- GOVERNMENT QUARTERS REFORMS PRODUCING RETURNS – The Public Service Commission today returned over $1.1 million in surplus cash generated from the government quarters Trade and Manufacturing Account (TMA) to the Ministry of Finance.
- Fiji Joins Global Green Growth Institute – Fiji has become the 21st country member to join the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) after the signing ceremony was concluded by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in Seoul, Korea.
- Two more villages join zero violence campaign – Two more villages in the district of Tavua were declared as violence free communities this week.
- ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO FEATURE AT NORTHERN ROADSHOW – As part of continuous efforts to bridge the “public to government” divide, Government is organising another road show at Wainikoro in Labasa.
- NAITASIRI COUNCIL URGED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH GOVERNMENT – The Naitasiri Provincial Council was today urged to work closely with Government as part of efforts to improve the lives of those living there.
6. EDUCATION MINISTER AWARDED HONOURARY DOCTORATE AND MEDAL OF ACHIEVEMENT – Fiji’s Minister for Education National Heritage Culture Arts and Library Services Filipe Bole was recently awarded Honorary Doctorate of Letters (DL) and Medal of Achievement (MA) from International Biographical Centre (IBC), Cambridge England.
1 GOVERNMENT QUARTERS REFORMS PRODUCING RETURNS
The Public Service Commission today returned over $1.1 million in surplus cash generated from the government quarters Trade and Manufacturing Account (TMA) to the Ministry of Finance.
Permanent Secretary for the PSC, Parmesh Chand presented the TMA cheque to the Permanent Secretary of Finance, Filimone Waqabaca in the presence of the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.
While handing over the TMA cheque, PS Chand said that today’s event was a remarkable achievement from what it was prior to the implementation of the reforms.
“Government quarters were largely in a state of neglect and disrepair prior to the reforms, there was wastage and abuse and there was a deteriorating state of so many prime and valuable assets owned by government,” Mr Chand said.
“I am proud to say that all that changed with the simple yet far reaching reforms put in place by the Bainimarama government and we must thank the Prime Minister for that.”
Highlighting the benefits this means for ordinary Fijians, PS Chand added that essentially the reforms have helped generate much needed revenue and accordingly contribute to overall revenue, which government is able to use for provision of health care, education, infrastructure and social welfare benefits.
The Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Filimone Waqabaca said that TMAs are semi-commercial operations operated by a number of Government Departments and are provided with a one-off funding from Government to operate like a subsidiary commercial entity, with a view to become profitable and sustainable for the future.
“The Ministry of Finance undertakes regular follow ups, to ensure that TMAs operate within their financial ceilings and give back to Government anything which is over and above what they are supposed to operate with,” Mr Waqabaca said.
“The Government Quarters TMA was established in 2011 and I am proud to mention that this is one of the TMAs which has been consistent in the remittance of its surplus funds to the Consolidated Fund.”
PS Waqabaca also noted that the remittance for this year is a record sum of more than $1m which makes up 50 percent of the revenue that is forecasted to be received from TMA surpluses this year.
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2 Fiji Joins Global Green Growth Institute
Fiji has become the 21st country member to join the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) after the signing ceremony was concluded by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in Seoul, Korea.
The signing of this agreement took place in Korea today.
Fiji’s accession to the GGGI comes at an opportune time as the Bainimarama Government works tirelessly to formulate its own Green Growth Framework. With this new cooperation arrangement, the GGGI can now assist Fiji in issues related to global climate change and the promotion of economic growth through development of strategies and policies for green growth such as sustainable, climate resilient and low-carbon economic development.
The Institute will serve as a bridge between developed and developing countries, the public and private sectors, and practitioners and scholars by channeling GGGI’s knowledge-base, networks and experience through technical assistance to promote and implement Fiji’s own rigorous green growth economic development strategies.
Experts at the Institute will provide support services to Fiji in its Green Growth efforts through collaboration with other global institutions including business leaders. The outcome of this collaboration will lead to adoption and implementation of green growth plans with adequate local stakeholder support, financing and technologies; provision of relevant, high quality research for policy makers and engagement of the private sector in the implementation of Fiji’s Green Growth Framework.
The GGGI is an international platform for evidence-based learning and policy innovation that helps illuminate practical opportunities for country-led and industry-led progress on the twin imperatives of economic development and environmental sustainability. The GGGI is a non-profit, globally represented international institution with an interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach driven by the needs of emerging and developing countries. It was established in 2012 by 18 founding member countries.
