The Fiji Times

Fields of despair

THE backbone of Fiji’s historic sugar industry is on the verge of collapse as high transport costs, and the closure of tramlines leave a devastating trail of abandoned, empty fields across the Western Division. Sowani Veremalua Tovata, a...

The defining storyli

WHEN the groundbreaking Nations Championship kicks off this weekend, international rugby enters a bold new frontier. Every summer tour and autumn test now acts as a high-stakes group match, building toward a spectacular three-day, multi-game Finals...

‘Remove immunity’

THE Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has made a historic submission to the Constitutional Review Commission, calling for the removal of immunity provisions in Fiji’s 2013 Constitution with Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai saying Fiji...

Bitter start

A BITTER start marked the delayed opening of Fiji’s 2026 sugar crushing season as the industry suffered a double blow on day one. Operations at the Lautoka, Rarawai, and Labasa mills ground to a near-halt because of a severe shortage of cane and sudden...

Rise of women in the force

THE Fiji Police Force is breaking barriers with 1253 women officers, including 81 in senior leadership roles. Following the release of a new Gender Barrier Assessment Report in Suva, Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu pledged to continue promoting...

‘Decision imminent’

PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has signalled that a decision on the future of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai is imminent, as the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC) weighs submissions ahead of his...

$1billion shortfall

THE Government will borrow a staggering $1.4billion in the 2026-2027 financial year to plug a $1.045billion net budget deficit, repay maturing debt and bankroll major capital projects as it grapples with what officials describe as an economic...

Party unveils poll hopefuls

THE Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) has taken its rst major step towards the next general election, unveiling 23 candidates as it seeks to rebuild under leader Aseri Radrodro. The line-up blends experienced politicians with new faces,...

Budget’s true

For more updates visit our website www. jitimes.com FOR now, the success of Government’s latest national budget (FY 2026-2027) theme: “A responsible budget for a sustainable future” will have to remain on the shelf as a possibility that may or may not...

ON THE MOVE

Members of the Third Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment on a route march from Wailoku early yesterday morning as part of Day 4 of Infantry Week activities in Suva.

Focus on real needs

THE Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) is warning against the use of public funds for political gain as the country moves closer to the next general election, urging Government to focus the national budget on the real needs of ordinary...

Fuel subsidy backlash

A $5MILLION government fuel subsidy has sparked intense debate over the survival of Fiji’s sugar sector as Bucaisau Cooperative president Firoz Ali warns the relief excludes rail-reliant farmers, forcing many to delay harvests amid soaring production...

Maritime drug crisis

FIJI could be breeding a dangerous new generation of drug dealers if immediate, funded action is not taken to combat the maritime narcotics crisis, warns Tui Nayau Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara. Demanding an urgent meeting of the National Security...

Officers under probe

THREE Labasa police officers are under investigation for allegedly accepting a bribe from a suspect held in custody. The snap bribery probe ordered by Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu after a fellow officer blew the whistle has triggered a...

Tight contest!

Labasa’s Rex Naime tries to make his way through the Navua defence during the second day of the 2026 BIC Fiji FACT tournament at Subrail Park in Labasa last night. Both teams were locked nil-all at halftime when this edition went to press.

Ready to serve

... Police Constable Jekope Viaviaturaga, recipient of the prestigious Baton of Honour, dedicated his achievement to his family after joining the force to inspire positive change and combat crime in his home village of Loa, Cakaudrove on Vanua Levu.

Another WC upset

PORTUGAL forward Cristiano Ronaldo’s two second-half misses against the Democratic Republic of Congo and a mostly anonymous display did little to dissuade those who feel he is past his prime and not the man to lead his country to World Cup success....

MESSI MAGIC

LIONEL Messi scored three goals in his team’s 3-nil win over Algeria at the FIFA World Cup in USA yesterday. Messi, appearing in his sixth World Cup, became the tied all-time FIFA World Cup top goal scorer with Miroslav Klose on 16 goals each.

Drug fight boost

WITH illicit drugs continuing to wash up on Fiji’s shores and concerns growing over trafficking routes through the Lau Group and other remote maritime areas, efforts to strengthen surveillance at sea have taken on greater urgency. Against this...

