a light lunch in the adjoining Nicholas Hall, still very very old so perhaps they can't modernise it because it's heritage listed.  We met a few Fiji people there, especially with links to Butt Street such as Peter and Dorothy Trail. We paid a huge sum for parking next door -  $80 for just over two hours.  Sobosobo, us country bumpkins were very naive by driving into that car park!  The funeral procession meanwhile had proceeded to a small country town in Gippsland for the burial.

Some interesting facts about yaqona

from w
In a Letter to the Editor of the Fiji Times, Paul Geraghty, Fiji's expert on the Fijian language writes in response to a letter where the writer says that drinking kava was only for chiefs and priests.

Yaqona drinking

YOUR correspondent Korina Waibuta (FT23/2) has revisited the popular myth that yaqona was drunk traditionally only by chiefs and high priests.

This is not true.

There is abundant evidence that yaqona has been a popular social drink among all classes of men (and some women) for as far back as written records and oral traditions go.

For example, the shipwrecked sailor John Twyning reported in 1829: "drinking of kava is the invariable practice of the natives of all the Feejee islands, whenever they assemble together, either for business or pleasure."

In 1870, Australian journalist Henry Britton reported in the Melbourne Argus that Fijians drink yaqona "in large quantities", while white men often become "passionately fond" of it.

Even further off the mark is the extraordinary claim that missionaries introduced the tanoa, bilo and even piala!

The tanoa was introduced by Samoan/Tongan craftsmen in the mid-eighteenth century, probably replacing an earlier ceramic bowl (dari).

The bilo appears to be traditional, and the piala (as a cup for yaqona) was introduced by girmitiya in the late nineteenth century.

Interestingly, the tabili (yaqona pounder) was introduced by Solomon Islanders, also in the late nineteenth century.

So yaqona drinking is a truly multi-ethnic pursuit!

PAUL GERAGHTY

It's raining it's pouring the old man is snoring

from w
It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring,
Bumped his head and he went to bed
and he couldn't get up in the morning.....
Okay, the announcement has been postponed because it's raining.  Well, pull the other one.  Why?
from ABC news:

Fiji regime postpones handover of military command

 

Updated at 6:54 pm today

The Fiji military says Friday's scheduled Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Handover Parade has been postponed, citing adverse weather.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who has led the armed forces for 15 years, had said he would step down at the end of this month to launch a political party.

The information ministry has given no new date.

The regime is yet to announce his successor.

Observers say among those being considered is his brother-in-law and former navy commander, Francis Kean, despite him having served a jail sentence for killing a guest at a Bainimarama family wedding in late 2006.

Fiji voter registration in whole of Australia

from w
I noticed the Fiji papers are running stories given by the Fiji Government Information website about the registration in Australia to vote in the forthcoming Fiji election. We did our very best in Geelong to contact nearly all the Fiji-connected people in our region, but it seems that this was not so in some other places. Perhaps the people did not know, or were not interested, or did not have current Fiji passports, or a few were hesitant in case men in suits (from immigration) were at the doorway and the whisper of 'Tevoro, tevoro' came too late  - the fear of being sent to a Detention Centre for those picked up for working illegally.  Anyway, thank you to the team made of very capable and professional young men and women who visited us.
Fiji live:
664 Fijians register in Australia February 25, 2014 03:58:50 
 Fiji's Elections office registered a total of 664 Fijians for the 2014 general election during its recent registration drive in Australia. Over the course of the nine-day campaign, which ran from February 14th to February 22nd, five registration teams travelled to 49 locations around the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, the territories with the highest populations of Fijian citizens. The teams visited Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as other major towns and cities, such as Adelaide, Liverpool, Penrith, Griffith, Ballarat, Banyo, and Cairns. For the exercise, a total of 13 specialised staff were deployed from the Fijian Elections Office in Suva, supported by officials from the Fijian High Commission in Canberra and Fijian Consulate in Sydney. The total cost of the Australian registration drive was $115,000 FJD. FijiLive

