SUNDAY MAY 20, 2018 l 16 PAGES l ISSUE 10 VOL 9 l WWW.FIJI.GOV.FJ Fijij Focus Residents of Iwaki City, Fukushima counterpart Shinzo Abe. PM Bainimarama in his capacity as COP23 President. Greetings Prefecture, Japan, welcome Prime Minister was accompanied by a Cabinet minister He held a private meeting with Mr Abe after Voreqe Bainimarama on his arrival and senior officials for the two-day meeting, being accorded a Guard of Honour. there for the 8th Pacific Islands Leaders where he took the opportunity to call for More on pages 3,7,8,9 Prime Minister Meeting (PALM8) hosted by his Japanese support in the fight against climate change, Photo: NATASHA BEGUM PM: Step up for Climate Change Fight NATASHA BEGUM while delivering his statement at the meeting, reiterated his IJIAN Prime Minis- call to big nations for action on ter and 23rd session of climate change. FConference of Parties “The greatest common inter- CALL President, Voreqe Bainima- est we have today - amongst rama, has called on the “giants ourselves and with the rest of to of Asia” to step forward with the global community - is to more ambitious plans to re- reduce the impact of climate duce greenhouse gases. change as much as is humanly As he concluded his visit to possible,” he said. Japan where he was invited “We Pacific islanders are do- by his Japanese counterpart, ing all that we can, but we con- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to tribute little to global warming. attend the 8th Pacific Islands We are looking to lift our ac- Leaders Meeting (PALM8), ASIA Prime Minister Bainimarama, CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 email: [email protected]; @FijiRepublic; Fijian Government; NATIONAL MATTERS visit us @ www.fiji.gov.fj phone: 3301806 INSIDE Hardware firms faces AKBAR OPENS NEWLY- Government probe REFURBISHED WARD 15 ISAAC LAL through Government’s Adopt-A-School fault but these hardware companies.” programme held talanoa sessions with The A-G said a team from the Govern- WEST OUTREACH MAJOR investigation of hard- the community of Ra. ment would visit the district (Nakorotu- A SUCCESS 14 ware companies that were part He was told that hardware companies bu) to get all the details of those who are of the Tropical Cyclone Win- had still not supplied the materials for still waiting for the materials. VILLAGE WOMEN TAKE UP A ston rehabilitation programme will the homes under the Government funded “We will take all details down and take CLIMATE CHANGE ROLE 13 soon be carried out. assistance. them to these hardware companies be- This follows complaints to the Attor- Sikeli Nasagatoro of Mataso said de- cause all materials needed to have been QUOTE OF THE WEEK ney-General and Minister for Economy spite numerous promises, these compa- given, its two years now and while we Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum by Ra villages nies have still not carried out their duty. (government) understands that there that they are yet to receive their materi- “There are over 300 homes in Nakoro- were shortages of materials due the dev- als to rebuild their home, two years since tubu that needs to be rebuilt but these astation this should have not dragged on TC Winston made landfall in Fiji. hardware companies despite promising for this long,” the A-G said. The A-G who was in Ra recently for the us next month, next month have yet to “Please give us all the details and we’ll handing over of 10 schools by the Aus- send the materials,” he said. take the hardware companies to task on Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum tralian Government under its Access to “This is why there are some people still why they have not followed through What is really important about Quality Education Programme (AQEP) living tents, it is not the Government’s with the materials.” this Bill is not just about the individual accessing information. Everyone will need to ensure that there is transparency. This is the implication of this Bill and I believe this is very empower- ing for individual citizens of our country. Attorney-General and Minister for Education Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum NUMBERS 55.29m has been used for assistance for those affected by the recent floods and cyclones under the CARE for Fiji program TWEET OF THE WEEK Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama during his meeting with Japan International Cooperation Assistance (JICA) President Shinichi Kitaoka at the 8th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) in Iwaki, Japan. Photo: NATASHA BEGUM Frank Bainimarama (@FijiPM) JICA President applauds Fijian PM held an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Abe in Tokyo where NATASHA BEGUM attended. assistance through technical Prime Minister Bainima- we discussed many important ways Technical cooperation be- training, human resources rama said Fiji being the hub to strengthen relations between HE Japan Internation- tween Fiji and JICA, includ- and project development in of the