Vessel Will Provide Medical Services for 40,000 Fijians
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SUNDAY JUNE 3, 2018 l 16 PAGES l ISSUE 11 VOL 9 l WWW.FIJI.GOV.FJ Fijij Focus Mobile hospital The Veivueti after being commissioned in Suva. INSET TOP: Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama with medical staff on the vessel. INSET BOTTOM: Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama on the bridge of the Veivueti. Photos: ERONI VALILI Vessel will provide medical services for 40,000 Fijians NANISE NEIMILA out emergency surgeries, take X-rays, as for someone to have an operation, sel was much needed. screen for pulmonary tuberculosis, the patient is airlifted to Suva. But “The travelling cost from Taveuni LOSE to 40,000 Fijians living perform urgent dental procedures and with the new vessel and services pro- to Labasa and return by boat is about in the maritime islands will more. vided on board this is very efficient,” $60 and we have to think of accom- Cnow access better and mobile “The medical facility is a promise Mr Soqoi said. modation. We are lucky to have rela- medical services on new Govern- fulfilled by my Government. Mereseini Dakuna, 68, who lives tives otherwise it’s an added cost but ment Shipping Services vessel the This vessel will be constantly mov- near Mualevu Village on Vanuaba- with the new vessel providing such Veivueti. ing; its current schedule consists of lavu, shared similar sentiments saying services, it will be a great help to us,” Commissioned by Prime Minister 10 week-long trips, through which Fijians living in the maritime islands she said. Voreqe Bainimarama, the $8million more than 10,000 patients from the would not spend a lot of money to “We are thankful to the Government vessel was specifically designed and far reaches of Fiji are expected to be travel to Suva now. for all they have done to provide these built in Malaysia to provide primary treated annually.” “If anyone travels to Suva we have services on board the vessel.” and secondary medical services as The vessel is expected to make its to think of accommodation, food and The vessel houses separate rooms for well as to respond to emergencies. maiden journey to the Lau Group other necessities. However, with the operations, minor procedures, consul- Prime Minister Bainimarama said soon. arrival of boat we are thankful to the tations and recovery. the Veivueti would be “unlike any re- Joeli Soqoi, 70, from Lomaloma Vil- Government for providing health ser- The ship is equipped with state-of- source we’ve had at our disposal here lage in Vanuabalavu said this was the vices,” she said. the-art tools such as ventilator ma- in Fiji”. first time any government had provid- Like many other maritime islands chines and medical lasers to treat seri- “It is specially equipped and de- ed this sort of service. the actual travelling is another chal- ous eye complications. signed to accommodate 18 crew “For us living in the islands we com- lenge and as Sisilia Seniyasi of Tave- At the same event, PM Bainimarama members, including a full team of mend the health services provided by uni, who underwent an operation in officiated at the commissioning of the medical professionals who can carry Government, but in some cases such Labasa recently, highlighted the ves- new $3m Government Shipping Ser- email: [email protected]; @FijiRepublic; Fijian Government; NATIONAL MATTERS visit us @ www.fiji.gov.fj phone: 3301806 INSIDE Govt ‘determined 200 CHILD LABOURERS BACK IN CLASSROOMS 15 MUM GRATEFUL FOR BABY to help Fijians’ GIRL’S ‘GIFT OF LIFE’ 14 PRASHILA DEVI Welfare Ashwini Choubey. dian High Commission on the renaming, HONOUR FOR SPECIAL The A-G said, “This seed funding pro- said it was a significant move because NEEDS TEACHER 12 HE Fijian Government, like the vides capital to ordinary Fijians, so for it promoted the value of living in peace Indian Government, is deter- example if it is a poultry farm the fund- and harmony through religious texts. QUOTE OF THE WEEK Tmined to put people at the centre ing will enable them to maybe buy more “In this changing globalised world, we of national development. chickens or build a fence. It helps them must be able to stick to the core values of The Attorney-General and Minister for go a step further, so by giving them humanity, to humanitarian assistance that Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, made $1000 we are able to give them a leg- led to the Indian Government providing the comment while receiving a cheque up”. not only millions of dollars in cash, but for $1.7million from the Indian Gov- He said the $1000 maximum that the also seeds for farmers who were affected ernment, adding that it was the ordinary Government had been providing as capi- by (Tropical Cyclone) Winston,” he said. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Fijians that the Government wanted to tal to Fijians involved in the SME sec- Meanwhile, the A-G has encouraged In this changing globalised world, assist. tor who wanted to grow their businesses Indian hospitals to tender for public-pri- we must be able to stick to the The grant assistance is part of the had changed their lives tremendously in vate partnerships for hospitals to come to core values of humanity, to $10.37m (US$5m) that was pledged a small, but decisive, manner. Fiji. humanitarian assistance that led by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra The cheque handover coincided with “By assisting Fiji in setting up medical to the Indian Government provid- Modi to the SME sector during his his- the renaming of the Suva-based Indian facility that are internationally certified ing not only millions of dollars in toric visit to Fiji in 2014 and this portion Culture Centre that will now be known we will be able to provide assistance not cash, but also seeds for farmers was handed over to the A-G by Indian as Swami Vivekananda Centre. just to Fijians, but to other Pacific island who were affected by (Tropical Minister of State for Health and Family The A-G, while congratulating the In- countries,” he said. Cyclone) Winston. Attorney-General and Minister for Education Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum NUMBERS The LTA budget allocation for road safety alone has increased by 48 per cent from 2015, which was $362,450, to $700,000. There was a further increase by 22 per cent from 2016 to 2017 TWEET OF THE WEEK Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, while officiating at the ground-breaking ceremony of the new courthouse in Nasinu. Photo: ERONI VALILI Peter Thomson Peter Thomson (@ New courthouse for growing town ThomsonFiji) NATASHA BEGUM “Nasinu is the largest Gates said that as Nasinu for those along the corridor Call for zero plastic waste in the municipality and a major Town grew so much and so between Suva and Nausori.” #Ocean! Time for all to support HE construction of corridor in the Nausori-Lami fast, its services have had to The new facilities will moving to a new regime for plastics a new courthouse in section of Fiji,” the A-G expand. include four courtrooms @unep @UNDESA pic.twitter. Nasinu will enable said. “Previously this courthouse including Magistrates com/8cpxRd5a6Vpic.twitter.com/ T Fijians living in the area to “A number of cases are was to be a Magistrates Chambers and other support Fqyuxxcumj access Government services dealt here at the Nasinu Court solely, but now at least offices, four Tribunal rooms, CONTACT closer to home. Court so the overall view of two of the court rooms will Magistrates Common Room, The Attorney-General Ai- the Government is to bring be made multi-functional so Library, Administration, Publisher: Sharvada Sharma yaz Sayed-Khaiyum, while services closer to them; and that a High Court Criminal Storage space, archive room, Sub Editor: Prashila Devi officiating at the ground- with the bulk of population trial could take place within server room, audio/visual Manager Vernacular: Viliame Tikotani North office: Level 3 Macuata House, Labasa breaking ceremony of the in this municipality means its premises,” the Chief room, Assessors room, two West office: Level 1 Ratu Nauliano House, Koroivalu new courthouse in Nasinu that Government has the Justice said. Exhibit rooms, Witness Contacts: Suva: 3301806 / last week, said with the bulk responsibility and duty to “We have two Resident rooms, other stakeholders West: 6700086 / 9905965 of Fiji’s populace residing ensure those services are Magistrates sitting at Nasinu office, eight cell blocks, sick North: 8811276 / 9905971 Fax: 3305139/3304663 in the area, the construction brought closer to where today, soon we will provide bay, services yard and a car [email protected] would give it a “sense of people actually reside.” four at this centre. This will park. @FijiRepublic Fijian Government township”. Chief Justice Anthony cut out unnecessary travel visit us at www.fiji.gov.fj 2 Sunday, June 3, 2018 email: [email protected]; @FijiRepublic; Fijian Government; visit us @ www.fiji.gov.fj NATIONAL MATTERS phone: 3301806 CARE for Fiji amnesty until June 15 HE amnesty period for information honestly and to separately register for the Leaseholders-CARE and tronic cards, or other forms ineligible CARE for used their assistance appro- same assistance programme, Sugarcane-CARE. of assistance, to the relevant TFiji recipients has been priately need not return their the reselling of assistance During this amnesty period, authorities. reopened until June 15, 2018. assistance during the amnesty materials or the spending of electronic cards that have The amnesty period has As a reminder, the CARE period. electronic cards at unauthor- already been spent by an been reopened to allow more for Fiji programme is only Abuse of CARE for Fiji ised vendors.