The Fiji Times
Big race! MELBOURNE CUP FIELD AND COMMENTS — INSIDE
OUTLETS CENTRAL: Vanua Arcade, Dolphins Plaza, My FNPF Plaza, MHCC Suva, Max Value Superfresh, Max Value Premium, RB Patel Centerpoint, Kundan Singh – Tamavua, GPH FFW, Fiji Club, Royal Suva Yacht Club, United Club, Nausori Club, Uprising Resort,...
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PM stands firm
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has declared that the Government will “face the wall” over the proposed Constitution Amendment Bill 32, refusing to make “face-saving moves” despite an obvious Coalition split. The National Federation Party’s exit from...
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Coalition at odds
DIVISION among the threepronged Coalition Government has deepened over the proposed Constitution Amendment Bill 32 of 2026 ahead of next week’s parliamentary vote. National Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad has called on The...
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Get it to the people
LET the people decide. That’s the call from the Vanua ko Lau to Parliament, urging lawmakers to give the people of Fiji the final say on the proposed constitutional amendments, and to advance the Bill to a national referendum. It said if approved at...
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DPM warns of risks
DEPUTY Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica has cautioned that removing immunity provisions could have far-reaching implications for Fiji, potentially exposing Government officials, police, judicial officers and military personnel to legal action over past...
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Gavoka ‘devastated’
SODELPA’s rejection of the draft Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2026 has triggered a fresh internal rift, with Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka warning that the decision could cause irreparable damage to the party. Mr Gavoka said he was...
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Who is the boss?
SILENCE from the Judicial Services Commission over the status of Acting FICAC Commissioner Lavi Rokoika is fuelling questions about leadership and accountability at the country’s anti-corruption watchdog. Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu is demanding...
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‘Probe drug links’
AUTHORITIES must urgently investigate suspected links between drugs and the recent deaths of young people before the situation escalates, Savusavu resident Emosi Rakai told the Special Committee on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026. He called for...
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PROF BIMAN DISMISSES DOUBTS NFP ready for poll
THE National Federation Party (NFP) is confident it will be a key player in the next Parliament, with party leader Professor Biman Prasad declaring the party is fully prepared for the next general election despite uncertainty over the participation of...
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Bill on brink of collapse
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has warned the Constitution (Amendment) Bill could fail, the referendum shelved and the Coalition dismantled if the Government cannot secure the required majority. The warning comes as SODELPA refuses to support the...
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Stop Bill bid fails
forward, dismissing independent MP Ketan Lal’s bid to stop the process. Justice Dane Tuiqereqere ruled that despite serious questions over Parliament’s voting process, halting the Bill would cause widespread prejudice. However, with a third reading...
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Dam runs low
MEN hold 90.9 per cent of seats in Fiji’s Parliament, leaving women with just 9.1 per cent of the nation’s political voice. Fiji Women’s Practice Parliament Prime Minister Annie Rogers has challenged the imbalance, warning that Fiji is paying a price...
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FICAC post in limbo?
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the appointment of a substantive Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Commissioner does not fall directly under his responsibility, as uncertainty continues over the recruitment process and the...
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No threat to dunes
THE Sigatoka Sand Dunes are not under threat from mining, Lands Minister Filimoni Vosarogo says, stressing that a proposed iron sands project remains at the exploration stage, with no mining licence issued. He said only exploration licences have been...
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Where is the FICAC chief?
THE whereabouts of Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) Acting Commissioner Lavinia Rokoika remain unknown a month on, with the anti-corruption watchdog yet to clarify who is overseeing its operations or respond to emails from this...
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RABUKA DEFENDS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PUSH PM takes firm stand
PRIME MINISTER Sitiveni Rabuka has firmly defended his Coalition Government’s drive to amend Fiji’s 2013 Constitution, insisting parliamentary reform from within is the only legitimate path forward. Rejecting claims that the push lacks democratic...
