Author: TMC Palau
[File Photo] The term “Fijian” is a colonial construct that does not carry the same cultural and historical meaning as “iTaukei”. Professor Steven Ratuva highlighted this during his submission to the Constitutional Review Commission. Responding to a question from CRC member Ami Kholi on identity and personal identification, Ratuva argued that the two terms represent fundamentally different concepts, with one emerging from Indigenous self-identification and the other from colonial history. CRC Commissioner Ami Kholi questioned Professor Ratuvua on aspects of Identity.Article continues after advertisement “I think you were just about to speak about identity, and we got cut short there;…
[File Photo] The government is encouraging businesses to employ persons with disabilities by taking advantage of new tax incentives. At the launch of Fiji’s Inclusive Employment Guidebook, Minister for Women Sashi Kiran highlighted that employers are eligible for a tax rebate of up to 400 percent when they hire persons with disabilities. Kiran said this measure is one of the strongest in the region and reflects the government’s commitment to building a fairer and more inclusive economy. The Minister stressed that inclusive employment is not only about fairness, but also about tapping into the talents and skills of people with…
[Photo: Bose Vavataga] Farmers in Rakiraki today highlighted several issues affecting them, with the cane payment being the hottest topic of discussion. Farmers told the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry that the cost of planting and harvesting cane has increased, and the current payment is not sufficient to sustain their livelihoods. Prominent Rakiraki sugarcane farmer George Shiu Raj gave a breakdown of rising production costs to justify the industry’s demand for a $ 110-per-ton cane payment. Article continues after advertisement [Photo: Farmers] Shiu Raj warns that high harvesting, cartage, and land rental expenses leave small-holder farmers with as little…
A group of former Pacific prime ministers, presidents and senior diplomats has warned that Pacific Islands countries are at a crossroads as geopolitical competition reshapes the region.This comes after China fired a test nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific on Monday, and amid Australia’s busy campaign of signing security treaties with Pacific countries.The Pacific Elders Voice group warns that growing geopolitical competition in the Pacific is threatening the future of regionalism and the sovereignty of island nations.It also warns that larger neighbours are reframing the Pacific region’s vulnerabilities – including climate change, economic dependence and geographic isolation – as opportunities…
[Photo Credit: Reuters] At the La Esperanza cemetery in western Venezuela, local volunteers have been digging graves for victims of the country’s devastating twin earthquakes last month, unloading coffins and helping families search for loved ones. In the hills above the hard-hit town of Catia la Mar, local volunteers working alongside some cemetery workers have buried 314 people at La Esperanza cemetery, community council head Elis Zabala, 33, said on Tuesday. About 100 of the people who were buried are identified only by a number linked to morgue records. The volunteers are performing jobs often handled by government teams in…
[File Photo] A police officer has been remanded in custody after failing to appear at the Magistrates ‘ Court in Suva yesterday. The officer was expected to appear as a witness in a case involving alleged possession of illicit drugs. The officer had been served a summons to attend the trial but did not show up when the matter was called. The court ruled that his absence was a serious breach, stressing the importance of witness testimony in drug-related cases.Article continues after advertisement As proceedings for the mentioned case continue, the officer is now expected to appear in court on…
Tonga has become the 179th state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).The ratification was formalised on Tuesday at a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York.Tonga’s permanent representative to the UN Viliami Va’inga Tōnē said this is just a legal formality but a statement of who they are and what they stand for.”The Pacific has felt the pain of nuclear testing. Ratifying the CTBT is our contribution to ensuring that no one, anywhere, has to go through that again,” he said.The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) said the ratification reflects Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa…
[Photo Credit: Reuters] Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), opens new tab on Tuesday flagged a 19-fold jump in second-quarter operating profit, surpassing its combined earnings over the past three years, but investors wiped more than $80 billion off its market value on concerns over how long the AI bonanza will last. While Samsung has benefited massively from the AI data centre boom that has propelled memory chip prices to record highs, the outlook for chipmakers has been clouded by worries U.S. tech giants may slow their infrastructure plans and curb chip demand. Samsung estimated April-June operating profit at 89.4 trillion won ($58.44…
[Photo Credit: Reuters] Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab said in a court filing on Monday that four states were seeking $1.4 trillion in penalties over accusations the company designed its Facebook and Instagram platforms to addict young users and misled the public about their safety. Meta put forward the figure in its response to the attorneys general’s filings on how penalties should be calculated if the states prevailed at trial. The number, which has not previously been disclosed and is close to Meta’s market capitalization of around $1.5 trillion, comes ahead of an August trial in Oakland, California, over…
More than half of the structures on Rota, one of the Commonweswlth of the Northern Mariana Islands, have sustained some form of damage after Super Typhoon Bavi tore across the island, according to mayor Aubry Hocog.Officials are racing to restore water services while warning that electricity may not return for months.Following an initial drive around the island on 7 July, Hocog said the devastation extended beyond homes to government buildings and public facilities.”I would even say more than like 50 percent of our island has undergone damages and it could be more.”She said many residents living in concrete homes still…