September 16 2016

SODELPA Split On Boycott

Voreqe Bainimarama

The SODELPA parliamentary caucus

was split when it voted on whether
to support the National Federation
Partys boycott of the State opening of
Parliament on Monday.
The vote was conducted by a show
of hands, under the supervision of
Opposition leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa,
the morning before the opening
Seven rejected the boycott and six
supported it. Ro Teimumu, who holds
the casting vote, decided to go with the
anti-boycott group.
Those who opposed the boycott were:
Salote Radrodro, Aseri Radrodro, Ratu
Suliano Matanitobua, Viliame Gavoka, Ro
Kiniviliame Kiliraki, Mikaele Leawere,
Josefa Dulakiverata, Ro Teimumu Kepa.
Those who supported the boycott were:
Mosese Bulitavu, Niko Nawaikula,
Semesa Karavaki, Anare Vadei, Ratu Isoa
Tikoca and Ratu Sela Nanovo.
Ro Teimumu has been hailed internally
for avoiding a major crisis in the party.

If she had supported the pro-boycott

group, it would have resulted in a tie
and split in the caucus right down to the
middle. It would have set a precedent
and it would be anybodys guess what
could happen. A likely internal party
crisis would be a possibility.
Prior to the caucus meeting, party leader
Sitiveni Rabuka, had informed the
party and caucus that he would prefer
SODELPA MPs attend the ceremonial
opening. But he left it to them to decide
for themselves in their caucus.
If the boycott lobbyists had won,
it would have been a show of no
confidence in Mr Rabuka. He should
also thank Ro Teimumu, a strong
ally of NFP leader Biman Prasad, for
supporting the anti-boycott group. Can
this be perceived as a change of heart
in her position against Mr Rabuka? It
was hot on the heels of her support for
Mr Rabuka after he was arrested and
later released at the weekend over a

no-permit meeting to discuss the sugar

industry. It is understood she left a
traditional meeting in Rewa to give Mr
Rabuka moral support.
Mr Rabuka has been advocating
attendance at all State functions.
He was the only leader from the
Opposition political parties who
attended Constitution Day. On Monday
night, Mr Rabuka and Ro Teimumu
led a strong contingent of SODELPA
MPs at a social function hosted by the
President, Major-General Jioji Konrote
at State House in Suva.
There is growing feeling in SODELPA
ranks now that boycotts are counterproductive and negate the positives the
party is gaining.
SODELPA general secretary Adi Litia
Qionibaravi said there was no split in
the Opposition.
She said the NFP boycott of the
Parliament session opening was their
own decision. She said SODELPA

MPs decided not to boycott.

Just like when the Indian PM came to
Fiji, the NFP attended and SODELPA
didnt so the parties have their own
ways of doing things, she said.
NFP MP Prem Singh said their decision
to boycott was not a sign that there was
a split within the Opposition.
We are different, SODELPA MPs are
different from us, they have their own
ways of doing things and that works
the same for us, Mr Singh said.
Meanwhile, Mr Prasad said they would
attend when Parliament resumes sitting
on Monday.
He said they would table issues that
were brought up during their annual
general meeting.
He said one of the major issues they
would be discussing was the sugar
industry.
Mr Prasad said they would also look
at issues like education and the health
sectors.

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Fiji's Opposition Leaders Face Possible Ban From

Politics Over Constitution Comments
If charged and convicted, SODELPA
leader Sitiveni Rabuka could be
banned from contesting the next
election.
Fiji police are still deciding whether
to lay charges after releasing six
opposition figures after questioning
over comments they made about the
country's constitution at a public forum.
Five were released on Sunday and the
media reported former prime minister
and leader of the Fiji Labour Party
Mahendra Chaudhry has been released.
Police said they were investigating
whether critical comments made at the
gathering last week "could affect the
safety and security of all Fijians".
Among those detained, the leader of
the main opposition party SODELPA,
Sitiveni Rabuka, told Pacific Beat he
could still be charged and, if convicted,
faced the prospect of being banned
from contesting the next election.
"The reports have to go up to the DPP's
(Director of Public Prosecutions)
Office to determine whether any of our
actions have been culpable," said Mr
Rabuka, a former prime minister and
army commander.
"We are not out of the woods yet
they will decide either to lay charges or
to warn us as bad boys and let us go."
In a video statement posted on
Facebook after he emerged from
custody, the leader of the National
Federation Party, Biman Prasad, said
they had been treated very well.
"We feel a bit tired and it's time to
rest," he said.
Police also released academic Dr

Tupeni Baba, trade union leader

Attar Singh, and the organiser of the
forum Jone Dakuvula, head of the
non-government organisation Pacific
Dialogue.
Mr Rabuka said spending the night
in police cells reminded him of his
military training days.
"It was something that we had to go
through, the nation has to go through,"
Mr Rabuka said.
"We have to realise that we live in a
country that is guided by rules and
regulations and the law.
"There are certain restrictions that are
required to be imposed on us when we
are perceived to have overstepped the
use of our freedoms.
"Because it was Constitution Week, [we
thought] it was a good time for us to focus
on [it] and that's what I did but that's
probably not what the authorities thought.
"At the moment, we don't really know
if we are going to be charged on not
[but] if we are going to be charged, then
we will be put under bail conditions
and restrictions will be imposed on
our media freedom and also on our
movements."
The Delegation of the European Union
for the Pacific has expressed concern
over the matter and called for full
respect for freedom of speech and
freedom of assembly in Fiji.
President George Konrote officially
opened a new session of Fiji's
Parliament before it was adjourned for
two weeks.
Opposition members said they wore
black ribbons to the session to protest

Sitiveni Rabuka
against continued efforts to silence any
noise of dissent.
In a Facebook statement, Opposition
Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said
issues included the suspension of two
opposition MPs and removing Biman
Prasad as chairman of the Public
Accounts Committee.