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Breakfast plans end in heartbreak
A FAMILY picture, taken before he left home, is now a treasured memory of a father who never returned. Police officer Atonio Peni Nagata, 26, was heading to Navua to buy ingredients for a homemade pie when a fatal road crash cut short his life. His...
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Turaga resigns
nThe Fiji Times endeavours at all times to publish articles which are accurate and fair. If you have a complaint about a report that appeared in publication please write to Complaints, GPO Box 1167, Suva Fiji; email: [email protected] or fax...
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Who pays $700m?
THE Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) has warned that meeting the full demands of some former pensioners could cost nearly $700million, threatening the retirement savings of more than 440,000 members. The fund says the potential liability, subject...
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‘He’s their superhero’
BEHIND Setareki Bituniyata’s rise in international rugby is a family few people get to see. In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, his wife, Keilani, opens up about raising their two boys in France, coping with injuries and challenges far...
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E
VERY year as October 10 approaches, a familiar sense of pride, joy, and deep reflection sweeps across our beloved islands. For me, this time has traditionally been marked by a deeply cherished personal ritual: celebrating our nation’s independence...
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Not set in stone
FORMER supervisor of elections Jon Apted says while Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka can announce a referendum date to give time for preparation, he should have made it clear that the date was conditional on Parliament first passing the Constitution...
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Early notice vital
FIJI has committed over $22.4million over five years to the Pacific Resilience Facility, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka announced at the Pre-COP31 Leaders Plenary Session in Nadi. Designed to deliver debtfree climate adaptation and disaster...
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PM jumping the gun
IS Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka getting ahead of the Constitution itself? That is the question being raised by political party leaders after Mr Rabuka announced a December 9 referendum while the Constitution Amendment Bill is still to go through...
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Referendum date set
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has reaffirmed December 9, 2026, for a national referendum on a proposed constitution, urging peaceful and informed participation across the country. Citizens are to cast a simple “yes” or “no” on two questions regarding...
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$1.23b on the move
FIJI’s towns and cities are experiencing a development boom, with 124 major projects worth approximately $1.23billion approved between August 2025 and July 2026. The Central Division led with 72 projects worth $757.6million, followed by the Western...
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Staff sent on leave
THE investigation into the disappearance of 50 kilograms of cocaine from the High Court in Suva has intensi ed, with staff being sent on leave. Acting Attorney-General and Justice Minister Siromi Turaga con rmed Chief Justice Salesi Temo gave the...
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New twist in ‘coke’ swap
A RECENTLY dismissed judiciary employee is adding another twist to the growing cocaine vault mystery. The former employee, alleged to have a criminal conviction, is reportedly linked to a key suspect. As police investigate the disappearance of nearly...
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Prison call before heist
A CALL from Maximum Prison allegedly set in motion the theft earlier this year of drugs and cash involving a judiciary officer. Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga revealed this incident in Lautoka as police announced six members of the judiciary as...
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‘It is a concern’
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has described the disappearance and tampering of cocaine exhibits from the High Court in Suva as “very, very damaging, very concerning and embarrassing”, as police con rmed all remaining exhibits had been tampered...
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‘Don’t dismiss chiefs’ views’
TUI NAYAU Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara has warned against dismissing the views of more than 500,000 iTaukei represented in the Great Council of Chiefs’ constitutional consultation. With Parliament set to debate the Constitution Review Commission’s...
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Families in mourning
TWO families are in mourning after two teenage girls drowned in a river at Deepwater Settlement, Korovou, while diving for fresh water mussels last Friday. The bodies of Ahanasel Jeet, 15, and an 18-year-old believed to be Anshika Prasad were...
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Highlands run dry
THE higher the road climbs into Navosa’s highland, the more the landscape tells a story of water running out. Rivers and streams have started to shrink or disappear, elds have turned brown and cattle are struggling to nd grass and drinking...
