McDonalds now in Lautoka. Special Coverage on Pages 10-11 VOLUME 6 NO: 9 SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF FIJI WITH PASSION JANUARY 20, 2016 - FEBRUARY 20, 2016 PRICE: 50 CENTS Wedding & Party Equipment Hire / Wedding & Party Decorations DJ MASTER’S Mob: 8422 177 / 8456 743 Our equipment hire include: Marquee’s (Tents), Tables, Chairs, Cooking Pots, Chaffing Dish, Juice Dispenser, Beer & Juice Jugs, Deep Freezer, Sound Systems, B.B.Q Grill Machines, Bridal Sofa, Shahee Chairs, Mandap Chairs,Royal Chairs, Chair Covers, Servers, Portable Bar with Nip Holders, Bar Tenders, Security Guards, Mobile DJ’s, Islanders Entertainment Group Showcasing Live Fire Show. School age Reduction Soroptimist International Lautoka Club members assisting underprivileged students from around Lautoka with necessary school items. Photo: Sanjay Goundar Story: Page 6 Sanjay Goundar “With all this advancements the learning capacity of children is also getting enhanced at a much younger age. GOVERNMENT is contemplating on reducing the age criteria for “Therefore, we are now seriously planning to reduce the enrollment enrollment of students into pre-schools and Year One. age at both preschool and Year 1 level,” he informed. Speaking at the recent Ministry of Education organized public forum Minister Reddy added that despite criticisms government did not in Lautoka, Minister for Education Dr Mahendra Reddy informed that hesitate to bring back external examinations with standardized exam papers government plans to reduce the current enrollment age from five years to all prepared by the Ministry of Education officials. four years for all kindergarten students. “With none of the teachers involved in preparation of the external exam While the enrollment age for Year 1 (Class 1) will be reduced from papers we have also significantly reduced possibilities of paper leakage. current six years to five years old. “Also we will discontinue scaling of marks because we do not want to Dr Reddy stressed that children of this technological era are developing camouflage students and send them into the market. at a very fast pace and are well versed with today’s high tech environment. “By removing scaling students have actually excelled and the raw “Our children from a very young age before entering the school system marks clearly demonstrates the amount of work they have put into their are getting well versed with latest phone and computer gadgets. studies,” he stressed. CITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKA 02 [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 NEWS www.epapergallery.com Rheumatic heart mobile clinic launched Minister for Health and Medical Service Jone Usamate at the launch of the Rheumatic Heart Disease mobile clinic in Nadi recently. Photo: Supplied Source: DINFO to strengthen Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Rheumatic fever is an illness commonly seen will also be used to raise awareness on RHD. initiatives with the aim of reducing the impact in children and young adults in Fiji that can Funding for this Mobile Clinic was the THE Ministry for Health earlier this month of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease lead to heart valve damage. RHD causes direct result of a fundraising partnership has launched its Rheumatic Heart Diseases in Fiji and builds on the initial work of the Fiji significant morbidity, disability and mortality between Cure Kids and Accor Hotels. mobile clinic in efforts to improve diagnosis of RHD control programme, established in 2005, through childhood and into early adulthood.” Over the next four days, close to 400 RHD. providing a unique and new opportunity to The RHD Mobile Clinic has been custom children from local communities will be Minister for Health & Medical Services, fully integrate and establish RHD prevention built for undertaking echo-cardiograms of screened for RHD as part of an ongoing Jone Usamate while launching the mobile and control activities at the highest level the heart. It contains a simple procedure that program of work assessing the feasibility of a clinic at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa said that nationally,” Minister Usamate said. provides images of the heart and enables a RHD screening program. it would assist in the next phase of the RHD “Rheumatic Heart Disease is a common specialist medical officer to detect cases of Control and Prevention Program for Fiji. heart condition in Fiji. It follows streptococcal RHD, in some cases before there are symptoms. “This project provides 4 years of funding throat infections and rheumatic fever. Minister Usamate added that the Mobile Clinic WESTERN ALUMINIUM JOINERY LIMITED Velovelo Mandali helps Tanisha Repair & Maintenance Aluminium Works Commercial Shopfront Sliding Doors, Flyscreen Sliding Windows, Security Grills, Automative Gates, Commercial Doors, Flyscreen Shower Doors, Aluminium Windows, Cladding. Also Stainless Steel Works Members of Velovelo Satsang Kirtan Ramayan Mandali assisting Lomolomo Public school class six student Tanisha Raj with her school needs. Photo: Zareena Bi Zareena Bi her daughter with her education needs. “My daughter is a