Kris Prasad, a member of Fiji Youth

for Democracy, said about 50 family
members and supporters of the men
had gathered outside the Totogo police
station while they were being questioned.
"I'm here to bear witness to what's
going on," he told the ABC from
outside the police station.

Fiji's Opposition Leaders Released Without Charges

Over Constitution Comments
Six of Fiji's senior opposition figures
have been released by police without
charges, over comments they made
about the country's constitution.
He said his arrest would not stop him
from speaking his mind in the future.
"Well what happened is really absurd,
I think it doesn't do any credit to the
Government," he said.
"It's a very, very sad situation, but that
is how it is in Fiji these days.
"The Opposition parties have a duty
to the citizens of this country to fight
against this repression.
"We want to create an environment
here where people are free to express
their opinions.
"But if we promote a culture of silence
here and curb freedoms, no, that's not
the way that I see Fiji can progress."
Police said they were investigating
whether critical comments made at the
gathering last week "could affect the
safety and security of all Fijians".
In a video statement posted on
Facebook after he emerged from

custody, the leader of the National

Federation Party, Biman Prasad, said
they had been treated very well.
"We feel a bit tired and it's time to
rest," he said.
Police also released academic Dr
Tupeni Baba, trade union leader
Attar Singh, and the organiser of the
forum Jone Dakuvula, head of the
non-government organisation Pacific
Dialogue.
Among those also detained was the
leader of the main opposition party
SODELPA, Sitiveni Rabuka.
Mr Rabuka said spending the night
in police cells reminded him of his
military training days.
"It was something that we had to go
through, the nation has to go through,"
Mr Rabuka said.
"We have to realise that we live in a
country that is guided by rules and
regulations and the law.
"There are certain restrictions that are
required to be imposed on us when we
are perceived to have overstepped the

use of our freedoms.

"Because it was Constitution Week,
[we thought] it was a good time for us
to focus on [it] and that's what I did but
that's probably not what the authorities
thought."
The Delegation of the European Union
for the Pacific has expressed concern
over the matter and called for full
respect for freedom of speech and
freedom of assembly in Fiji.
President George Konrote officially
opened a new session of Fiji's
Parliament before it was adjourned for
two weeks.
Opposition members said they wore
black ribbons to the session to protest
against continued efforts to silence any
noise of dissent.
In a Facebook statement, Opposition
Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa said
issues included the suspension of two
opposition MPs and removing Biman
Prasad as chairman of the Public
Accounts Committee.
Kris Prasad, a member of Fiji Youth

for Democracy, said about 50 family

members and supporters of the men
had gathered outside the Totogo
police station while they were being
questioned.
"I'm here to bear witness to what's
going on," he told the ABC from
outside the police station.
"We are very concerned about the
recent developments and the culture of
fear and intimidation that will result."

Fiji News

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Fiji Arrests Cast Grave Concerns

Five prominent opposition figures
emerged on the steps of Suva Central
Police Station to a cheering crowd of
supporters on Sunday night, having
been released without charge after
more than 24 hours in custody.
While a full picture is yet to emerge
about exactly why they were detained,
the weekend's events have reignited
fears for the health of the country's
newly re-established democracy.
National Federation Party (NFP)
leader Biman Prasad, Sitiveni Rabuka
- the leader of largest opposition
party Sodelpa, Fiji Council of Trade
Unions general secretary Attar Singh,
academic and former politician
Tupeni Baba, and Jone Dakavula from
the organisation Pacific Dialogue
were all detained by the police on
Saturday, apparently over a public
meeting held last week to discuss the
constitution.
But after spending the night in police
cells - during which they were treated
well, they said - they were released as
free men.
However, their case files have been
handed to the Director of Public
Prosecutions for review, which means
charges are still possible.
Fiji Labour Party leader and former
prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry,
who returned to Suva and handed
himself in to police, was released
from police custody this morning, also
without charge.
The homes of Professor Prasad and
Mr Singh, the National Federation
Party headquarters, and the Fiji Labour
Party's offices in Suva were also
searched by police.
Their detention was understood
to be related to what was said at a
public meeting organised by Pacific
Dialogue last week regarding the 2013
constitution, which was held without a
government permit.
On Saturday, police spokesperson Ana
Naisoro said the arrests were in relation
to "comments uttered" at Monday's
discussion.
"This is a police process conducted
when information is received about
possible issues that could affect the
safety and security of all Fijians which
is why this step is being taken merely
to eliminate all doubts and concerns
that could stem from speculation," she
said.
Alex Perrottet, RNZ International's
reporter in Suva, said he had spoken to
people who were at the meeting who
struggled to understand how anything
said could have warranted what they
considered a heavy-handed response.
"They said it was a simple meeting.
It was only advertised through social
media and there would only have been
about 30 people there," he said.
"The panelists talked about their own
expertise and experience with the
different constitutions that Fiji has
had. Rabuka talked about his one and

