Saturday, March 31, 2007

Assemble Launches ISP in FIji

Mr Taito Waradi
Interim Minister for Commerce, Industry, Investment and Communications

Launching of Assemble Communications ISP Business at 5th Floor, Post Fiji, Suva. at 1.00pm Thursday, 29th March, 2007


NI SA BULA VINAKA.

I WISH TO THANK ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THIS PRIVILEGE TO ADDRESS YOU ON THIS OCCASION, AND TO OFFICIATE AT THE LAUNCHING OF THE COMPANY’S ISP (INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER) BUSINESS.

LIKE OTHER SIMILAR BUSINESSES THAT WILL LAUNCH OVER THE ENSUING PERIOD THERE IS IN MY VIEW GOOD OMEN FOR THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES IN FIJI.

I SAY THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC RELATED STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THAT MY MINISTRY WILL ATTEND TO IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR IN RESPECT OF THESE INDUSTRIES, AND THE LAUNCH OF ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS REALISES A TANGIBLE SUCCESSFUL OUTPUT TO THE SECTOR STRATEGIES.

THIS LAUNCH IS THE CULMINATION OF THE JOINT COMMITTED EFFORTS OF THE ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TOWARDS INVESTING IN FIJI AND OPEN AND TRANSPARENT FACILITATIONS OF GOVERNMENT.

THE LICENCES ISSUED TO THE COMPANY, AUTHORISES ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE AN ISP FACILITY THAT ENABLES PUBLIC ACCESS TO INTERNET BASED SERVICES, AND TO SOURCE INTERNET BANDWIDTH VIA A SATELLITE EARTH STATION.

AS AN ADDITIONAL PLAYER IN THE MARKET, ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INTERNET DOMAIN.

THE FOCUS OF ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS TOWARDS EXTENDING ACCESS TO THE KOROS AND TIKINAS AND ISLANDS THROUGHOUT FIJI THEREBY INCREASING NATIONAL AS WELL AS GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY IS INDEED COMMENDABLE.

ALSO COMMENDABLE, I NOTE IS THE FACT THAT THIS BUSINESS IS OWNED ENTIRELY BY LOCALS WITH LINKAGE TO REPUTABLE OVERSEAS TECHNICAL AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT TEAM WHO HAVE HAD YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSINESS NICHE.

TO THE GROUP, THANK YOU FOR THIS INITIATIVE, AND I WISH YOU SUCCESS IN THIS BUSINESS VENTURE.IT GIVES ME PLEASURE AND I AM INDEED PRIVILEGED TO LAUNCH THIS ISP BUSINESS OF ASSEMBLE COMMUNICATIONS (FIJI) LIMITED.

VINAKA VAKALEVU.

Fijii Government Press Release

Friday, March 30, 2007

Inmarsat Press Release

Illinois (MediaPressRelease) May 31, 2006 - -- In preparation for this year's hurricane season, Inmarsat , the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, announced today that Assemble Communications, a provider of voice and data services to residential and small business customers, will incorporate its new BGAN high speed mobile communications service into a "Personal Hurricane Kit." The small lightweight kit will be marketed to residentsof Gulf Coast states ensuring constant connectivity in the event a hurricane or other disaster disables the traditional terrestrial and cellular networks.

Read More Here

Assemble Communications Fiji

A report from Fiji says moves are afoot to take over millions of dollars in funds held in trust for indigenous owners of the country’s main hydro site at Monasavu.

The Suva High Court awarded a total of 32 million US dollars to the landowners in compensation last year.
But Fiji TV reports that the villagers are being used by some investors who are eager to lay their hands on part of the payout.

The report says two villagers claiming to be Monasavu landowners are heading moves to transfer the funds to a group who last year claimed they would be given six billion US dollars by a bogus overseas organisation to set up a bank for indigenous Fijians.
Fiji TV says the move is being pushed by the Viti Land and Resource Owners Association, headed by Ratu Osea Gavidi, who convinced Fiji’s middle level chiefs that six billion US dollars would soon be theirs.

Ratu Osea says he expects the Monasavu landowners’ money to be invested in a new company, Assemble Communications Limited, which he claims will specialise in the Internet and communications technology.

Read the source

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Asian Development Bank programms on Hold

Fiji’s Interim Government says it is re-assessing the total Asian Development Bank funded programmes in light of its new fiscal directions, In a statement, it said all loans and funding requirements are being reviewed in light of the priorities of the Government.

The statement was issued after the ADB said all its approved programmes were currently on hold pending an assurance from the Interim Government that it uptakes its international obligations and provides an environment for the programmes to be successful.

Read the Rest from Fiji Live

Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption ('FICAC') Formed

Fiji's cabinet today approved the implementation of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption ('FICAC') and the Prevention of Bribery ('POB') Promulgations.

The decision was based on a submission by the Attorney General, Minister for Justice, Electoral Reform & Anti-Corruption, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. Sayed-Khaiyum said that the FICAC Promulgation will see the coming into effect of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Government has already allocated $1.5 million in the Revised Budget for the setting up and operational costs of the Commission. He said that FICAC, through the Commissioner, will report directly to the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo.

Read the Rest from Fiji Live

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Telecom Intrigue in BA, Fiji

This is a bit old but interesting: From August 2006

What should have been a simple and straightforward process of either refusing or awarding mobile telephony licences to interested operators instead turned out to be an intricate web of backhanded politics, clandestine lobbying and propaganda against Ba Holdings Ltd and its mobile operator partner, Digicel (Fiji) Ltd, the local subsidiary of Jamaica-based Digicel.

This running game of furtive manoeuvres has its roots in the now lucrative mobile telephony market within which reigns Vodafone Fiji Ltd, the joint venture between Telecom Fiji Ltd (TFL) and the European-based Vodafone International Holding BV.

Read more from Pierport

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

THE Fiji Visitors Bureau has teamed up with a leading American travel agency, Air Pacific and 12 local resorts to launch a major advertising campaign that targets Californian residents.
Read More from the Fiji Times