MINISTRY OF INFORMATION FIJI NEWS SUMMARY 29/08/13 4:30PM

1.     SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH NEW NAMOSI NURSERY – The successful launch of a newly established nursery in Waidina, Namosi will help communities in the area better manage their native forestry resources.

 

2.     NEW ICE PLANT TO BENEFIT MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE – More than 2000 fisherman, farmers and stakeholders will benefit from a replacement ice – plant that was opened in Sigatoka today by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests and Rural and Maritime Development Inia Seruiratu.

 

3.     LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE TRAINING FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS TO BENEFIT FIJIANS – Building capacity within the civil service remains a key priority in the process of providing efficient services and resources to the public.

 

4.     IHRDP ASSISTANCE BOOSTED SEAWEED PRODUCTION IN LOMAIVITI – The Integrated Human Resource Development (IHRDP) assistance to seaweed farmers in the Eastern Division in 2012 to date has enabled a total of 11 villages in the Lomaiviti province to engage in commercial seaweed farming.

 

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH NEW NAMOSI NURSERY

 

The successful launch of a newly established nursery in Waidina, Namosi will help communities in the area better manage their native forestry resources.

 

The Namosi Nursery, which is the result of strengthened partnership between government, Namosi Joint Venture (NJV), Future Forests Fiji and the Namosi and Waidina communities, was launched by the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests Inoke Wainiqolo today.

 

Mr Wainiqolo said the establishment of the Namosi nursery is a substantial investment for NJV which will support the ongoing rehabilitation works carried out by the company in Namosi.

 

“I would like to thank the Tikina Namosi communities and Tikina Namosi Landowners Committee (TNLC) for their commitment to the project and the collective effort they have put in. This is their nursery,” Mr Wainiqolo said.

 

“The nursery will support the ongoing rehabilitation works carried out by NJV. Native plant seedlings grown in these nurseries will be purchased by NJV to maintain its rehabilitation program.”

 

Mr Wainiqolo added that the nursery will support the area’s other environmental and livelihood planting programs in addition to providing plants for NJV’s rehabilitation programs.

 

“The project will see more trees being planted and create greater awareness of harnessing native species. The nursery will help bridge the gap between the younger generation and community elders on their native forestry resources,” the permanent secretary highlighted.

 

While NJV has sponsored the Namosi nursery, it will be solely managed by the communities.

 

“This will build capacity for business management and create greater awareness for potential business opportunities within the community,” Mr Wainiqolo said.

 

NJV has invested about $40,000 towards the Namosi nursery.

 

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NEW ICE PLANT TO BENEFIT MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE

 

More than 2000 fisherman, farmers and stakeholders will benefit from a replacement ice – plant that was opened in Sigatoka today by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests and Rural and Maritime Development Inia Seruiratu.

 

The $230,000 ice – plant which was bought and set – up in Lawaqa was made possible through the partnership between the Fijian government and the Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation (OFCF) of Japan.

 

One of the fisherman Inia Tuwere who was present at the opening commended Government’s initiative in providing the ice – plant to boost their fishing business.

 

“We have always bought ice – from the shops and it is too costly but I thank Government for bringing the plant here in Nadroga to assist us,” he said.

 

“Ice is very important to us fishermen because it keeps our catch fresh and we are able to sell it at a higher price to the markets.”

 

He added that fishermen like him would now be able to utilize the provisions of the ice to improve their fishing business through sales of well preserved high quality fish for optimum returns.”

 

Minister Seruiratu said the opening of the new plant would also open new fish marketing arrangements for the fishers to diversify.

 

“The main concern of government is the sustainability of our marine resources,” Minister Seruiratu said.

 

“Fiji’s economy and society is undergoing many reforms for the betterment of its people’s sustenance and sustainable development from its available resources and the focus has been mainly to improve the livelihoods of all communities in Fiji and to ensure sustaining these with established and strengthened relevant economic and social activities.”

 

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LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE TRAINING FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS TO BENEFIT FIJIANS

 

Building capacity within the civil service remains a key priority in the process of providing efficient services and resources to the public.

 

A key component of this process is allowing senior civil servants to be exposed to both domestic and international best practices in civil service reforms.

 

The Public Service Commission permanent secretary Mr Parmesh Chand is in Singapore participating at the 6th Leaders in Governance Programme (LGP), designed to strengthen leadership, public administration and governance within the civil service.

 

The Permanent Secretary said that the idea behind allowing civil servants to attend these types of training programmes is to develop a first-class Public Service.

 

He said it was also imperative that senior executives in the Public Service who attend this type of training disseminate the information they have learned to their staff.

 

The LGP is the Singapore Civil Service College flagship International Executive Education Programme.

 

Mr Chand stated that Fiji has a lot to learn from Singapore’s past and present styles of leadership and governance.

 

“Like Singapore, Fiji will thrive to transform itself from its Third World status to a First World status through major reform initiatives within the Public Service in addition to the up-skilling of public servants.

 

When public servants are able to change their mind set and develop an attitude of practicing good governance, good leadership and a good way of administering day to day work activities, then can the public expect efficient service delivery.”

 

PS Chand said the Public Service will continue to work with other Governments with regards to training programmes on leadership and governance for public servants in Fiji so as to develop a first-class Public Service.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Mr Amena Yauvoli is participating in the same program.

 

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IHRDP ASSISTANCE BOOSTED SEAWEED PRODUCTION IN LOMAIVITI

 

The Integrated Human Resource Development (IHRDP) assistance to seaweed farmers in the Eastern Division in 2012 to date has enabled a total of 11 villages in the Lomaiviti province to engage in commercial seaweed farming.

 

IHRDP Manager in the Eastern Division Ms Katalaini Waibuta said $258,000 worth of assistance went to the 11 villages in Lomaiviti.

 

“IHRDP assistance went to 11 villages in Gau, Nairai and Batiki of which seven villages were assisted in 2012 and 4 villages this year,” Ms Waibuta said.

 

“IHRDP assisted these seaweed farmers with 7 fibreglass boats and engines which have really boosted their seaweed production and sales,” Ms Waibuta said.

 

She said the first harvest year was last year whereby a total of 8 tonnes of seaweed were harvested and sold to a Chinese company from Suva.

 

This resulted in farmers raking in more than 7 thousand dollars in the sales of their dried seaweed,” Ms Waibuta said.

 

The production of seaweed has enable farmers in the province to have an alternative short term product rather than relying totally of yaqona which is a long term crop.

 

Seaweed is in demand overseas and Fiji has the capacity to produce 300 tonnes of dried seaweed per month but the total demand for dried seaweed in the Chinese markets is 5000 tonnes per month.

 

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