the original one that was set up in

1970, Chaudhry talked about the 1997
constitution, Biman Prasad talked
about some of the problems he's had
as the leader of a minor party in the
current parliament."
"These are things that have been said
on the record and in public around Fiji
many times in the past couple of years,"
said Mr Perrottet. "There's certainly a
shock that this sort of crackdown had
happened with this particular meeting."
Attempts to contact police for an
interview have so far been unsuccessful.
It remains unclear who laid a complaint
with the police and why they first
acted on Saturday - five days after the
meeting was held.
Attar Singh's lawyer, Raman Singh,
said his client's questioning related to
what was said at the meeting under the
provisions of the Public Order Decree,
and that Pacific Dialogue's meeting
was held without a police permit.
The Public Order Amendment Decree
was introduced by the Bainimarama
government in 2012 soon after the
lifting of emergency regulations it
introduced when it abrogated the
constitution in 2009.
The decree was announced for the
purpose of maintaining public order,
but has been criticised as draconian,
particularly the provision that requires
permits for public meetings.
However, later in 2012, Attorney
General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said
no permit would be required for
meetings as long as they were not held
on a public road, park, playground or
sporting arena.
Many of the decrees imposed by the
Bainimarama government before the
2013 constitution remained in place.
"These things were never removed
after the election," said Mr Perrottet.
"They can be used at any time."
Restrictions placed on such meetings
were of great concern and many
civil society organisations had held
discussions without a permit, with
no repercussions, since Mr SayedKhaiyum's 2012 comments, Fiji
Coalition for Human Rights chair
Michelle Reddy said.
"Civil Society in general has not
applied for permits to convene with
other members of the public since the
2012 announcement by the Attorney
General," she said.
"The timing of these arrests is a concern
and the further restrictions placed on
meetings and events only create an
atmosphere of intimidation and fear.
The freedom of assembly, freedom
of association as well as freedom of
speech are fundamental cornerstones
of democracy and rule of law."
The weekend's events also triggered
concern
among
human
rights
organisations both in Fiji and
internationally about a possible
crackdown on political opposition
and a decay in the country's newly re-

established democracy.
The country held its first elections
under a new constitution in 2014, eight
years after then-military commander
Frank Bainimarama took power in
a coup. Mr Bainimarama's Fiji First
party won the election by a landslide.
The 2013 constitution was drawn up
by Mr Bainimarama's government
after it scrapped a draft prepared
by a constitutional committee after
widespread public consultation.
The new constitution had been
criticised by opposition politicians
and international NGOs, including
Amnesty International for apparent
shortfalls on human rights and widereaching immunities for the former
military regime.
Amnesty International spokesperson
Margaret Taylor said the detention of
opposition figures and unionists was
further evidence of the constitution
failing those who wished to speak out.
"These latest arrests are a bit of
an ongoing attack on freedom of
expression, where people who are
brave enough are shut down in this
way," said Ms Taylor.
"We would encourage Fiji very strongly
to ensure that the rights to freedom of
expression are protected."
Some of the supporters of those detained
had suggested that it was a political
stunt to ensure that the government's
opponents, if charged, would not be
able to stand in elections scheduled for
2018, RNZ's Alex Perrottet said.
One of those maintaining a vigil
outside the police station for most of
the weekend was the president of the
National Federation Party, Tupou
Draunidalo, who said the fact people

could be arrested for discussing the

constitution was disgraceful, and it
showed the country's democracy to be
a sham.
"It's been a sham for the last two years,
an absolute sham," she said.
"They just do as they please and
when the law doesn't suit them they
change the law with their majority, and
Australia and New Zealand is going
along with all that. I really don't know
why all of these draconian laws have
to continue when we have so-called
democracy."
Whatever the reason for the arrests, the
head of the MacMillan Brown Centre
for Pacific Studies at New Zealand's
Canterbury University, Steven Ratuva,
said the events would leave Fijians
more anxious than ever to speak
out, and that optimism for change
surrounding the 2014 elections had
dropped off.
"There's a lot of anxieties about what
people really want to say or what they
want to do given the circumstances,"
Mr Ratuva said.
After their release, the five men gathered
with supporters and celebrated into the
night, but with the public prosecutor
reviewing the case, their ordeal might
be far from over.
On Monday, the red carpets were
rolled out and Suva turned on a display
of pomp and ceremony for the opening
of parliament. Military bands played,
while flags and troops in crisp red and
white uniforms lined the street for the
opening of parliament.
Mr Bainimarama and all of the
government which dominates the
chamber were there, but the opposition
NFP boycotted the sitting.

FIJI has been unanimously elected

as First Vice Chair of the Executive
Committee of the Commonwealth
Telecommunications
Organisation
(CTO) at the 2016 CTO Council
Meeting held in Nadi.

participation in the week s events.