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Rare feat
MICROFINANCE network South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) Fiji has set an ambitious target to disburse more than $250million in loans by the 2027 fiscal year. SPBD general manager Nitesh Sinha revealed this to in an interview at the opening of...
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Fact or fiction
REPUBLIC of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) officers of all ranks could be subjected to prosecution following recommendations made in the Constitution Review Commission report proposing sweeping changes such as the establishment of a military court that...
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Make it secure – PM
WHAT was meant to be secure may not have been so after all. Questions are now being raised over the security of evidence held by the courts after seven bars of cocaine allegedly disappeared from the High Court’s exhibit room in Suva, prompting Prime...
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The big reset
FIJI stands at a historic crossroads as Parliament prepares to consider a massive constitutional blueprint tabled before Government and the Opposition yesterday. The 236-page report by the Constitution Review Commission outlines key provisions that...
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Exhibits at risk
PACIFIC Islands News Association president Kala Moala says Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his Government are aligned with the regional media’s vision of preserving media freedom and accountability. Ahead of the 8th PINA Summit, Moala...
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Taps run dry
postpartum depression, raising serious concerns about a gap in maternal healthcare. The study of 325 mothers found 108 had elevated THOUSANDS face possible water disruptions in Labasa as prolonged dry conditions continue to choke key water sources,...
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West Tigers in final
SARU Dragons will meet Navy Albatross in the grand nal of the Vodafone Cup next Saturday, after beating Nadera Panthers 20-10 in their Vodafone Cup semifinal at Buckhurst Park in Suva yesterday. Despite losing prop Simon Kotoilekeba to a red card, the...
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Hands off State land
COMPANIES caught illegally occupying or exploiting State land could face nes of up to $1million under sweeping proposed reforms to Fiji’s 81-year-old State Lands Act. Individuals could face nes of up to $250,000 and up to ve years’ jail, while...
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‘I want them in jail’
CHIEF Justice Salesi Temo has vowed to pursue whoever is responsible for seven cocaine bars that disappeared from the High Court in Suva exhibit room. Justice Temo said protecting the courthouse was his responsibility and hoped police would identify...
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‘Coke bars’ missing
THE extraordinary disappearance of seven cocaine bars from a total of 39 held by the High Court in Suva has triggered serious questions over court security, accountability and how highrisk evidence could go missing. The exhibits were linked to a...
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Fiji wins opener
COMMERCIAL banking system liquidity stood at approximately $2.1billion as of August 28 this year, the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) has reported in its August economic review. This has created highly supportive financial conditions that have helped kept...
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Pushed to the brink
ALONE, with no second opinion or backup, doctors are being pushed to make critical, potentially life-or-death decisions without adequate support, staff or diagnostic services. Some are carrying entire subdivisional hospitals overnight, while others...
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Youngest TB-HIV case
A TWO-MONTH-OLD baby has become Fiji’s youngest known patient living with tuberculosis and HIV co-infection, exposing critical gaps in community screening. The diagnosis comes amid rising health concerns nationwide, with health authorities con rming...
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REPORT: Poverty fuels divide
A MAJOR electoral review warns Fiji’s widening ethnic poverty gap could have serious political consequences, creating fertile ground for ethno-nationalist sentiment and social unrest. The report by the Electoral Legislation Review Commission that was...
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‘Training essential’
FORMER educationist Susana Tuisawau says university graduates who want to teach must complete essential education units, warning that subject degrees alone are not enough to address Fiji’s literacy crisis. Ms Tuisawau said calls to move secondary...
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Dry spell sparks alert
FIJI’S prolonged dry spell is putting power supply under pressure as falling water levels at Monasavu Dam threaten hydroelectric generation. Energy Fiji Limited’s hydro system supplied electricity to about 227,607 customers in 2025, most of them...
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Alcohol and sex
ALCOHOL-FUELLED sex could be putting more Fijians at risk of HIV, as drinking can impair judgment and lead to unprotected sex, a UNAIDS HIV adviser warns. Renata Ram says sexual transmission remains the primary way HIV spreads in Fiji, despite growing...