very bright student IT is very heartening to know that the and I will always remember this day as this assistance being provided actually ends up in assistance is so unexpected. the right place and this is the case for Veleovelo “I have been very worried about how I will Satsang Kirtan Ramayan Mandali members send Tanisha back to school as my job is not who helped Tanisha Raj, a year six student of sufficient to sustain our familyso this assistance Lomolomo Primary with her school essentials. is indeed God sent. The Mandali members visited the family “When our social situation was better we in Lomolomo on January 16 and presented used to assist a lot of children in our family Tanisha with her school bag, stationeries and and maybe this is why our prayers have been uniforms to start the new school year in high answered.” spirits. Meanwhile, the Velovelo Manadli has Tanisha’s father, Uday Raj is a diabetic also assisted students in the previous years patient and has lost both his feet due to with their school essentials and they pledge to amputation which has resulted in his family continue with this assistance. facing difficulties for the last three years . Mandali President, Sanjay Goundar According to Tanisha’s very emotional informed that their members are passionate 25 Balawa Street, Director: Alex Fong mother Sarita Raj, she is overwhelmed with the about helping needy students and apart from P.O Box 1519, Lautoka Email: [email protected] assistance provided for her daughter as this is Tanisha they will assist other students this year. the first group to ever come forward to assist Mobile: 9246938 / 9995688 CITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKA [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 NEWS www.epapergallery.com 03 Fiji students invited to study at India’s Islamic Institute National Speaker of Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji Faizal Koya (left) with the visit- Female Muslim devotees during the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday celebration at the ing delegation from the Jamia Markaz of Kerala, India. Photos: Maika Kasami. Drasa Vitogo Mosque Zareena Bi He follows in the path of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his companions, by AN invitation has been extended for strict denunciation of Islamic radicals and students to attain their tertiary education at the his visit to Fiji during the Prophet’s birthday Jamia Markaz Institute in Kerela, India. celebrations has been hailed as a spiritual During Prophet Muhammed’s (SAW) blessing for the followers of Islam in the Birthday celebrations at the Maunatul Islam country. Association’s Drasa Vitogo Mosque in Lautoka During the function he advocated the late last month, chief guest and the founder teachings of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) to the of Jamia Markaz Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed large crowd that gathered to listen and catch a informed that places will be reserved for glimpse of him. selected Fiji students and assistance will be The Sheikh stressed that the followers of provided for their education. Islam should all have the love of the Prophet in “More than 75,000 students have gone their hearts and continue to recite his deeds and through our institute successfully attaining teachings so their daily lives are fulfilling and their qualifications in religious teaching as well more enriched. as in the fields of communications technology, Meanwhile, Jamia Markaz is the sole management, engineering and women’s Islamic university in India enjoying equal status empowerment. with Al-Azhar in Egypt, which has a legacy of “Currently 25,000 students are studying at 1,000 years of educational development in the the Institute which is a safe haven for the poor Islamic world. and downtrodden and for orphans, as well as a Jamia Markaz is a vivid example of an centre for scholars.” effective implementation of a dream about the The Sheikh is a great visionary, scholar, future and the Sheikh’s leadership reflects the educational reformer, social engineer and courage to dream big and create a grand vision, charismatic leader of Indian Muslims and he building trust in people by his initiatives. believes that value-based education, combining In essence, any history of the educational Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji’s National President Yusuf Manu with founder of modern and religious aspects, is the present and social advancement of Kerala Muslims Jamia Markaz Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed of Kerala during the Prophet Mohammed need of the Indian Muslims as crime daily would be incomplete without mention of birthday celebration in Lautoka increases. Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed. CITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKA 04 [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 LAUTOKA CITY COUNCIL NEWS www.epapergallery.com Maika Kasami ATTORNEY General and Minster for Finance Aiyaz Sayed-Kaiyum says the $23million investment made by the P. Meghji Group of Companies to build a luxurious hotel at Shirley Park is very timely and historic for Lautoka City.