WHile he expressed the pleasure of
playing host to fellow CTO members
over the past week, said: "we are
appreciative of the confidence placed
in Fiji in our successful bid for the
First Vice Chairmanship". "We are
keen to work with the CTO to deepen
engagement among member states and
build upon the ideas and strategies put
forward during the 2016 Forum and
Council Meeting." During the Council
Meeting, member states reviewed
organisational activities and progress
over the past year and discussed
the CTO s expanded membership
particularly the re-engagement of the
Republic of India and the entry of
Samoa. Fiji had previously served as
the CTO Second Vice Chair.

Fiji Elected First Vice

Chair Of CTO

A Government statement issued a

short while ago stated the election
followed Fiji s successful hosting
of the CTO Forum. It stated that
representatives from member states
and telecommunications organisations
discussed a wide range of issues
relating to the development of
information and communication
technologies.
Attorney-General
and Minister for Communications
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum thanked the
CTO Council members for their

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Fiji Opposition Leader Slams 'Dictatorship' After

Arrest

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry was one of six opposition figures arrested and held in custody last weekend for participating in a constitutional
discussion forum.
Fiji is reverting to dictatorship and its
democracy is a "farce", an opposition
leader in the Pacific nation said Tuesday
after he was arrested for taking part in
a debate.
Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra
Chaudhry was one of six opposition
figures arrested and held in custody
last weekend for participating in a
constitutional discussion forum.
Police said the group, who were all later
released, did not have a permit for the
meeting and officers were investigating
remarks that "could affect the safety
and security of all Fijians".
Chaudhry rejected the accusation,
describing the arrests as an act of
political intimidation in the troubled

country, which has experienced four

coups since 1987.
"There was absolutely no justification
in putting us in a police cell, which was
horrid, the conditions there are pretty
bad," he told Radio New Zealand.
"This is no way to treat responsible
citizens who hold positions in political
parties and other organisations, who
are not criminals."
Chaudhry, became Fiji's first ethnic
Indian prime minister in 1999 but
was ousted in a coup a year later. He
was barred from standing in the 2014
election after being convicted on tax
charges.
Fiji's most recent military takeover was
in 2006 but repressive laws curbing

public meetings remain on the books,

despite an election in 2014 which
saw coup leader Voreqe Bainimarama
record a landslide win.
Chaudhry said the limits on public
discussion showed Fiji was not a
democracy.
"There is no democracy in Fiji,
it's a farce for people to say there's
democracy here," he said.
"Such things are not allowed in a
dictatorship and that's what we have
here."
Amnesty international said the arrests
were "a brazen crackdown on people
for peacefully exercising their right to
freedom of expression".
"Fijians should be free to openly

discuss their supreme law and even

criticise without fear of reprisals,"
Amnesty's regional director Rafendi
Djamin said.
The European Union, a major aid
donor, also expressed concern, urging
Fiji to show "full respect for freedom
of speech and freedom of assembly".
Bainimarama rejected any criticism,
saying the meeting did not have a
permit and "police are entirely within
their rights" to question those who took
part.
It is disappointing that elements of the
international community, without any
objectivity, have issued statements of
concern," he said, accusing critics of
double standards.

Chaudhry Treated Well: Human Rights Director

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra
Chaudhry was treated well while in
Police custody, says Ashwin Raj.
The director of the Fiji Human Rights
and Anti-Discrimination Commission
said: Mr Chaudhry intimated to
me that the Police treated him with
courtesy, that he was fed, had no urgent
medical issues, was not coerced into
making any statements and had access
to his legal counsel.
Mr Chaudhry was released after being
kept overnight at the Totogo Police
Station in Suva.
He was the last of six men released
after they were arrested and questioned
over an alleged breach of the Public
Order Act.
Earlier released were SODELPA leader
Sitiveni Rabuka, SODELPA official
Tupeni Baba, National Federation
Party leader Biman Prasad, Fiji Islands
Council of Trades Union general
secretary Attar Singh and Pacific
Dialogue executive Jone Dakuvula.
They were attending a panel discussion
on sugar organised by Pacific Dialogue
when one of them commented that
Police and military intelligence were
keeping a tab on their movement.
Another person responded: Blow
them.
Mr Raj said: I visited Mr Chaudhry
this morning at the Central police

Station. He confirmed that he turned

up to the Central Police Station on his
own volition and that he was kept at the
Raiwaqa Police Station.
I explained to him his constitutional
rights as an arrested or detained
person pursuant to section 13 of the
Fijian Constitution which includes
his right to be informed promptly of
the reason for their arrest, their right
to be able to communicate with their
lawyers, to not be compelled to make
any confession and admission that
could be used in evidence against
them, to be able to communicate with
their family and that the conditions
of their detention is consistent with
human dignity.
Mr Chaudhry has been released and
I want to thank the Police and the
Commissioner for being transparent
and not obstructing the work of the
Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination
Commission and for ensuring that
these constitutional rights as it pertains
to arrested and detained persons was
observed at all times.
There is a larger discussion that
Fiji needs to have about freedom of
expression and assembly and justifiable
limitations set out in our Constitution
and proportionality consistent with
human rights norms, democratic
principles and values.