Read more at: http://fijilive.com/news/2014/02/664-fijians-register-in-australia/56712.Fijilive
Copyright 2014 © Fijilive.com

And here's a link to a video about it from the ABC.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-21/fiji-voter-registration-campaign-wraps-up-in/5276944

'Fiji voter registration in Geelong

from w
Yesterday the Fiji Voter Registration team came down to Geelong led by one of the Secretaries from the Fiji Embassy in Canberra. The teams are going to the various towns and cities in Australia to register Fiji people who may wish to vote in the upcoming September Fiji election.  The visiting staff were very professional and friendly and we had an excellent gathering in the Bay Room of our local Uniting Church. Our Fiji Geelong Friendship Club had networked through a facebook group and word of mouth to alert as many of the Fiji connected famiilies that we knew in Geelong and nearby, We were delighted with the response, even friends from Melbourne came down though they could register closer to their homes. We provided afternoon tea and there was plenty of good chatter as those with Fiji passports waited their turn to register. Afterwards we adjourned to our home and our Fiji Geelong Friendship Club members had brought pots of curry and rice to share. Typical Fiji hospitality even in an Australian city. Another four or five people were still registering - in our kitchen - during our gathering at home!  We now feel that if this is an example of Fiji's preparation for the election, then Fiji society can feel confident for the days ahead.

Tui's journey to Davuilevu

from w
This is how the Fiji Times journalist saw the day:

Last journey

Siteri Sauvakacolo
Friday, February 21, 2014

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The hearse carrying the coffin of the late Reverend Dr Tuikilakila Waqairatu makes its way to his final resting place as students pay their last respects, sitting by the roadside at Davuilevu yesterday. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

THE funeral for the late president of the Methodist Church in Fiji, Reverend Dr Tuikilakila Waqairatu, brought together Christians from around the country yesterday.

It wasn't only Methodist church members who crowded Suva but people from all walks of life who gathered near Stewart St and along Victoria Parade in Suva to say their final goodbyes to a man they believed was a great leader.

Government dignitaries including the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, First Lady Adi Koila Nailatikau, Bau chief Ratu Epenisa Cakobau and other government ministers attended the funeral.

Students, young children, men and women braved the hot sun to bid farewell to the late president and leader.

It was an emotion-packed occasion as family members, fellow Christians and friends tried to comfort each other when the funeral cortege arrived at the Centenary Church.

A fitting three-hour service and nine eulogies were delivered inside a packed church to honour the life of a leader and mentor.

It didn't end there as the funeral cortege was greeted by many bystanders along the Kings Rd who waited patiently to bid farewell to Mr Waqairatu.

At Baker Hall, members of the Nasinu and Davuilevu circuit with students of Lelean and Dilkusha schools awaited the arrival of the body which was accorded a traditional ivakasobu and was also greeted by the combined choir of Lelean Memorial School and the Young People's Department.

The Davuilevu Theological College principal Reverend Joeli Qionivoka, in his closing prayer at Baker Hall, said the burial of the late president should mark a special occasion where people should also bury all the hatred and negativity they had within them.

The late Mr Waqairatu's wife Joana Waqairatu and daughter Roko Seini Senirewa Waqainabete were joined by women of the vanua o Moala and those from Davuilevu during the burial.

The body of the late president also lay inside Baker Hall for a few minutes marking its significance to him as it was a place he had treasured.

He had hoped that the memorial hall would be fully renovated by October.

Mr Waqairatu, 66, was finally laid to rest beside Baker Hall yesterday.

Remembering Rev Tui, from a distance

from w
Even though we are two thousand miles away, the internet has provided us links with yesterday's funeral of our friend, Rev Dr Tuikilaikila, the scenes at Centenary and Davuilevu which are places so familiar. Thank yo to Fiji Village for good photos, for face-book members, for the video link though it was only good for half an hour, then a radio station in Fiji was very clear. I was impressed with the beautiful words by Senirewa giving a strong articulate tribute to her father. The service at Centenary was going three hours before the sermon started though!  We are grateful that we could participate in a small way through the internet connections.

