The trial against the former Deputy Prime Minister, Professor Biman Prasad started today in the Suva Magistrate court, with FICAC instrcuted to verify documents relating to the details of directorship of Platinum Hotel and Resort Limited. In this case Prof Prasad is charged with Professor Prasad faces one count of failure to comply with statutory disclosure requirements. He is also charged with providing false information in a statutory declaration Contrary to section 27(1) (c) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013. FICAC’s first witness, Executive Officer of the Registry of Companies, Manase Talemaipapalagi told the court…
Author: admin_fijitimes
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is urging Fijians to remain calm and not allow religious, racial or political divisions to emerge following the presentation of the Constitution Review Commission’s report and recommendations. The Prime Minister’s appeal comes amid concerns over a recommendation relating to Fiji’s status as a secular state. Rabuka stressed that the Commission’s proposals are only recommendations and are not decisions of Government, with Cabinet now expected to carefully consider the report before determining the way forward. “I am aware that there is particular concern about the recommendation relating to Fiji’s status as a secular state,” Rabuka said. The…
The Ministry of Health is urging Fijians to take extra precautions against respiratory infections, particularly during the school holidays and ongoing festivals across the country. Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services Penioni Ravunawa says people should practise good hand hygiene, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands to help prevent the spread of infection. He is also urging parents to closely monitor their children and ensure they are kept warm during the current weather conditions. The advisory comes as 5,921 cases of Acute Respiratory Illness were recorded across Fiji in Epi-Week…
Fourteen-year-old Torika Boseiwaqa is following a familiar path in her family after being selected for the Fiji Mini Kulas squad for the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in the Solomon Islands. The Year Nine student of Ba Sangam College is the youngest of five siblings and has grown up watching her elder sister, Fiji Kulas representative Sereana Naweni, rise through the national age-group teams. Naweni captained Fiji at the 2025 OFC U-19 Women’s Championship and later scored for the senior Kulas against Tonga at the 2025 OFC Women’s Nations Cup. Boseiwaqa says her sister has been a major source of encouragement…
US stocks have weakened, with Wall Street turning the page on a volatile month as a war-related jump in crude prices revived inflation fears and raised the likelihood of tighter monetary policy.
Efforts to improve sustainable forest management and environmental protection are being stepped up across Kadavu through a joint field deployment by the Ministry of Forestry and its development partners. Officials from the Ministry’s Central Eastern Division, Rural Housing Authority Project, Maritime Pine Project, Forest Research Division and Fiji Pine Trust recently visited communities in Muani, Solodamu, Namalata, Tavuki, Nasegai, Ono, Namara, Naikorokoro and Mataso. The team assessed ongoing forestry activities and held discussions with landowners and communities on forest management and development. Restoration of waterways was among the key areas of focus, with communities encouraged to plant native trees and…
The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement is calling for no further reduction to the prison sentence imposed on former Fijian Holdings Limited Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Nouzab Fareed. Fareed was convicted of two counts of indecent assault involving a female subordinate in his office. He was sentenced to eight months and 22 days in prison, with part of the sentence suspended. Fareed has indicated that he intends to appeal, arguing that the sentence is excessive. FWRM says it respects the independence of the judiciary and Fareed’s right to pursue legal avenues. However, the organisation maintains that the power imbalance between Fareed…
The Fiji Police Force has made its Officer Safety Programme a permanent part of the Basic Recruit Course, with Recruit Batch 70 becoming the first intake to undertake the training under the new framework. Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations Kasiano Vusonilawe said the move reflects the increasingly unpredictable conditions faced by frontline officers. Speaking at the Fiji Police Academy yesterday, ACP Vusonilawe said the programme will equip recruits with a structured and tactical approach to managing conflict while maintaining officer and public safety. He said the specialised training will also reinforce the use of proportionate and lawful responses, with human…
Fiji has joined Pacific leaders in Koror, Palau, for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, bringing the region together to advance shared priorities and strengthen regional cooperation. Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Sakiasi Ditoka, is leading Fiji’s delegation to the meeting and will represent the country in discussions on key regional issues and opportunities for collective action. Hundreds of people gathered at the Palau National Gymnasium for the official opening, which showcased the Pacific’s unity, culture and shared identity through traditional performances and ceremonies. This year’s Forum is being held under Palau’s theme, “B.E.L.A.U. -Building Economies: Life.…
A total of 5,921 Acute Respiratory Illness cases were recorded across Fiji in the week ending 9 August, an eight percent decrease from the previous week. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services says while the decline is encouraging, it continues to closely monitor ARI cases through its national Early Warning, Alert and Response System. Children under five accounted for 17 percent of the reported cases, while the Central Division recorded the highest number of cases. The Ministry is urging the public to remain vigilant and practise good respiratory hygiene, including regular handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, ensuring adequate ventilation…