Reject coup makers

UNITY Fiji leader Savenaca Narube has vowed to remove constitutional immunity provisions and urged Fijians to stop electing coup makers, declaring that accountability and leadership reform would be central to his party’s election campaign. In a...

Narube attacks Aiyaz, Biman

UNITY Fiji Party leader Savenaca Narube has criticised former minister Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum and current Minister Professor Biman Prasad, stating that both failed to move Fiji’s economy forward based on economic data. Speaking on The Fiji Times’ online...

Islands on drug watch

Drua fight back ... McDonald’s Fijian Drua Women player Josivini Naihamu in action against Western Force during their Super W match at Churchill Park in Lautoka yesterday. The Drua Women edged the Force Women 29–24. THE waters around Lau have been...

Crisis hits students

FIJI’s fuel crisis may now be reshaping the school academic year. A Ministry of Education circular directing schools to complete all curriculum by the end of Term 2 has triggered questions over what remains for Term 3 and whether students will return...

Army role set out

THE death of Jone Vakarisi serves as a critical turning point for Fiji’s security forces, prompting clearer operational roles between the military and police. Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua says the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) is now...

Ali flags rising debt pressure

GOVERNMENT’S ability to support the economy during periods of slower growth is becoming increasingly constrained as public debt and government spending continue to rise, says Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Ariff Ali. Speaking at the State of the Fijian...

194 intern doctors left in limbo

A TOTAL of 194 intern doctors across Fiji face an anxious, uncertain future as delays in official postings leave them in professional limbo. Labasa Hospital’s intern representative Dr Maca Ratabua warns that the crisis spans Suva, Lautoka, and Labasa,...

Hope for minor offence convicts

A CONVICTION for a minor offence committed decades ago can continue to haunt a person long after they have served their punishment, shutting them out of jobs, overseas opportunities and a fresh start. Now, Fiji is taking a bold step to change...

Drug fight setback

FIJI’S fight against the growing drug epidemic is being hampered by a severe shortage of mental health specialists, with just 10 doctors at Saint Giles Hospital tasked with providing specialist mental healthcare for the entire country.

Nth heading into 7s finale

for the series as it continued to unfold onward into the World Championships afterwards and this season. Having been in the job for more than a year and understanding an evolving team like the Fijiana, Walker affirmed in January this year how the...

Sa’ar on protesters

The Fiji Times Facebook Page ISRAELI Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says pro-Palestinian protesters are driven by an agenda to “destroy the Jewish state”, while also defending Israel’s military operations in Gaza and blaming Hamas for civilian...

PRIME MINISTER SITIVENI RABUKA: No troops for Israel

FIJI will not send troops or become involved in any of Israel’s ongoing con icts, says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, drawing a clear line between friendship and military engagement. The assurance as Israel opened its embassy in Suva yesterday, comes...

Call for early medical attention

KADAVU residents are delaying treatment until conditions become critical. Mata ni Tikina o Tavuki, Viliame Laugasau, says too many patients are arriving at medical centres were already in severe condition, limiting treatment options and increasing the...

Fuel, gas prices soar

FIJIANS woke up to the highest fuel prices in history today. Driven by Middle East geopolitical tensions, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) confirmed massive hikes. Motor spirit and diesel face the biggest increases, with both...

No time to mourn

“IT is a sad reality we are living in.” That is how mata ni tikina o Tavuki in Kadavu, Viliame Laugasau described the situation facing families on the island, where residents have been forced to bury their loved ones on the same day they die because...

Fiji eyes strong Valla

THE spotlight is once again on the Fiji national rugby sevens team and the Fiji women's national rugby sevens team as both teams compete in the inaugural Valladolid Sevens in Spain, a tournament that could prove crucial in shaping the direction of Fiji...

One for pride

15 GAMES down and now just one to go. Sadly, the Fijian Drua won’t be contesting the play-offs, and tonight’s clash with the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane will bring down the curtain on their fth season. Unfortunately, they didn’t...

Child sold for sex claim

A DESPERATE call to rescue a teenage girl allegedly being prostituted by her own family was made at the Nasinu Women’s Forum yesterday. Margaret Bennion alleged the girl was being sold for cash by her mother and said repeated appeals to Child Helpline...