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Inquiry call into police
THE Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) has renewed its call for a commission of inquiry into the Fiji Police Force, warning that weak independent oversight could leave police power unchecked. FCOSS program manager Josaia Tokoni made the call...
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Scam surge
A 23-YEAR-OLD unemployed man allegedly posed as pastors on Facebook, using their names and photographs to solicit money from unsuspecting churchgoers and overseas relatives. Uraia Ratulevu appeared in the Lautoka Magistrate’s Court yesterday facing...
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QUEENS OF THE NORTH ...
Miss Labasa Divisional Hospital Isabella Raidriwa,centre, after being crowned Vodafone Miss Friendly North 2026 with first runner-up and Best Traditional Attire winner Miss Galaxy Hotels and Rentals Selai Qarauna, left, and second runner-up and Miss...
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She’s the queen
SHE took it. At 23, Sala Korosaya took home the FMF Hibiscus Festival 2026 crown after a week that showcased her leadership, culture and connection to family. The Miss MHCC & Carpenters Tower contestant, USP Law Students Association president and...
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Working for free
A BIZARRE money scam has reportedly swept through communities, with more than 60 people allegedly handing over hair and photographs after being promised cash from America — supposedly arriving by helicopter. Police have con rmed receiving reports and...
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FTUC slams Government
THE Fiji Trades Union Congress (FTUC) has red a warning shot at Government over its decision to ease rules for foreign workers, accusing authorities of opening the oodgates while Fijians struggle for decent jobs. FTUC says the temporary changes were...
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Report may go public
FIJIANS could soon have online access to the Constitution Review Commission’s recommendations, with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka saying the report may be made public after Cabinet considers it. The prospect of public release comes as calls...
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Voice of the people
PRIME Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the Constitutional Review Commission report is the voice of Fijians who took the time and the effort to make submissions. Amid growing speculation and commentary over its contents, he said it was not Government’s...
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Forensic twist
FRESH forensic results from New Zealand have put the investigation into police constable Peni Racagi’s death back in the spotlight. The ndings have been returned to Fiji and the case le is now with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for...
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Care before cash
PUBLIC hospitals in Fiji are legally barred from demanding upfront payments or nancial guarantees from patients admitted because of medical urgency or poverty following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on August 28. Delivering the unanimous judgment,...
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Faith beyond boundaries
VASEVA Rokotiko knows what it’s like to be caught in the whirlwind of friends, parties, alcohol, smoking, and drugs. But at 25, she has taken a path few might have expected — leaving behind the life she once knew and embracing the Hare Krishna...
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Drugs on credit
DRUG dealers are cutting prices and offering drugs on credit, making it easier for users to get hooked and harder to break free. Rainbow Pride Foundation is calling for urgent decisive action by Government on the proposed needle and syringe exchange...
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Church rejects race claims
THE Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma has denied claims that race was behind Reverend Dr Anil Reuben being overlooked for its top leadership positions, but questions remain over why the senior minister has not progressed to general secretary or...
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Bad advice, big bill
BAD legal advice may have made a costly Commission of Inquiry even more expensive, says Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube. While defending the decision to establish the inquiry into former FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali’s appointment, he...
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Emi wants to be a voice of hope for other women
QUESTIONS remain. That is the view of Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry, who said the High Court may have struck down the Commission of Inquiry report into Barbara Malimali’s FICAC appointment, but it has not erased the questions that...
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Judge talks about ‘bias’
HIGH Court judge Justice Dane Tuiqereqere found Commission of Inquiry chairman Justice David Ashton-Lewis had “apparently made up his mind” that improper interference existed in Barbara Malimali’s appointment. He said repeated references to nding...
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A voice for hope
FMF Hibiscus contestant Miss Grace Road Keren Koroi strikes a pose with a beautiful smile at Thurston Gardens in Suva.
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