Russian Foreign Affairs Minister,

Sergey Lavrov

Fijian Returns Yearly To Give To Poor

Beraki still has motherland at heart
Fiji is always in my heart, says former
Fijian resident Ema Beraki.
Mrs Beraki, of Melbourne, Australia,
originally from Lekutu, Bua, left Fiji
in 1982 but has been connected to Fiji
all these years.
Mrs Beraki said her heart belongs
to Fiji and that is why she has been
donating household items for needy

people in Fiji for the past 16 years.

She has been making trips to Fiji three
times a year to distribute donations
such as electronic appliances, clothes,
toiletries, and other kitchen items.
Mrs Beraki donated soaps, toiletries,
clothes and other household items to the
St Giles Hospital in Suva on Tuesday.
I feel as a Fijian, it is my responsibility
to be there for our brothers and sisters

in their good times and even more

supportive in their bad times, Mrs
Beraki said.
I chose St Giles Hospital in this trip to
Fiji as I feel there are people here who
are in need, she said.
Mrs Beraki said the items donated are
the blessings, help and support from
all her families, relatives and church
members in Australia.

She said she found happiness in seeing

her fellow Fijians smile when they
received the items.
I feel so proud when I give them the
items and they smile back with teary
eyes, knowing there is someone who
thinks of them, Mrs Beraki said.
She has been donating items to Fiji
since 2000 and she will never stop this
good deed.

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Fiji Police Release Five Opposition Figures Detained

After Constitution Forum
Fiji police have released without
charge five opposition figures who
were questioned over comments made
at a forum that discussed the country's
controversial constitution.
Police say they probed whether forum
on constitution 'could affect safety and
security'
Amnesty condemned the arrests as
a brazen crackdown on freedom of
expression
New Zealand says it is taking a 'close
interest' in developments
"We were informed that we are being
released today and the files have been
forwarded to the DPP's (Director of
Public Prosecutions) office," said the
leader of the National Federation Party,
Biman Prasad, in a video statement
posted on Facebook after he emerged
from custody.
"We were treated very well. We feel a
bit tired and it's time to rest."
Police also released the SODELPA
party's Sitiveni Rabuka, academic Dr
Tupeni Baba, trade union leader Attar
Singh, and Jone Dakuvula, chair of
NGO Pacific Dialogue and the organiser
of the forum, police spokeswoman Ana
Naisoro told the Fiji Times, a day after
they were taken in for questioning.
"However, we continue to interview
Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry as
he had brought himself in today," she
said.

Earlier, police said they were

investigating
whether
critical
comments made at the forum, held on
September 5, "could affect the safety
and security of all Fijians".
Kris Prasad, a member of Fiji Youth
for Democracy, said about 50 family
members and supporters of the men
had gathered outside the Totogo
police station while they were being
questioned.
"I'm here to bear witness to what's
going on," he told the ABC from
outside the police station.
"We are very concerned about the
recent developments and the culture of
fear and intimidation that will result."
New Zealand taking a 'close interest'
New Zealand's foreign minister Murray
McCully told the New Zealand Herald
that Wellington was keeping a "close
interest" in the developments.
"Obviously anything that constrains
free speech and space for legitimate
political debate would be a concern to
the New Zealand Government," he said
from Micronesia, where he has been
attending the Pacific Islands Forum.
"I've simply conveyed that to (Fiji's
representative) Ratu Inoke and asked
him to convey to his Government our
close interest in how this plays out."
Amnesty International condemned the
arrests, describing them as a "brazen
crackdown on people for peacefully

Fifty-five-year-old Martha Fatiaki had

an inspiring story to share with her
fellow graduates from the University
of the South Pacific yesterday at the
Girmit Centre in Lautoka.
At an age when most people considered
retirement, the happy mother of four
sons and the grandmother of five
graduated with a Master of Business
Administration (MBA).
While giving her testimony of success
before 92 fellow graduates, Mrs Fatiaki
said: So I am a grandmother who is
about to retire, but I make no apologies
for pursuing an MBA. I am a living
proof that learning has no age limits.

Graduation is a significant milestone

and a personal achievement in our
lives. No matter how old each one of
us are, well remember this day clearly.
Let me tell you all today, not to judge
us by our age or outward appearances
because all of us graduates are young
in mind and spirit.
She thanked her professors for
recognising the potential and admitting
her as a mature student.
Ms Fatiakis graduation ceremony was
also witnessed by her husband and son.
She said there was no end to education
and she had more to come in her career
and life.

Grandmother Graduates
With An MBA Degree

Martha Fatiaki (middle) with Byron Fatiaki (son) and Daniel Fatiaki
(husband) at her graduation at Girmit Centre in Lautoka

Frank Bainimarama
exercising their right to freedom of Fiji's
Prime
Minister
Frank
expression".
Bainimarama came to power in a
"The men appear to have been detained bloodless military coup in 2006.
under Fiji's repressive Public Order The 2013 constitution was drawn up by
Amendment Decree, which restricts the the military regime after it scrapped a
ability to hold 'public' meetings," said draft which a constitutional committee
Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty's Director had prepared after widespread public
for South East Asia and the Pacific, in consultations.
a statement.
Mr Bainimarama stood down from
"There is no evidence to suggest that the military to run as a civilian in the
the event posed any threat to national country's 2014 elections, winning by a
security."
landslide.