Peceli was tellling me one story about Tui. After his Form 4 at Sila High School in Nausori he went back to Moala and there went to a Bible school, his young teacher being from Mali Island near Labasa. The teacher encouraged the teenage Tui to go to Davuilevu to the Bible School, and from there on to study to become a talatala.  Many years later Rev Tui was in Labasa and noticed his former teacher in the crowd so called him up to sit at the top table for the special dinner.

And we've known Tui through the years, especially his years studying in Melbourne. We are all connected - through relatives, places, opportunity, chance, through the grace of God.

Melbourne Fijians remember Rev Tuikilakila

from w
Peceli and I drove up to Chadstone (Melbourne) for the Memorial Service for the late Rev Dr Tuikilaikila. Isa we are still in shock over his sudden departure from this world. It was a good service - gorgeous singing, a Tongan preaching and shaking the roof, excellent microphones - take note AML - but not as crowded as it could have been. A nice supper afterwards and the men drank kava sitting on chairs - which is rather different. Are they all getting older perhaps? I enjoyed meeting up with friends and making new friends. Some of the Chadstone folk are going over to Fiji for Tui's funeral and the ceremonies will be full-on in Suva for the next five days.

Julie's 'Atmospherics' in Fiji

from w

Ms Bishop in a jaba, but does she really look relaxed?

And from the Australian newspaper.

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop flew to Suva yesterday for a historic come-in-from-the-cold meeting with military ruler Frank Bainimarama that has triggered the repair of relations between Australia and Fiji after seven years of mutual hostility.

In the Coalition’s most decisive step away from the foreign policy position of the Rudd-Gillard years, it is restoring links with Fiji across the whole of government, including, crucially, defence ties.

Ms Bishop’s meeting with Commodore Bainimarama went for an hour, running overtime.

“The atmospherics were warm,” she said. “He was engaged. He laughed a lot.”

She presented him with a jersey of the West Coast Eagles AFL team for which she barracks, signed by its ethnic Fijian star ruckman Nic Naitanui.

The Commodore led a military coup that removed Fiji’s elected government on December 5, 2006, later abrogating the constitution and replacing it, and ruling by decree.

He has now pledged to stand down as army commander at the end of the month, and to announce on March 1 details of a new party he will lead into elections in September.

At the meeting late yesterday afternoon, Commodore Bainimarama discussed the election process, and indicated he was prepared for whatever role resulted, even if he were to lose the prime ministership. “He talked about a range of post-election scenarios,” Ms Bishop said.

“I have long wanted to take a different approach to Fiji, and normalise relations,” she said. “We had to take the lead.”

Key among the priorities in normalising relations will be Australian travel sanctions, which ban anyone associated with the military regime from visiting Australia. Ms Bishop said yesterday the bans had been ineffective and the policy was under review.

Australians have been voting with their feet, holidaying in Fiji in greater numbers than ever.

During the meeting in the Prime Minister’s office, Ms Bishop outlined to Commodore Bainimarama Canberra’s extensive new policy program towards Fiji.

When he raised the travel sanctions issue, she said the past 56 requests for exemptions had been granted, with just one rejected, on technical grounds.

Ms Bishop said: “Recently, we have been providing a significant number of exemptions on compassionate, humanitarian and national interest grounds.”

Fiji’s Foreign Minister, Ratu Kubuobola, has come to Australia often, and the government’s second most powerful figure, the Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, was allowed to travel to Australia over Christmas.

Commodore Bainimarama said he was gratified his son had been allowed to visit Australia to play in a school rugby competition, but he remained unhappy with the principle of sanctions.

Ms Bishop said a review of the policy was almost complete, and the next opportunity to take it to cabinet would be very soon when he steps down as army chief.

