Army Quit's Looking for Opposition Bloggers

Update: 10.34am THE military has decided it will stop hunting for the anti-military bloggers and stop its attempts at shutting down blog spots.

Colonel Pita Driti said they were no longer bothered or concerned by the blogs and had decided to ignore them.

However, he did say that if bloggers were eventually found they would be taken to the camp to be questioned.

The military was working with FINTEL last week in trying to shut down several of the anti-military blogs.

The action of the military has been condemned by international bloggers who have offered assistance to Fiji bloggers.

New Zealand bloggers called on their government to condemn in the strongest possible manner the action of the military.

The Rest @ Fiji Times.

Army Intimidating Lawyers

THE Fiji Law Society is worried the profession may be under threat if lawyers are detained by the military for representing their clients.

Society president Devanesh Sharma said this would lead to fear, intimidation and suppression of the bar.

Mr Sharma said the detainment of lawyers Kitione Vuataki and Ratu Savenaca Komaisavai last weekend was of great concern. He said freedom of the bar was an absolute necessity in every country.

The Rest @ Fiji Times

New Mahogany Business to Open in Tailevu

Landowners have started an initiative to open a mahogany business in Tailevu in the near future.


Nukurua Mahogany landowners met at Verata Wailevu yesterday to collect funds.
Spokesperson Ratu Netava Tagi said the initiative was a long time dream of six districts that collectively own the mahogany plantations in the Nukurua area.
We are trying to collect a total of $150,000 so we could finance our own company when the time is right, Ratu Netava said.



The Rest @ Fiji Times

Fiji'a Banking System Profitable but Operating Without Competition

An Interesting Blog popped onto a blog promoting Fiji Investment. I can't vouch for the numbers, this appears to be a commercial site - definitely coming down on the Indo-Fijian side of recent political issues; But he presents some interesting Figures and allegations:

• The Reserve Bank of Fiji has announced a net profit of F$10.7 million for 2006
• 50% of such profits are paid to the Government Consolidated Fund
• Total assets grew by 10.6 per cent to $8.7billion in 2006
• In 2007, the economic growth is expected to decline by 2.5 per cent compared to an initial growth forecast of 2 per cent.
• Fiji does not currently have a purely competitive financial system.
• The banking industry is led by two major banks.
• Non-bank financial institutions are also very few thus affecting competition

Read here the entire series of articles on the Fiji Reserve Bank

Air Pacific to Drop Some East to West Flights to Fiji

Fiji’s international carrier Air Pacific will soon be removing some of its flights from its main routes including Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Tokyo due to a drop in passenger numbers. This is after the airline reported a 15 per cent reduction in passenger numbers in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006.

The Rest @ Fiji Live

Devotions in Religious Schools must Accomodate all Denominations

THE Education Ministry hopes to make devotion time mandatory in the school system.

Interim Education Minister Netani Sukanaivalu said the Education Act would be revised so that schools run by religious organisations be required to allow their students of other denominations to get together with their religious representatives on a regular basis for prayers and devotions.

"We want all children to go to heaven, no child to be left out," Mr Sukanaivalu said.

The Rest @ Fiji Times

The EU Cuts Sugar Prices, puts Fiji Economy at Risk

Fiji's Finance and Sugar Minister Mahendra Chaudhry delivered the warning on Tuesday night at an African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Ministerial meeting on sugar in Nadi.

The EU announced in late 2005 that it would slash sugar prices by 36 per cent over the next four years, threatening vital income to Pacific, African and Caribbean nations who have benefited from EU sugar subsidies.

EU funding to Fiji to help it cope with the cuts is also under threat following December's military coup.

The Rest @ The Sydny Morning Herald

The Fiji Military Forces is continuing talks with FINTEL to stop blog spots on the Internet which it claims are a threat to national security. Land Force Commander, Colonel Pita Driti says they are trying to close all anti military sites namely, Intelligentsia .com, Resistfrankscoup and Fijishamelist.

[I also note that every site I read regularly from fiji now requires an email registration and has an IP Address tracker on the page, so I can attest to this first hand]
-Lee

The Rest @ Fiji Live

Assemble Communications Article in Fiji Live News

Internet provider ACFL has big plans Saturday May 12, 2007 Fiji’s newly established internet provider, Assemble Communications (Fiji) Limited is set to venture further after being granted a license by the interim regime to provide telephone and television services in the next two months.

ACFL chief executive Officer, Shawn Ring said that they had met with the interim government to discuss the licensing.
He said the internet licenses issued to the company in March will enable public access to internet, and to source internet bandwidth via a satellite earth station.

The Rest @ Fiji Live

Army to Redeploy to CheckPoints and Join Police

THE military has dispatch soldiers to almost every police station to help stamp out the rise in organised crime.

The development was triggered by the overwhelming calls from the community to re-install the army checkpoints in light of the recent spate of violent robberies.
Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni said about four or five officers would be based at every police station around the country to help deter violent criminals.

The Rest @ Fiji Times

Fiji Invited by the US to attend Pacific Leaders Conference, Bainimarama Refused.

Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the United States for allowing Fiji to participate in Pacific leaders conference in Washington this week.

Commodore Bainimarama was not invited to the meeting but Fiji will be represented by Interim Public Service Minister Poseci Bune and Permanent Secretary in the PM’s Office Parmesh Chand.

The Rest @ Fiji Live