Australian Professor Takes

Up PS Health Post

Mr. Philip Davies

The Chairman of the Public Service at the University Of Queensland
Commission, Mr. Vishnu Mohan, has School Of Population Health and
announced the appointment of Mr. Deputy Director-General for the New
Philip Davies as the new Permanent Zealand Ministry of Health.
Secretary for Health and Medical Mr. Mohan said that he is confident
Services following a rigorous that Mr. Davies impressive record
recruitment and selection process. His of leadership and achievement in the
appointment is effective immediately. health sector makes him well-suited to
Mr. Davies will bring over 35 years of serve as the new Permanent Secretary
health sector experience to the Ministry. for Health and Medical Services.
He previously served as the Deputy The appointment was made by the Public
Director-General at the Queensland Service Commission under section 126
Government Department of Health, (1) (a) of the Constitution, with the
Professor of Health Systems & Policy agreement of the Prime Minister.

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Labour's David Shearer Says A Possible State Visit By

Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama Should Be Put On Hold

Prime Minister John Key and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama
exchange rugby themed gifts in Fiji.
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman
David Shearer says a state visit by Fiji's
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama
should be "quietly put on hold"
until concerns about the Opposition
politicians in Fiji are resolved.
Over the weekend five people including the leaders of two opposition
parties and a trade union leader - were
taken into custody in Fiji after taking
part in a public political forum.
RNZI has reported all had since been

released but the Director of Public

Prosecutions was reviewing the
cases, raising concerns of politically
motivated charges to prevent them
contesting the next election in 2018.
Prime Minister John Key had invited
Bainimarama to come for a formal
state visit while he was in Suva in June
this year.
Key said that invitation still stands and
it was possible Bainimarama would
come for the Bledisloe Cup rugby

This is not the first time alleged breach

of the Public Order Act has been
investigated
The Public Order Act, in the spotlight
again after the arrest of three politicians,
a trade unionist and a non government
organisation (NGO) executive, is not
new.
It has been in existence since
independence and was inherited from
colonial Fijis statute books.
Annotations have been made to the Act
after amendments were made over the
years but the substance remains the
same.
The Act was invoked in a high profile
case against pioneer iTaukei nationalist
Sakeasi Butadroka in 1977 after he
called for the repatriation of IndoFijians.
Mr Butadroka, who was jailed, was a
minister in the Alliance government
of the then Prime Minister Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara.

overseas organisations.
But it is understood that no rules of
arrest, detention and interrogation were
breached by Police under common law
and statutes. Mr Rabuka and Mr Baba
admitted they were well treated.
No one was beaten up. Everyone was
provided with water and food and
access to visit them was given to their
relatives and lawyers.
Fiji Human Rights and AntiDiscrimination Commission director
Ashwin Raj paid tribute to the way the
Police handled the investigations.
He said they were professional in their
conduct. This was a normal Police
routine investigation.
They have powers to act on either
complaints or their own initiative to
carry out an investigation.
Of the two salient provisions of the Act
is the requirement to obtain a permit
for a public meeting.
Secondly, the Public Order Amendment
Decree, under Section 17 of the Public
Order Act, said:
That any person, who by words,
spoken or written and intended to be
heard or read, spread any report or
made any statement which was likely
to incite racial hatred of any race or
community, or to promote feelings of
enmity or ill-will between different
races or communities, or to prejudice
the public peace, or makes intimidating
or threatening statements in relation to
a community which is likely to spread
fear, alarm or insecurity amongst
members of that community, or
spreads a report or makes a statement

match in October.
Shearer said it was important not to
over-react and Bainimarama should be
free to make a visit to watch the rugby.
However, a formal 'state' visit should
be delayed until the situation cleared.
"While we should not overstate what
has happened nor should we sit back
and say everything is perfectly normal
because it clearly is not.
"I think it would be probably a good
idea to just quietly put the state visit on
hold for a while.
"I just don't believe right now that Prime
Minister Bainimarama quite understands
what democracy is all about."
After the incidents in Fiji over the
weekend, Foreign Minister Murray
McCully told the Fijian Government
New Zealand was taking a "close
interest" and voiced concern about
freedom of political expression.
The European Union Delegation for the
Pacific has also raised concerns, urging
"full respect for freedom of speech and
freedom of assembly in Fiji".
Those taken into custody were National
Federation Party leader Biman Prasad
and Sodelpa leader Sitiveni Rabuka - a
former Prime Minister and coup leader.
The others were head of the Fiji Council

of Trade Unions Attar Singh, former

politician Tupeni Baba and civil society
advocate Jone Dakavula. Labour Party
leader Mahendra Chaudhry had also
handed himself in and been questioned.
It came in the same week Bainimarama
again snubbed the Pacific Islands Forum
meeting because of his objections to
New Zealand and Australia taking part.
On the same weekend, Fiji also
announced it was pulling out of
the Pacific-wide Pacer Plus trade
negotiations because of concerns about
Australia and New Zealand.
That was on the eve of a visit to Fiji by
Trade Minister Todd McClay, who has
now called off his trip.
Shearer said in the space of a few days
Opposition leaders had been jailed,
Bainimarama had appointed himself
Foreign Affairs Minister in a Cabinet
reshuffle and Fiji had withdrawn from
Pacer Plus.
"That seems to me to be more
Bainimarama saying 'I'm in charge
here. I make the decisions'."
Bainimarama visited New Zealand
in 2014 to campaign for expat Fijian
voters living in New Zealand but has
not visited in his capacity as Fiji's
Prime Minister.

which incites people to violence, or

counsels people to disobey the law or
any lawful order given by the police,
prison officers, or members of the

armed forces, commits an offence.