The last meeting between Commodore Bainimarama and an Australian foreign minister, Labor’s Stephen Smith, degenerated into recriminations. The most recent meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully was also difficult.

Ms Bishop told Commodore Bainimarama that the new deal she brought to Fiji was not conditional, even on its accepting the return of an Australian high commissioner to the mission in Suva which it has so far refused.

Ms Bishop told The Weekend Australian: “I want us to normalise relations ahead of an election. I want Australia to be the partner of choice in the Pacific. And there is an opportunity with our new government to start afresh.”

She has held meetings with Mr Kubuobola, including in Brisbane, to discuss this normalisation, “on the basis that free and fair elections will proceed”.

She considered it vital to have “met Mr Bainimarama face to face to make sure we were on the same page. We have invested a lot of time and effort in this.”

Besides support for the election process, the new Australian package will include a twinning arrangement in areas including foreign policy, finance and the Public Service Commission, with Fiji officials working in Canberra, and Australians in Suva.

Australia has invited Fiji to send a defence representative to Canberra, and hopes to reinstate its own defence attache in Suva.

Fiji will be invited to participate again in Australia’s Pacific patrol boat program, through which its present three boats might be renovated, or it might receive two further vessels.

A defence co-operation program will be re-established to include joint exercises and staff college training. Australia’s seasonal workers’ program that brings Pacific Islanders to Australia is set to be expanded to include Fiji.

Response by the Uniting Church

from w

Rev Dr Tuikilakila K. Waqairatu

11 Feb 2014

For Immediate Release

The Uniting Church in Australia is shocked and saddened to hear of the death today of the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma Rev Dr Tuikilakila K. Waqairatu. A former General Secretary of the Church, Rev Waqairatu commenced his term as President in mid-2012 and was inducted as President at the 2013 Methodist Conference in Suva. 

Rev Waqairatu was admitted to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva two days before he passed away.  He was 66 years old and is survived by his wife Ioana and daughter Salote. 

UnitingWorld National Director Rev Dr Kerry Enright said Rev Waqairatu was one of the Pacific church’s great leaders and had been guiding the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma in a remarkable process of reconciliation and renewal. “My dear friend Rev Waqairatu was committed to reform the church so it would befaithful to the Gospel and alert to changes happening in Fiji and across the Pacific,” Dr Enright said.

Rev Waqairatu was recently quoted as saying, “There have been mistakes in the past and we have not remained abreast with the changes, we have not evolved but it is time to change.”

The late President was also an audacious advocate for the place of women in the church and society and at the 2013 Conference challenged ministers to treat their wives with respect.  “They think they have been called to serve while their wives are just there to cook, clean and do other domestic duties,” he said. 

He said that wives of pastors represented the women in the church and more should be done to help build women's relationship within the church.  He encouraged the pastors of the church to look after their wives and build a strong equal relationship.

Growing up in Naroi village on Moala Island, Rev Waqairatu was encouraged to become a minister by his father and grandfather and completed his secondary education at Central Fijian School – nowSila Central High – less than two kilometres from the Davuilevu Theological College where he would eventually study for the ministry and in due course became Principal.

During the recent Methodist Conference in Suva Rev Waqairatu was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Vision University in the USA.

This year sees the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma celebrating the 50th anniversary of becoming an independent conference. 

In a symbol of his humility Rev Waqairatu had planned to celebrate the anniversary by washing the feet of the superintendent ministers and lay leaders of the Church’s 55 divisions.  He was intending to ask these leaders to go back to their divisions and continue the process until every church had held a washing of the feet, as a sign of humility, servant hood and seeking forgiveness.

UnitingWorld understands that, according to the procedures of the Methodist Church, the former President Rev AmeTugaue will act as the Interim President until a new President is elected.

UnitingWorld Associate Director Church Solidarity (Pacific) Mr Bruce Mullan said Rev Waqairatu’s death was an absolute tragedy for the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma. “To be struck down just as he was leading the church in the changing context that is Fiji is a huge loss both to the Methodist and the ecumenical movement in Fiji,” Mr Mullan said. “People in Fiji, Australia and across the Pacific will be saddened by this news and the Uniting Church in Australia offers its prayers and deep condolences to the family and to our Partner Church in Fiji.”