Pacific was keen to Fiji and Japan. We are all looking al Cooperation As- ing ongoing development various sectors in Fiji. ensure the development of forward to the reopening of direct air sistance (JICA) Presi- cooperation programs and Mr Kitaoka commended infrastructure and ports of travel on @FijiAirways between Nadi T and Tokyo in July! #Fiji #TeamFiji dent Shinichi Kitaoka has key projects currently under- Fiji’s leadership as a remark- entry. pic.twitter.com/Fqyuxxcumj applauded Fiji for its strong taken by the development aid able one, adding that Fiji was One such development has leadership in the internation- agency in Fiji were the basis very visible on the interna- resulted in the commence- CONTACT al sphere and its “essence of of discussion. tional scene. ment of direct flights from success”. These projects include the He further said Fiji, as a Nadi to Tokyo in July. Publisher: Sharvada Sharma This commendation was Nadi River project and the Pacific Island country, was Ongoing cooperation pro- Sub Editor: Prashila Devi conveyed to Prime Minister construction of the Tamavua- bonded by the Pacific Ocean grams in Fiji by JICA include Manager Vernacular: Viliame Tikotani North office: Level 3 Macuata House, Labasa Voreqe Bainimarama dur- i-wai bridge. which shared common re- Social Economic Infrastruc- West office: Level 1 Ratu Nauliano House, Koroivalu ing his meeting with Mr Ki- Prime Minister Bainima- sponsibility to maintain our ture Resilience, Islands and Contacts: Suva: 3301806 / taoka in Iwaki, Japan, which rama acknowledged JICA’s ocean. Remote Areas Education West: 6700086 / 9905965 was also the venue for the technical assistance and Mr Kitaoka said Fiji was Support Program, Pacific North: 8811276 / 9905971 Fax: 3305139/3304663 8th Pacific Islands Leaders Overseas Development As- a good partner to Japan and Islands Health and Medical, [email protected] Meeting (PALM8) that the sistance (ODA) that con- showed the essence of suc- Environment Management @FijiRepublic Fijian Government Fijian Head of Government tinues to provide valuable cess. and Disaster Risk Reduction. visit us at www.fiji.gov.fj 2 Sunday, May 20, 2018 email: [email protected]; @FijiRepublic; Fijian Government; visit us @ www.fiji.gov.fj NATIONAL MATTERS phone: 3301806 Leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs) during the seminar on Japan/Pacific Island Economic Relations in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: NATASHA BEGUM Call Trade tops Tokyo talks to Asia NATASHA BEGUM vere storms and reinforce our in- frastructure against future severe FROM PAGE 1 IJI and Japan share com- weather events.” mon interests in security Prime Minister Bainimarama tion and ambi- Fin the Pacific, health of the highlighted the Japanese Govern- tion but we need ocean, trade and investment and ment’s effort in boosting small the giants of the the need to build prosperity in the and medium-sized enterprises world—includ- region. (SMEs) in the Pacific were prom- ing the giants of Prime Minister Voreqe Baini- ising. Asia—to step for- marama, speaking during the “Emerging Japanese SMEs ward with more Seminar on Japan/ Pacific Island can be an excellent fit for Fiji ambitious plans to Economic Relations in Tokyo last and our Pacific neighbours and reduce greenhouse week, touched upon the areas of an insurance scheme led by the gases.” cooperation between Fiji and Ja- Japanese Government to provide In the same vein, pan especially on the contribution some cover for their direct invest- Prime Minister of the latter towards Fiji’s devel- ment and other costs that go into Bainimarama said opment. entering a new market will go a adaptation to the The seminar, attended by lead- long way toward encouraging effects of climate ers from Pacific Island Countries Japanese SMEs by reducing their change was not (PICs) and more than 20 Japanese risk.” enough and called companies was aimed at exchang- He also added that Fiji must re- for countries to ing views on investment and trade double its efforts to export goods raise their ambi- between the two countries. where it held an advantage as tion. “As one of the world’s largest mineral water, beauty and health- “Adaptation is and most advanced economies, care products, virgin coconut oil, simply not enough Japan is in a unique position to noni and noni juice, tropical fruits and there are lim- help us secure these interests,” and vegetables and sugar. its to what we can Prime Minister Bainimarama Prime Minister Bainimarama in- adapt to. We must said. dicated that with direct air service raise and intensify “Indeed, Japan has made signifi- between the two countries com- our ambition to cant contributions towards Fiji’s mencing in July, new possibilities reduce the rate development and has come to would enter the doorway. and extent to our aid time and again in recent Japan is the world’s third-largest Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo which this planet years to help us recover from se- economy.