Given the facts of the case, the reaction
by the overseas fraternity seems over
the top.

Reaction To Arrest Of 6 Over The Top

The Act has also been used in other

cases but they did not generate the
same interest as the current case.
SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka,
National Federation Party leader
Biman Prasad, Fiji Labour Party leader
Mahendra
Chaudhry,
SODELPA
official Tupeni Baba, Fiji Islands
Council of Trade Unions general
secretary Attar Singh and Pacific
Dialogue executive Jone Dakuvula,
were interviewed and released within
the prescribed 48 hours.
Their arrest and questioning had
attracted criticisms from a number of

Police Officer Achieves

Lifelong Dream
A 20 year dream became a reality
for a 42-year-old Detective Sergeant
with the Fiji Police Force after he was
admitted to the Legal Bar by Chief
Justice Anthony Gates in Suva.
Detective Sergeant Nischal Navindra
Dass, a father of two, stood tall
amongst 17 other newly-appointed
lawyers, proud of his achievement.
Mr Dass of Valelevu said his aspiration
to join the law field began when he first
joined the Police Force, and it took him
20 years to complete his law studies.
He said his family was his main
supporters and they helped him achieve
his dream.
Mr Dass said his dream was cut short
when he first started taking legal
courses because of the work load.
My biggest support is my wife who
encouraged me and I am proud to have
a wife like her. I had started my law
studies 20 years ago but because of the

workload I stopped. In 2012, I restarted

my studies to pursue my dream of
becoming a lawyer.
He acknowledged the support of Police
Commissioners over the years who
gave him time off from work while
undertaking his studies.
Mr Dass said his children have
been his moral support and he made
sure he led the way of investing in
education.
My children are inspired by my
struggle to become a lawyer and they
have even said to follow my footsteps
and become a lawyer in the future, Mr
Dass said.
Mrs Dass, 38, said she felt honoured to
be his wife.
I had supported him throughout these
many years he was in law school and I
had told him to follow his dreams and
become a role model for our children,
Mrs Dass said.

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PM Bainimarama Hits Back At Arrest Critics

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama
says it is disappointing that elements of
the international community, without
any objectivity, have issued statements
of concern about the detention and
questioning of Fijians who have
allegedly contravened our laws.
The six who were arrested, questioned
and released were: SODELPA leader
Sitiveni Rabuka, SODELPA official
Tupeni Baba, National Federation
Party leader Biman Prasad,
Fiji
Labour Party leader Mahendra
Chaudhry, Fiji Islands Council of
Trade Unions general secretary Attar
Singh and Pacific Dialogue executive
Jone Dakuvula. They were questioned
over a panel discussion on the sugar
industry.
Mr Bainimarama said: The Public
Order Act, amongst other provisions,
requires any group wanting to hold a
public meeting to apply for a permit
from the Police before the proposed
event. In this case, no application
was made so the Police are entirely
within their rights to question those
who have allegedly contravened these
provisions.
Those who attended this gathering
were lawfully detained for questioning
and there have been no allegations
of any of their human rights being
breached while in detention. These
included the right to legal counsel.
They were released within the 48 hours
that the law prescribes as the limit at
which they can be detained without
appearing in court.
A notable double standard is being
adopted by certain countries in relation
to this matter. They either suspend
certain rights themselves when
incarcerating their citizens or other
nationals and in some instances, even
on the mere suspicion of a remote threat
to their national security. They have
adopted practices and laws that are

abhorrent to internationally accepted

human rights values and principles.
Other nations turn a blind eye to or are
mute on similar behaviour on the part
of their friends and allies.
Fiji has a sovereign right to make its
own laws and in the case of the Public
Order Act, it exists because of our
colonial past and an unfortunate history
of civil unrest in post independent Fiji
which cannot be repeated. The statute
in question is to ensure law and order,
protect our people and maintain the
health of our economy on which the
welfare of every Fijian depends.
Apart from having a plethora of
human rights provisions, the Fijian
Constitution goes further to state that
the interpretation of these human rights
shall be referred to international human
rights law and standards.
His Excellency the President has
today announced a review of a number
of laws in his speech opening the 2016
session of the Fijian Parliament. These
include the Public Order Act. But until
that review takes place, the current
provisions of the Act remain and must be
like all other laws enforced. The Police
are carrying out their independent duty
and the Office of the Director of Public
Prosecutions will similarly carry out
its own independent assessment as to
whether these individuals should be
prosecuted or not.
Any objective assessment of what
is happening on the ground in Fiji
in respect of this matter requires an
understanding and appreciation of
the separation of powers between the
independent institutions of the State.
The Fijian Government respects the
independence of all these institutions,
which are essential for maintaining the
rule of law.
The Delegation of the European Union
for the Pacific says it is concerned
about a series of recent arrests and

detentions of political, trade union

and civil society leaders who attended
a meeting on the Constitution on 7
September in Suva.
The Delegation of the European
Union for the Pacific urges full respect
for freedom of speech and freedom of
assembly in Fiji.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs minister
Murray McCully told Radio New
Zealand anything that constrained
free speech and space for legitimate
political debate would be of concern to
the New Zealand.
NZ Prime Minister John Key, who

was also at the Pacific Islands Forum,

said he was keeping a watch on the
situation.
We hope that itll be calm and sensible
there, he said.
The New Zealand High Commissioner
in Fiji was providing updates to the
government, Mr Key said.
A Fijian academic in New Zealand said
the arrests and detention of the five
men was a blow to the nations morale.
Canterbury
University
professor
Steven Ratuva said the police actions
would have serious implications for
the future.