Drugs on wheels

ALLEGATIONS that police vehicles are being used in drug-related activity surfaced at a women’s meeting in Lami yesterday, raising fresh concerns over corruption within enforcement agencies. Lami Police crime prevention officer Tevita Qounadovu Nawatu...

MPs get telling-off

MEMBERS of Parliament copped a rare public rebuke yesterday when Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko blasted the MPs for chronic absenteeism, lateness and failing the people who elected them. Opening Parliament yesterday, he gave them a dressing...

Tip-off leads to drug raid

A JOINT counter-narcotics operation in the Western Division yesterday targeted alleged drug-related activities at a residential property in Legalega, Nadi. The raid was conducted at about 9am by the Joint Counter Narcotics Task Force comprising...

HIV fight under threat

FIJI has sounded an urgent warning to the world that climate change is fueling a dangerous public health crisis, with cyclones, flooding and supply disruptions now threatening the country’s ability to contain soaring HIV and tuberculosis...

All on the line

WORLD Rugby has launched a bold new six-year strategy to unite rugby and grow investment into the sport. A plan by the game, for the game, it sets out a clear, ambitious, and realistic plan to ensure rugby continues to thrive within a rapidly changing...

PM’s move sparks mixed reactions

PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s decision to defer the long-awaited local government elections until after the next general election has sparked mixed reactions, with Government defending the move as an economic necessity while ratepayers and business...

Nations unite

PACIFIC nations have launched an unprecedented regional push against organised crime, warning that drug trafficking, money laundering and cybercrime are outpacing national borders and overwhelming isolated policing efforts. This, after regional...

Race against time

PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says Government is racing to avert possible nationwide power rationing as it works with Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) ahead of a critical May 22 deadline over fuel recovery support. EFL has warned that failure to secure...

Babies face eye damage

MORE premature babies in Fiji are developing serious eye damage after COVID, with some requiring injections in both eyes to prevent blindness, according to Island Medical Centre director and consultant ophthalmologist Dr Shereen Aiyub. Speaking at the...

‘Stop or face the law’

DRUG dealers in the Western Division have been warned by Republic of the Fiji Military Forces Joint Taskforce Black Rock Camp Commander Brigadier General Manoa Gadai that no one will be spared by the law. Following the official launch of the Joint...

Fiji’s risky trend

A SILENT health crisis is tightening its grip on Fiji’s younger generation. New findings from the Ministry of Health reveal alarming increases in smoking and alcohol consumption among young adults, raising fears about the nation’s future...

Time to deliver

Legacy lives

THE story of the Girmitiyas remains one of the most heartbreaking chapters in the history of the Pacific. Drawn from India by promises of work and opportunity, thousands of labourers crossed dangerous oceans only to face years of suffering on...

Nothing to fear

THE police and the military have one mission, and that is to dismantle drug networks and restore public safety through intelligence-led joint operations now expanding across the country. Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said this as he called on...

Act now on youth

FIJI risks losing a generation of young people to unemployment, drugs and social instability unless urgent action is taken to create meaningful jobs and opportunities. World Bank economists yesterday warned that at least 19 per cent of Fijian youths...

‘Social media not lawless’

SOCIAL media is not a lawless space. That is the warning from Online Safety Commissioner Filipe Batiwale as serious allegations against senior members of the Fiji Police Force continue to circulate online, initiated by an Australian social media...

‘We are at fault’

“WE are at fault, and we must be accountable for that.” Those were the sobering words of RFMF Commander Ro Jone Kalouniwai following the death of Jone Vakarisi in military custody — a statement that has placed accountability, discipline and public...

Goodbye!

ACROSS Fiji today, many mothers will wake to flowers, laughter and family celebrations. But inside several homes, Mother’s Day has arrived with silence and heartbreak. Two weeks after nine fishermen vanished at sea, their families continue to wait...

Pending evidence

SERIOUS questions were raised in the High Court in Suva yesterday over the way police were handling the alleged murder case of police constable Peniasi Racagi, after key evidence remained outstanding months after charges were laid. Presiding judge...

Money delays relocation

“BIG boxes” packed with investigation les linked to 11 senior police officers could take prosecutors more than seven months to comb through, before it is known whether criminal charges will follow. The les, submitted to the Office of the Director of...

