WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2020 l 16 PAGES l ISSUE 17 VOL 11 l WWW.FIJI.GOV.FJ Fijijj Focus PM ACKNOWLEDGES COVID-19 FRONTLINERS Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama with COVID-19 frontline workers during his recent visit to the West. Photo: MEREANI GONEDUA ‘Your nation ‘ MEREANI GONEDUAis within your success, and we deeply appreciate “We are grateful every morningyou business- borders to those with work permits and is the great sacrifices you are making. es are able to open their doors and sustain involved in exploratory discussions to re- IJI’S COVID-19 frontline workers “We understand you are more than our employment for our people. We are grate- open higher volumes of travel with regional were recently visited by Prime Min- healthcare heroes, that you are mothers and ful every day our children board the bus to development partners. Fister Voreqe Bainimarama who com- fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and school. “All of those efforts depend on you –– our mended them for their continuous hard- neighbours –– and that you have given up “You are the guardians of all those privi- frontline healthcare teams, the members of work. time with those you love for the sake of our leges we enjoy, and your vigilance matters our disciplined forces, and our other border “Even as you work –– quite literally –– in safety. today as much as it did this past March control officials. We need you to stay the isolation, know that none of you are in this “And we are grateful. We are grateful eve- when Fiji confirmed its first case.” effort alone. ry time we lace up our boots for a game of PM Bainimarama highlighted that the Fi- “Your nation is with you, we are invested rugby or football. jian Government has now begun to re-open CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 email: [email protected]; @FijianGovt; Fijian Government; visit us @ www.fiji.gov.fj NATIONAL MATTERS phone: 3301806 INSIDE Price of sugarcane PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY VISIT CENTENARIAN -13 guranteed to farmers FIJI, CUBA SEAL VISA RUPENI WAQAVONO industry. see the tremendous good we can create when EXEMPTION DEAL -12 “As do our lorry drivers, our mill operators, Government harnesses the drive and ambition WE have guaranteed a price of $85 per our FSC staff, and our sugar researchers. The of the people.’ STREET LIGHTS ENSURE tonne. Despite what some people may be Government’s role is to create the right condi- “As we contend with the economic devasta- telling you, that full payment will be paid tions for the industry to thrive; you all do the tion of the COVID-19 pandemic, your exam- SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS -11 “ to our growers by the close of the season, as rest. ple shows us hard work still reaps reward in promised.” Prime Minister Bainimarama also commend- Fiji. That gives us hope, and it inspires us all. GET IT RIGHT This was the assurance given by the Prime ed members of the landowning unit at the Tokatoka Sautorotoro Trust Farm Manager Minister and Minister for Sugar Voreqe Baini- Tokatoka Sautorotoro Trust Farm for the suc- Semi Vuetikagi also shared the same senti- The congratulatory message from the President of Indonesia, Joko marama to cane farmers while officiating at cess in their joint venture with the Fiji Sugar ments saying that it is only through govern- Widodo, extended to the Fijian the Growers Field Day in Nadi. Corporation. ment’s assistance that enabled them to suc- President, Major-General (Ret’d) PM Bainimarama highlighted that the Fijian “Only two short years ago much of this land cessfully achieve their record harvests. Jioji Konrote on the occasion of the 50th Independence Anniversary Government is easing cost burden by subsidis- sat idle and had so for more than 20 years. But “This land has been lying idle for the last 20 celebration was wrongly attributed in ing fertiliser and weedicide. the members of this landowning unit heard the years, when the leases expire the farmers went the previous publication. Below is the “We are upgrading cane roads. We are cov- vision we had for our sugar industry, and they and the land has been sitting there.” correct message. Any inconvenience caused is regretted. ering cane cartage costs. We are investing in saw it for themselves.” “We would like to thank the Fijian Govern- mechanization. We have built better, more pro- “Today, just over 15 hectares of this farm is ment, the Fiji Sugar Corporation and iTaukei REPUBLICOF ductive mills. under cane, with 1,600 tonnes of cane expect- Land Trust Board for giving us the initiative to INDONESIA “We are providing cane planting grants. And, ed to be harvested this year – that’s 105 tonnes farm this land, our mataqali land.” as we did here, we are providing technical ex- per hectare.” Mr Vuetikagi added that due to the increas- Congratulatory message has pertise to landowners who pursue cane