UnitingWorld is available for further comment. Please contact National Director Rev Dr Kerry Enright on +61 2 8267 4267

Isa, our friend Rev Tui passes on

from w
We are saddened today to hear of the passing of Rev Tuikilakila, President of the Methodist Church in Fiji after being admitted two days ago to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva. Isa, it's a hard day for many people, his family, friends, colleagues, and the wider Methodist Church members.  Tui was an outstanding scholar in the Old Testament, studied in Melbourne where we got to know him well.Most of all he has been a light in darkness, a man of high principles and standards who would not compromise like so many others  - about injustice in society and the trauma of political coups and mayhem. Yesterday when I read that the deaconesses were praying for him at their service I wondered then if Tui was seriously ill. He was only sixty-six.  Our condolences go to Joana his wife, and their daughter. There are many tributes already on facebook.

The FBC broke the news publicly about midday Fiji Time.

FBC News  Report by: Elenoa Turagaiviu

The President of the Methodist Church in Fiji Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu has passed away after a short illness.

FBC News understands Reverend Tuikilakila passed away at the CWM Hospital at nine this morning at the age of 66.He hails from Naroi in Moala, Lau and also holds the title of Turaga Tui Nasau. Reverend Tuikilakila is survived by his wife Joana and a daughter. According to the procedures of the Methodist Church, the former President, in this case Reverend Ame Tugaue will act as the Interim President until a new President is elected.

Places where I've lived in Fiji

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Toorak, Suva when I had a room in the back of a house in Amy Street near the mosque.  Veitalacagi near the girls' hostel in Davuilevu. Dilkusha when we lived under the hill of Dilkusha.  Nukutatava beach out of Labasa where we built three bures.

A Tongan in the Winter Olympics - the luge

from w

We've been watching the Winter Olympics this afternoon and in the luge event were surprised to see a young Tongan so I wanted to check out his story on the web.

His name is Semi but in a marketing ploy changed it to a German underwear company!  Here's a little youtube video about his story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JStZYs1ejeg

Tonga’s Bruno Banani overcame his four-year Olympic heartbreak to create history in the first heat of the luge men’s single runs.

Denied a spot in Vancouver 2010 when he crashed in qualifying, Banani became the first athlete from Tonga and the first luger from a Pacific island nation to participate in the Winter Games.

The 26-year-old achieved a time of 53.656 seconds in his first of four runs, putting him in 34th place out of 39 competitors, 1.486 seconds behind leader Albert Demchenko of Russia.

The man with “coconut powered underpants” has attracted worldwide acclaim after changing his name from Fuahea Semi to the German underwear manufacturer as part of a marketing campaign.

Fijians in Australia can register for voting in election

from w

Message for Fijians in Australia:
Voter registration will take place from 14 February until 22 February.

Five registration teams will be registering potential voters for the upcoming Fiji Election. This will be at multiple locations across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane. The teams will also be visiting other major towns and cities in these three states, such as Penrith, Griffith, Ballarat, Geelong, Banyo, and Cairns.

Please consult the official program for the complete list of times and locations which can be found on the website.
---------
Our city of Geelong is included: Thursday 20th 4 to 7 p.m. at Geelong East Uniting church Bay Room, corner Boundary and Ormond Rd East Geelong, Entrance via carpark Boundary Rd.  Please pass on this message to friends or family in our region who have retained their Fiji citizenship and would like to be registered.
There's a website to look up - http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/overseas-evr/

Overseas EVR - Elections Fiji

www.electionsfiji.gov.fj

Overseas EVRFOR FIJIANS LIVING IN AUSTRALIAVoter registration will take place from 14 February until 22 February.Five registration teams will be registering potential voters at multiple locations across New South Wa