$47m fuel help

AUSTRALIA has given $A30million ($F47m) in budget support to help Fiji respond to the current fuel crisis and support wider Pacific fuel supply resilience. The assistance comes as the region faces rising fuel prices linked to global disruptions, with...

FAMILIES OF 9 MISSING FISHERMEN PREPARE FOR FAREWELL RITES

FAMILIES of the nine men lost at sea near Kadavu are now facing a heartbreaking truth. Their loved ones are not coming back. They have begun preparations for the traditional farewell rites, but grief hangs heavy over the families, many still...

Divided loyalty warning

THERE is no room for divided loyalty, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces warned soldiers. Commander Land Force Brigadier General Onisivoro Covunisaqa told troops last Friday that loyalty was non-negotiable and betrayal will be crushed. He said the...

Chief Justice raises alarm

CHIEF Justice Salesi Temo says putting politicians in charge of choosing the Commissioner for FICAC would be “the biggest disaster”. His warning came before Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka con rmed that a recommendation is now before the Constitutional...

QVS claims glory

QUEEN Victoria School won the boys division title after a 33-year lapse at the Coca-Cola Games Championship which ended at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva yesterday. It was a close call in the end as the Tailevu school edged defending champion Marist...

FIJI, AUSTRALIA AND ISRAEL

OPINION

Order in Suva City

SUVA’S streets are growing quieter. Security personnel across the capital say the number of loiterers and street dwellers in the Central Business District has dropped noticeably over the past week, a shift many link to the ongoing joint operation by...

Fuel supply ‘stable’

Picture: SUPPLIED GOVERNMENT has issued another assurance that Fiji’s present fuel stocks are adequate and supply remains stable under normal operating conditions. Parliament was told yesterday that the country’s total fuel stock available on land...

IN POLICE CUSTODY

• - 6pm, 8pm Deluxe at Village 6; 6pm, 8pm at Village 4; 6pm Premium, 8.30pm at Damodar City; 8.30pm Deluxe at Damodar Cinemas Labasa. • 5.30pm Deluxe at Damodar Cinemas Labasa; 8pm at Damodar City; 5.30pm at Village 4. • The Devil Wears Prada 2...

Weight of duty

PARLIAMENT united in prayer and support yesterday for Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua, whose daughter, a police officer, lies in critical condition at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital after a violent, drug-related pursuit in Laqere, Nasinu early...

‘In the dark’

KELEPI Komaisavou could not identify his alleged abusers when he was held in a dark room at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua, Suva, where he was taken alongside four others including the late Jone Vakarisi. Mr Komaisavou claimed he was forced to...

Drua chasing consecut

n REUTERS Haereiti Hetet Zuriel Togiatama Mesake Doge Mesake Vocevoce Temo Mayanavanua (co-c) Etonia Waqa Kitione Salawa Isoa Tuwai Frank Lomani (co-c) Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula Manasa Mataele Virimi Vakatawa MaiBkyaGTRuEiGtuCbLAoRuK Taniela...

Free heart surgery

FOR years, heart patients in Fiji have faced a harsh reality — pay thousands to seek treatment overseas or go without lifesaving care. That will soon end. A free, dedicated adult heart surgery facility by the Sri Madhusudan Sai Global Humanitarian...

‘Cries for mercy’

THE drugs are secure. Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said this as he pushed back against mounting speculation over the handling and risks posed by the $1billion cocaine haul seized at Vatia Wharf early this year. He dismissed claims of tampering...

More taken in

MORE drug suspects are being hauled in for questioning as Police, backed by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, intensify a sweeping nationwide crackdown targeting illicit drugs and the proceeds of crime. Authorities have seized substances and cash...

Security alert

THE Republic of the Fiji Military Forces needs to strengthen its security systems following revelations of unauthorised arms in Fiji, says Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua. This follows the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) recent con rmation of...

Fuel cost a threat — Biman

FORMER Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad warns that rising global fuel costs threaten Fiji with imported inflation, weakened business confidence, and reduced household purchasing power. He urges accelerating the transition to renewable energy...

Death by injuries

THE late Jone Vakarisi did not die of any pre-existing medical condition as earlier suggested by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces while in their custody. Newly-verified medical findings now point to severe injuries as the cause of death, raising...