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3 Two more villages join zero violence campaign
Two more villages in the district of Tavua were declared as violence free communities this week.
The villages of Nadalei and Waikubukubu in the interior of Tavua were today announced as the first two villages in the western division to join the 60 other communities that have been declared as violence-free communities.
Under the guidance of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation in collaboration with the Fiji Police Force, these villages have vowed not to record any form of violence against women and children.
“This declaration is not just something to show the rest of the country but something to be proud of and the hard work begins here to ensure that criminal activities are truly eliminated from today,” said the Ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Josefa Koroivueta.
“You have been training for the past two months and I am sure that it has equipped you with the necessary knowledge to assist you with your assertion.”
As part of the program, government provided assistance to establish income generating projects in the villages. This includes a new fishing pond, bee farming equipment, sewing machines and a women’s resource centre which is currently under construction.
“These projects will assist the village in aspiring towards being self – sufficient and the projects are a new beginning for the village,” Turaga ni Koro Ilai Manoa said.
Meanwhile, Nabila Village in Nadroga was also declared the country’s latest Zero Tolerance Violence Free Community this week.
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4 ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES TO FEATURE AT NORTHERN ROADSHOW
As part of continuous efforts to bridge the “public to government” divide, Government is organising another road show at Wainikoro in Labasa.
The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development permanent secretary Filipe Alifereti said the road show will be a marketing tool to create national awareness for agencies that will jointly promote and intensify information dissemination with the members of the local communities and to better identify issues and meet those actual needs,”
“This will provide the opportunity for all the agencies to use the event as a medium of information sharing and for officials to better understand the real situation our communities in the districts in Macuata face daily, to identify and meet their actual needs,” Mr Alifereti said.
“For instance those who require opening new bank accounts will be able to do so with the presence of the agencies such as commercial and development banks, FRCA, Ministry of Justice and Fiji National Provident Fund. Apart banking services, members of the communities will be able to access other services,” Mr Alifereti said.
The private sector will be offering their services at the road show including LTA, WAF, Telecom Fiji Limited, Investment Fiji and commercial and development banks such as Home Finance Company Limited and Bank of the South Pacific.
“Government will support to develop Wainikoro to become a growth centre, it’s a good idea since it is closer to Labasa and that expansion of business could offer benefits for the communities there,” Mr Alifereti said.
Mr Filipe Alifereti is encouraging Fijians living in the greater Macuata area to come out in numbers to the Nadogo school grounds where the government ministries/department will have booths to display their services.
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5 NAITASIRI COUNCIL URGED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH GOVERNMENT
The Naitasiri Provincial Council was today urged to work closely with Government as part of efforts to improve the lives of those living there.
The Council’s chairperson Eroni Luveniyali said that since assistance provided by government from 2010 to 2013 has significantly improved the lives of those living there, there needs to be closer coordination between the Council and Government.
“We need to work with government to ensure that all developments and resources are better utilised for the development of the communities in the rural areas,” Mr Luveniyali said.
“We cannot rely on government assistance all the time, individuals need to take the initiative of helping themselves and if need be then seek governments’ assistance,” Mr Luveniyali said.
He Reminded various representatives not to work in isolation but rather to assist government in their role to develop integrated development structure at the divisional level.
Representatives from the 16 districts within the Naitasiri province also commended government’s contribution to the developments currently in its implementation phase there.
The Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development permanent secretary Filipe Alifereti urged representatives present at the meeting to work together for the benefit of our future generation.
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6 EDUCATION MINISTER AWARDED HONOURARY DOCTORATE AND MEDAL OF ACHIEVEMENT
Fiji’s Minister for Education National Heritage Culture Arts and Library Services Filipe Bole was recently awarded Honorary Doctorate of Letters (DL) and Medal of Achievement (MA) from International Biographical Centre (IBC), Cambridge England.
This award and medal is in recognition of his long outstanding contribution and achievement in Fiji’s Public Service, Trade and Diplomatic Relations, and for the Development of Education in Fiji and the South Pacific.
The International Biographical Centre, of Cambridge, England, is a world leader in biographical publishing. Founded over forty years ago, its range of reference titles have earned an international reputation for unrivalled scope and integrity.
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