The Fiji Times
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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Young lives at risk
FIJI is recording up to 30 new childhood cancer cases each year, with 13 children currently undergoing treatment at Colonial War Memorial Hospital as specialists warn that many are reaching hospital only after their disease has advanced. Late...
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BEYOND THE POLITICAL NOISE
There was a time when I believed Parliament was a place where words carried weight. Perhaps that belief came from childhood, when every debate sounded consequential. Growing up in Kashmir, Lautoka, I did not understand government machinery, but I...
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HIV crisis a ‘time bomb’
FIJI is facing an HIV “time bomb”, with every classroom potentially having a child living with HIV within the next decade if prevention efforts fail. Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa issued this warning as the country confronts a rapidly...
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Grounded in faith
FMF 2026 Hibiscus contestant Temalesi Vakatawa Alutakua at Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva.
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Security crisis!
FIJI’S security guards are calling for urgent reforms to end exploitation and improve conditions across the industry. Workers face long hours, low pay, high turnover and safety concerns, while thousands of operators remain outside the formal licensing...
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THE VOICE OF CHANGE
FMF 2026 Hibiscus contestant Nicole Matavesi at Thurston Gardens in Suva. Report on
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BLOOMING CONFIDENCE ...
FIJIANS should think about their health before they have a reason to worry about it. That is the message 21-year-old Kali Shaw hopes to take across the country as a contestant in the upcoming 70th Hibiscus Festival, where her advocacy is focused on...
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Ra High stun title holders...
Ratu Kadavulevu School’s Jovesa Korovulavula loses possession as Ra High School defenders bring him down during their Vodafone FSSRU Super Deans U18 quarterfinal clash at Garvey Park in Tavua yesterday. Ra High School edged defending champions Ratu...
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WHO WILL IT BE?
TWELVE women have been unveiled as contestants for the 2026 FMF Hibiscus Festival, marking the beginning of this year’s journey toward the festival crown. The contestants include students, youth leaders, advocates, a journalist and a medical imaging...
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$123m audit
A BOMBSHELL audit into the $123.6million Walesi project has been with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) for more than 12 months, with no charges announced. Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says Government has handed over...
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Kamikamica back as Deputy PM
MANOA Kamikamica is officially back as Deputy Prime Minister. He was sworn in yesterday after a Suva court cleared him of all FICAC criminal charges. Mr Kamikamica resigned last October to defend his name.
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Back at the top
FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica will be reinstated to his Cabinet post after the Suva Magistrate’s Court acquitted him of all corruptionrelated charges yesterday afternoon. Resident Magistrate Charles Ratakele dismissed the perjury and...
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Miracle at sea
A FIJIAN medical team stranded at sea for 36 hours on a wooden plank was miraculously rescued after a mysterious light guided a search vessel directly to them. Captain Adriano Rabolabiu of the Lomaiviti Princess XII diverted to assist the search,...
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Ocean heat alert
PACIFIC nations have been placed on high alert following a stark United Nations warning of unprecedented ocean warming, with sea surface temperatures surging nearly 3 degrees Celsius above normal. Rising temperatures are expected to threaten island...
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From to joy
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 to 3301521.
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Missing six found
A SIX-MEMBER medical outreach team missing for more than 24 hours in the treacherous Lau waters was dramatically rescued last evening. The team — comprising a medical officer, dental officer, charge nurse, peer educator, health inspector and dental...
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NCD crisis
EVERY 8.5 hours, a Fijian loses a limb to diabetes, while seven people die every day from heart attacks linked to the country’s worsening noncommunicable disease crisis. New Ministry of Health data paints a grim picture of an epidemic that is no...
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Call to block porn
CALLS to block online pornography have surfaced again as authorities battle a horrifying rise in domestic sexual offences. Citing a rise in family-related violence, a Nadi based police of cer reported that a community meeting advocated for...
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