Koila’s House

Scion of chiefly family turns fashion heads KOILA Ganilau is descended from two of the most powerful households in Fiji – the Ganilaus from Somosomo, Cakaudrove and the Maras of Lakeba, Lau. Both families

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Out of the shadows

Fashion emerges as new business IN a span of 10 years, fashion has emerged as a growing new industry in Fiji. This is evidenced in the fact that Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW) celebrates its 10th anniversary this May with a

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Out of the race

EXCLUSIVE Kepa wants support for Winston victims FIJI’S OPPOSITION Leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa, is out of the 2018 Election race.   That leaves the field clear for MajorGeneral Sitiveni Rabuka to lead SODELPA (the

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At death’s door

How Winston killed a sugar mill IT’S been a year since Tropical Cyclone Winston roared through Rakiraki in north-western Fiji leaving a trail of destruction and suffering in the small township. While the recovery

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How Cyclone Winston left us exposed

THE successive natural disasters that impacted the Fiji Islands in the first months of 2017 are a clear signal of the future – greater climate unpredictability, persistent droughts and stronger cyclones, resulting

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TC Winston Recovery Action assists commercial farmers

THE European Union (EU) has supported several disaster response and recovery initiatives in Fiji in response to the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston, but one particular action has focused on recovery for

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Ode to a Queen

Halaevalu Mata’aho Ahome’e May 1926 – February 2017 MUCH loved by her subjects, respected throughout the kingdom, Queen Halaevalu Mata’aho ‘Ahome’e was laid to rest in the Royal Tombs

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Red flag day

China pledges to cut fleet sizes CHINA has pledged to reduce its fleet of medium- and large-sized vessels by 8300, and its total fishing fleet by 20,000 vessels. The move comes after the announcement of a raft of

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Fiji chases tuna across the Pacific

FIJIAN diplomats are making good progress on negotiations with Tuvalu and Kiribati for access to valuable fishing grounds in the Northern Pacific. A proposed three-phase plan includes a Fiji-based-and-owned long line

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Fishing boom

Industry sees huge last quarter DESPITE industry complaints that fishing has been on the wane, the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office reported that effort in PNA waters in the last quarter of 2016 was the highest

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Survivor Tonga

Pohiva defeats Nobles’ motion THREE years after winning an election, pro-democracy fighter Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva has fought off a second vote of no confidence to maintain his position as Tonga’s

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Mixing sports and politics

Tonga’s bid to host 2019 Pacific Games reaches political climax SPORT has an uncanny ability to bring people together and build comradery lasting a lifetime, more so nowadays when those special moments can be

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Lift-off!

Sports tourism on the rise THE historic Super Rugby match between the Canterbury Crusaders and the Waikato Chiefs in Fiji’s capital, Suva, was just the thin end of the wedge. Played under lights in sometimes blinding

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Region in Brief

Samoa tourism Tourism numbers in Samoa for the Second Quarter of the current financial year are steady and have only increased by 1.8 per cent when compared to the same period in the previous financial year. As was the

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Eyes on the prize

Pacific tourism heads to Europe WITH less than two months before the South Pacific Tourism Event in Sydney, Australia, a major campaign is underway to draw attention to the region. Over March and April a series of

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Prepare for the worst

IN October 1972, Hurricane Bebe ripped through Fiji leaving 13 people dead in her wake. This was – at the time – the greatest natural disaster to have been visited upon the country. Just two years after

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STOP the rot

Fiji TV board a disgrace to media THE continued interference by Fiji Television’s board and management in the running of its newsroom is disgraceful. Once a proudly independent news company, Fiji TV has been

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Class wars

Rulers ostracise their own EARLY this month 32 of Tonga’s nobles met with one item on their agenda – Noble Ma’afu. This one member of the ruling class refused to stand with them and their nine elected

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Islands Business February 2017 edition

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2017

2017 January issue 2017 February issue 2017 March issue 2017 April issue 2017 May issue 2017 June issue 2017 July issue 2017 August issue 2017 September issue 2017 October issue 2017 November issue 2017 December

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Making a Pacific mark

IN December we highlighted the achievements of Fiji’s national rugby sevens coach and named him Pacific Person of the Year. A few weeks later Ryan was honoured with the Rugby Union Writers’ Club award in England.

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Whispers

Tietjens faces the heat THE sevens coach everyone loves to hate – Sir Gordon Tietjens – has come under fire in Samoa after less than four months in the job. After dismal performances on the HSBC World Sevens

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Rabuka ready for big race

Loyalty pledge by MPs WITH around 12 months before the next election in Fiji, former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka has consolidated the support of the current parliamentarians of the main Social Democratic Liberal

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SPC, 70 years on

THIS year marks the 70th Anniversary of the Pacific Community – SPC, and we are excited at the timely opportunity to reflect and celebrate the shared progress we have made with our members and partners over the

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