- SEARCH AND RESCUE EXERCISE TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE APPROACH – The Ministry of Defence, National Security & Immigration is coordinating a two-day full scale exercise on Search and Rescue (SAR) 2015 commencing with a table top and later execute simulation of scenarios.
- FARM MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR TAVUA COMMUNITIES – Farmers in Tavua this week were taught farm management skills and also informed about the benefits of taking up farming as a business venture rather than just for subsistence purposes.
- Ministry meets with Navua youth – Suva, May 07 – The Youth of Navua and surrounding communities of Nakaulevu were urged this week to full realize their place and their potential in the country.
1 SEARCH AND RESCUE EXERCISE TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE APPROACH
The Ministry of Defence, National Security & Immigration is coordinating a two-day full scale exercise on Search and Rescue (SAR) 2015 commencing with a table top and later execute simulation of scenarios.
The new approach embarked by the Ministry is the synergy of the three classes of SAR namely Maritime, Air and Land.
This has been achieved through the establishment of the Fiji Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) which will provide overall coordination of the Land Rescue Sub Center (LRSC) led by Police and the Maritime Rescue Sub Center (MRSC) led by the Fiji Navy and Aeronautical Rescue Sub Center (MRSC) led by Airports Fiji Ltd.
Minister for Immigration, National Security and Defence, Hon Timoci Natuva highlighted such efforts will establish a robust national machinery.
“It will enable the three sub-centers to coordinate and organize an effective search and rescue operations let alone maximizing on resources to meet the challenges that lie ahead for Fiji,” Minister Natuva said.
“Most of our institutions today have already assiduously adopted an interdisciplinary approach, collaborating to achieve this most important outcome of saving lives at distress.”
Minister Natuva stressed the importance of the exercise which is aimed at establishing the formation for the National SAR authorities, government and non-state organizations to share best practices and promote a harmonization of aeronautical, maritime and land SAR services.
In 2010, Cabinet approved the review of the National SAR Manual 1978 and the subsequent formulation of a specific legislation that governs SAR.
This revised structure will ensure effective response to any incident whether it be maritime, land or aviation related within Fiji as well as within the Maritime SAR boundary and Fiji Flight Information Region.
The Ministry has in the process finalized the two draft documents; the Fiji SAR Bill 2015 and revised Fiji SAR Manual, which provides policy direction and operational guidance to search and rescue in Fiji as well as regionally in terms of Aviation SAR and Maritime SAR.
The purpose of the exercise is to test the draft SAR Bill and Manual, identify SAR assets and test agency capability and subsequent responses to incidents.
The exercise will involve critical stakeholders such as the National Disaster Management Office, National Fire Authority, Fiji Police Force, Fiji Navy, Airports Fiji Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji, Fiji Red Cross, Ports Authority, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of I-Taukei Affairs, Attorney General’s Office with the assistance of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Islands Emergency Management Alliance (PIEMA).
Members of the Public are advised that the exercise will be convened within the Suva Port boundary and mariners are reminded not to be alarmed by the usage of flares, smoke and other maritime and aviation assets during the exercise.
2 FARM MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR TAVUA COMMUNITIES
Farmers in Tavua this week were taught farm management skills and also informed about the benefits of taking up farming as a business venture rather than just for subsistence purposes.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s four divisions – Crop Extension, Animal, Health and Production, Research and the Land Resources Planning trained 55 farmers which included men, women and youth at the Tavua District Secondary School.
Agriculture Technical Officer [Tavua/Nadarivatu] Perina Susu said there is a need to train these farmers before they venture into commercial production.
She said the participants were taught on crop husbandry practices, farm management and Sustainable Land Management (SLM).
Mrs Susu said majority of the participants are sugarcane farmers who are slowly diversifying into cash cropping practices.
“Participants are from the Mataqali Naqauciwa and Tavualevu with the inclusion of Women and Youth and they have formed a group called the Lovolovo ni Tabakai Integrated Farming Project.”
She said the objective of the training was to educate the group about farming as a business and to know the proper husbandry practices of selected crops.
In line with that, the Ministry she said is trying to educate members to know more on proper land use and soil types.
For the Tavua farmers, she said apart from sugarcane, few are planting cassava, pineapple, eggplant and watermelon.
The Ministry of Agriculture has plans to cluster few vegetables and root crops farmers together in zoning areas in order to assist all for agricultural production aspects.
3 Ministry meets with Navua youth
Suva, May 07 – The Youth of Navua and surrounding communities of Nakaulevu were urged this week to full realize their place and their potential in the country.
While speaking to members of Navua and Nakaulevu Sanatan Youth, Waidradra Youth Club, Veiwawa Youth Club, Pacific Harbour Urban Community Youth and surrounding communities, the Ministry of Youth and Sports permanent secretary Mr Joseva Sania stressed the important role of Fijian youth in any community.
“Youths have two things during their time as young people; one is that they have energy and this energy will fade away as you grow up so you should make full use of it during your young age and another thing that youth possess is that you are creative. You can do a lot of things but as in most cases today they are left to be idle in the community,” said Mr Sania.
“Youths are the cornerstone of our lives and as young people, you have to remain positive and if you do not channel this energy well, you will miss out on most things,” Mr Sania emphasized.
During the discussions, Mr Sania also reiterated the importance of remaining positive as young people and that it would eventually lead to their growth.
“This is something that we are emphasising when we go out to talk to the youth clubs, as young people you need to be positive, we know that most of the problems we have dealt with are mostly unemployment but we have seen youth groups that have grown immensely with the little assistance that we have provided to them.
Mr Sania informed them of the inclusive stance taken by government in its efforts to develop the country, especially young Fijians.
“Government is trying to reach out, especially to the rural and outer islands – the unreached; and to reach out also to the minority.”
“We are here as Government representatives to listen to you and to hear from you the issues that you have and also to assess us on our performance,” said the permanent secretary.
“I would like to stress that government is not only going out to rural iTaukei communities, we are also going out other ethnic groups because that is one of the policies of government to try and reach out to other ethnic groups and to also encourage females to participate in decision making and also youth development.
Navua Sanatan Youth committee member Vimal Naidu thanked the ministerial delegation for holding the consultation with youths of their community.
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the initiative that they have undertaken as part of the Government’s policy to reach out to the rural communities,” said Mr Naidu.
“This visit augurs well for the development of youth and sports and it is also a good sign to see that young people who are interested in youth activities are attending this forum to find out how they can be assisted and how they can work with Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports,” he added.