Lordi- Where’s your daddy?
By Dennis Rounds I recently built up enough courage to take a pot-holed ride from the growingly decrepit western division to Fiji’s seat of power and burgeoning wealth, Suva. Along the way, I was entertained by
Fiji
Delving into digital: Kina finds its sweet spot
Kina Bank is set to bring new digital products to Fiji when it acquires Westpac's Fiji
University of the South Pacific VC Ahluwalia gets new contract
University of the South Pacific Vice Chancellor to be
Fiji, Tonga confirm All Blacks tests
Fiji Rugby has confirmed that the national side will play two tests against the All Blacks in
Diaspora, loved ones and COVID-19
By Sadhana Sen Alongside the myriad stories of closed borders, unemployment, struggling health systems, surging COVID cases and accompanying increase in poverty, there is another heart-wrenching COVID-19 experience –
Valenicina shines a light on disaster preparedness
15 minutes’ drive from the heart of Fiji’s capital city, Suva, lies the community of Valenicina. Under the watchful eye of one of its residents, Mosese Sereivalu, this community recently worked together to
Community Developer at HEART
Having seen firsthand the utter devastation disasters like the Aitape tsunami inflicted on rural communities of Papua New Guinea in 1998, Tevita Ravumaidama insists on incorporating disaster risk
Jobs, consumption, investment continue to be subdued:RBF
The Reserve Bank of Fiji says recent locally transmitted cases and containment measures will prolong already subdued economic activity in the country. The RBF’s April statement reports that visitor arrivals were
MEET THE MENTOR NEELAM MAHARAJ: BUSINESSWOMAN AND MENTOR
Businesswoman Neelam Maharaj is a mentor with South Pacific Business Developments’ Fiji Bloom program. With her sister Neelma, she has built up three businesses from scratch learning many valuable business lessons
Near horizons: Vunilagi’s community literacy efforts
Our children are valuable and we have the responsibility to ensure that they are educated; that they have the basic needs to go through school.” That’s the firmly-held belief of Vunilagi Book Club founder
The Low-down on USP
In drawing to conclude ‘What Is to Become of USP?’ (see Islands Business August 2020), I acquiesced to the prospect that the University may already be undergoing transition from a ‘public good’ to a ‘club
Fiji’s Ministry of Health works closely with local Disabled Persons Organisations
Following recent lobbying efforts for disability inclusion within the Fijian Government’s COVID-19 response, Organisations of persons with disabilities in Fiji has forged partnership with the Ministry of Health to map
From our archives: Bartering for Betterment
Barter for Better Fiji celebrates its one year anniversary today. The group has 193,300 members and is still hosting trades. In December 2020 we profiled Marlene Dutta as part of our 2020 People of the Year series.
“We are certain there are more cases out there”: Dr Fong
Fiji has a new case of COVID-19, and Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Health says “we are certain there are more cases out there.” The new case is the daughter of the Nadi hotel worker working at a quarantine hotel,
Opinion: Environmental protection and government’s failures
Last month the Suva Magistrates Court found the developers of a resort site on Fiji’s Malolo Islands guilty of undertaking development without an approved Environmental Impact Assessment Report. That development
Fiji Business Briefs: Fiji Kava, Thunderstruck, FijCare and more
Thunderstruck mining company is discussing a joint venture arrangement with a shortlist of companies for its Rama copper and gold prospect. A company statement also says significant work is underway to prepare for a
SPBD Releases TC Yasa Loans
South Pacific Business Development Fiji has launched its TC Yasa Rehabilitation Loan Programme, with 361 loans totalling $1.22 million processed in the first release. The loans were handed over in Labasa and Savusavu in
Things fall apart
I was only two years old when Nigerian author Chinua Achebe published his novel, Things Fall Apart, in 1958. Achebe’s novel focused on the struggles, chaos and bewilderment which are the consequences of a culture on
The art of listening
At the celebration of Sir Michael Somare’s life at Suva’s Sacred Heart cathedral this month, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong spoke about the willingness to listen as one of the Grand Chief’s defining characteristics.
Mountains of hydro trouble
Mountain communities in Fiji are thwarting plans by the country’s power monopoly to build a multi-million hydro power plant. The people of Nubu and Cawanisa say Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) only has itself to blame
From tree to bar to table
Kokomana is a small artisan ‘tree-to-bar’ chocolate maker and social enterprise run by Richard and Anne Markham in Savusavu, northern Fiji. The operation produces about 100 bars of high-quality chocolate
Can mining dig Fiji out of COVID hole?
Fiji’s minerals sector is tipped to lead its post-COVID economic recovery, with gold production expected to strengthen later this year and interest in gold prospecting on the rise. “The mining sector
Woman Dairy farmer benefits from Agriculture programme
Reducing Fiji’s dairy import bill is one of the key focuses of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Dairy Industry Support programme. Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ritesh Dass said the programme was designed to help