Author: TMC Palau
[File Photo] The Fiji Sugar Corporation is warning that sugar stocks could run out by the end of the month if harvesting does not pick up quickly, as delays in farmer readiness continue to slow the start of the crushing season. Appearing before the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, Chief Operating Officer Mikaele Daukoto stated that mill operations have been delayed due to extremely low cane delivery readiness, with some areas recording as little as 4 percent Memorandum of Gang Agreement submissions compared to around 60 percent last year. Daukoto says the situation is placing pressure on national supply. “We…
[Photo: FILE] Businesses and property owners could soon face significantly higher penalties for breaching public health laws. These fines have been proposed to increase from as little as $20 to as much as $5,000 under the Public Health Amendment Bill. The proposed increase was highlighted during a parliamentary standing committee hearing, where the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation raised concerns about the scale of the new penalties and their impact on smaller operators. Permanent Secretary Salanieta Daunabuna says while stronger enforcement is important, consideration should be given to the varying sizes and capacities of businesses, particularly within the tourism…
[Photo: FILE] The Suva Magistrate’s Court will deliver its ruling next Tuesday in the case involving Imran Khan, also known as King Khan. It was scheduled to be delivered today, but Resident Magistrate Yogesh Prasad said the judgment was not ready. Khan is charged with one count of possession of illicit drugs. He is alleged to have been found with 4.1 grams of illicit substances. He appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court this morning. Prosecutor Bhavna Kantaria appeared for the State.Article continues after advertisement Khan had been on bail, but he has since been remanded after he pleaded guilty in…
All 20 Indians aboard the vessel invovled in the latest indident are safe, an Indian shipping ministry official said.Three Indian sailors are confirmed killed as the country reports a separate incident involving a vessel off Shinas port in Oman, the third attack linked to the United States this week.The latest maritime incident against Guinea-Bissau flagged MT Jalveer came the day after the US military fired on a Palau-flagged MT Settebello, also off the coast of Oman.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listSettebello had 24 Indian sailors on board; three who were reported missing on Wednesday were confirmed killed on…
Ratu Rakuro Daunivavana (far right) with his Australian Welterweight belt and his team at the Nadi International Airport yesterday. Newly crowned Australian Welterweight Champion Ratu Rakuro Daunivavana has returned home after making history earlier this week. The 29-year-old arrived at Nadi International Airport yesterday following his title-winning performance in Brisbane, Australia. Known as the “Buca Bay Prince,” Daunivavana defeated Brisbane’s Yungu Yanner by technical knockout (TKO), producing one of the finest performances of his decade-long boxing career. The victory earned him the Australian Welterweight title and further cemented his status as one of Fiji’s leading professional boxers.Article continues after advertisement…
The president of the East Coast Fishing Boat Owners Association, Janakiram, has stated that the United States military was responsible for the deaths of Indian sailors, including a chief engineer from Visakhapatnam, in an attack on the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello. Janakiram questioned the circumstances of the incident, noting that the vessel was not Indian and was not part of any military or coast guard operation. “But why did the US military attack a commercial vessel? It is neither an Indian ship nor a military or Coast Guard vessel,” he said. He also expressed concern about India–US relations following…
[Photo: FILE] Calls are growing for minimum qualification standards for Members of Parliament, including a basic education requirement for candidates. The concerns were raised during nationwide electoral reform consultations, Electoral Commission Chair Usaia Ratuvili told the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence while presenting the 2023–2024 Annual Reports. He said participants believe such standards could improve leadership, strengthen decision-making in Parliament and enhance accountability. They also say it could support more effective governance. “And another thing that kept coming was that they wanted the minimum age for voters to be raised. They’re saying 18 years old is too immature…
By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net It took much more effort than in the first match, but Barca didn’t falter and secured a 2-0 lead in the semifinals. A home victory against La Laguna Tenerife by 97-89 earned the Blaugranas the right to reach the final in Tenerife. And all of this happened after surviving a hurricane named Patty Mills, who with 36 points, spread panic at the Palau. Vesely (19 points) was the top scorer in the Blaugrana’s team effort: Punter (15), Fall (16), Clyburn (14), and Laprovittola (13) were also key players. That the game was going to be very…
[Photo: FILE] McDonald’s Fijian Drua Women’s head coach Mike Legge says the side is building momentum ahead of their first home game of the season against the Western Force in Lautoka tomorrow. With just one day to go before kickoff, Legge believes the team is responding positively after a demanding week. He says the focus has been on honesty, intensity and preparation. “The girls had a really honest and open review yesterday, followed by two pretty brutal sessions on the field.” He adds that the response from the squad has been encouraging, describing the latest outing as one of their…
I have been talking about this since around 2015, long before recent news about Nauru considering a return to its original name, Naoero, and long before the re-emergence of conversations in Fiji about reclaiming its Indigenous name, Viti. But perhaps now is a good time to raise it again and keep the conversation alive. This piece is intended to provide an informed and critically grounded discussion on the near-complete absence of any serious debate over naming, identity and decolonisation in Kiribati. At a time when countries across the Pacific and around the world are increasingly re-examining the colonial foundations of…