cultiva- Prime Minister Bainimarama also highlighted ing numbers of members in their Tokatoka, the been received by the President tion. All told, we have shown an unprecedent- that the record-setting achievement by Toka- creation of a Trust Farm was the only way to of the Republic of Indonesia Joko ed level of commitment.” toka Sautorotoro Trust Farm holds a lesson for accommodate everybody. Widodo to the President of the The Prime Minister acknowledged growers every Fijian. “We don’t have much land; we’ve decided to Republic of Fiji, His Excellency, for their hard work in planting and harvesting “When we see this land and we see the Fijians form this trust farm so everybody can benefit Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi cane as their sweat and effort has sustained the who have made such incredible use of it, we from it.” Konrote on the occasion of Fiji’s 50th Anniversary of Independence. “On this proud occasion of the Need for collaboration between private and public healthcare: A-G 50th Anniversary of Independence Day of Fiji, I have the privilege to PRASHILA DEVI extend my warmest welcome to you and the people of Fiji. HERE’S a need to have “I am delighted that our two greater collaboration be- countries have been closely tween the private and pub- working together in a spirit T lic health system to see that Fiji- of partnership. I believe that ans get the quality health services cooperation between us have they need. benefitted immensely to the The Attorney-General and Min- prosperity of our peoples. “Allow me, Excellency, to offer my ister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed- prayers to you and the people of Khaiyum explained that this was Fiji. May health and prosperity be already happening in other juris- with you all, particularly during this dictions where doctors with pri- challenging global environment,” vate practice had their clinics but President Joko Widodo said. dedicated a few hours in the public health system. Speaking at the Fiji College of TWEET OF THE WEEK General Practitioners Annual Awards Dinner at the Interconti- nental Resort and Spa in Natadola recently, the A-G said “I don’t think we have not necessarily got there and it needs to be fine-tuned so there are opportunities”. He said the Government had been exploring this scheme which was Frank Bainimarama @FijiPM along the lines of having a family Sugoi! Japan, the world’s third- doctor. largest economy and fifth-largest The A-G said information on carbon emitter, has changed the game with the boldest 2050 medical care was being sought from Australia and New Zealand, #netzerocommitment yet. If Japan Mrs Suklesh Bali widow of Dr Rajendra Bali receives an award on behalf of her late husband from Attorney-General and Minister can commit to net zero, other nations and the Government had ap- for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum during the Fiji College of General Practitioners Annual Awards Dinner at the Intercontinental –– including highly-developed proached a number of private doc- Resort and Spa in Natadola Photo: MEREANI GONEDUA economies –– have zero excuses. tors to join this scheme. scheme but they got pressured by ly but if they know they can come “You will be able to provide Fiji thanks you! “For example, I work as a labour- other doctors who told them “don’t to you as their doctor and your medical services to a group of peo- er and I wake up and realise I have do it because you can get more”. cost and fees will be paid for, for ple who want those services, you CONTACT a runny nose and rather than queu- “So we got stuck because we basic consultation and so on, they would have helped productivity Sub Editor: Prashila Devi Manager Vernacular: Viliame Tikotani ing up at the Colonial War Memo- wanted to pilot that, so during your will come to you. So purely from levels because someone goes to a Virendra Lal rial Hospital or some other health deliberations please discuss how a commercial perspective, you can medical centre or to a local hospi- North office: Level 3 Macuata House, Labasa West office: Level 1 Ratu Nauliano House, Koroivalu centre in Suva, I can actually go to we can do this. Even from a purely have a lower margin but a higher tal, have a quick check-up and go my GP and the Government would business perspective, if you want volume.” to work as opposed to someone Contacts: Suva: 3301806 / West: 6700086 / 9905965 fork out that visitation cost.” to get your leg in the non-commu- The A-G said this will not only who has to spend four hours in a North: 8811276 / 9905971 The A-G said in exploring this nicable disease (NCDs) space as help by way of saving the patients queue and gets paid on an hourly Fax: 3305139/3304663 [email protected] idea, the Government had ap- currently those low income people the need to travel long distances to basis so gets a pay deduction.” @FijianGovt proached two doctors in Ba who are not your customers,” he said.