Police Inspector Course Reintroduced

The Fiji Police Academy has reintroduced
the Distance and Flexible Learning for
Police Development Inspector course
after a lapse of 10 years.
Labasa course facilitator, Inspector
Mukesh Chand said they were
reintroducing the course and taking it
closer to participants in all divisions.
This is a promotional course as it
determines the rank of Inspectors to
move up to an Assistant Superintendent
post or for Sergeants to move to
Inspector posts, Inspector Mukesh
said.
Without this course, they would not
be able to move to higher ranks.
He said the Academy had decided to
use this method to cut down on costs
and have more participants on the
programme.
We have seen that more officers are

interested in the course now that it has

been brought closer to them, Inspector
Mukesh said.
The normal cost of the course is around
$800.
Inspectors development programme
normally takes one month when we
do it in house at the Police Academy,
but when we do it in a distance flexible
learning mode, it takes three months.
He said this should encourage eligible
applicants in the Police Force to take
up the programme.
We have brought the course down to
their respective zones so we are inviting
qualified officers to come forward and
use the opportunity provided, he said.
There are five participants from the
North participating for the three month
course, which is expected to conclude
on December 3.

Inspector Mukesh Chand ( standing in front) during the Police Inspector

Development Course in Labasa

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11

Address By Divisional Police Commander East SSP Maretino

Qiolevu Crime Stoppers Scholastic Program Launch
The
Principal,
The
School
Management, Teachers, Parents and
guardians, Students
Bula vinaka and a very good morning
to you all.
First and foremost on behalf of the
Commissioner of Police, thank you for
the kind invitation and warm welcome
accorded to me and my team who are
here to mark this auspicious occasion
as Pundit Shreedhar College becomes
another of Fiji Polices close allies in
our fight against crime.
Students, todays occasion is not just
about unveiling a billboard or plaque
to signify our new partnership, but it
signifies your commitment to doing the
right thing and saying No to criminal
activities or wrongdoings happening
not only within your school boundary
but in any part of your life.
A man who is known to be genius in his
time and is still well known today and
Im sure you all know of him, Albert
Einstein, said, I quote The world is a
dangerous place, not because of those
who do evil but because of those who
look and do nothing, end of quote.
This quote is so powerful because
it transcends all boundaries simply
to mean, that race, religion, gender,
nationality or age will never limit your
ability to do the right thing. If you see
or know of something bad is happening
you can do something about it! Some
of you might say, but Im young and
who am I supposed to tell? Well now
you have an avenue of doing just that
through the Crime Stoppers Scholastic
Programme.

To those of you who have been

appointed to the board, congratulations
and be a beacon of trust to your peers
and take your responsibilities seriously
because who knows, your actions could
possibly help save or protect someone
from being a victim of crime.
Like all things there are always people
who will try to be the Debbie downer or
negative nancy, which means they will
always complain or look at the bad side
of things. Doing the right thing doesnt
always win you friends and there are those
that will look at you and say, that one
is trying to be the teachers pet or soli
maka or whatever the slang used today.
Never be disheartened or discouraged
by these types of comments, because if
you know you are doing the right thing
then you should stand tall and be proud
of your actions. The Fiji Police Force
needs more people who are willing to
say No to crime.
Focus on Youth
Students, please allow me to talk
about the concerns your Fiji Police has
regarding the involvement of youths in
criminal activities. Within the first six
months of this year 39 male offenders
under the age of 17 were charged with
offences such as defilement, abduction,
indecent assault, rape and theft. In a
matter of minutes their indecision has
practically put a label on their lives that
will affect their future. The reasons as
to why those in your age group are
getting involved in criminal activities
are many.
Your age group is particularly
susceptible as you are in what we

like to term the experimental stage

of your lives. Youre learning at such
a rapid pace. And with the aid of
technology youre basically like a
sponge absorbing everything you come
across.
Ive come across such incidents and it
really is sad to see these young people
getting caught up in these situations
and I can immediately see in their eyes
the regret they have. While my heart
aches for the fact that they are caught
in this situation, it is inevitable that if
you choose to live a life of crime you
will have to face the consequences
according to the law. As long as I am
the head of the Eastern Division, I never
want to come across a case involving a
student of Pundit Shreedhar Maharaj
College. Thats the challenge I leave to
all of you.
To the teachers and parents present
here today, the role we play in molding
the lives of our children cannot be
emphasized enough. As Americas
32nd president Franklin Roosevelt
said, I quote, We cannot always build
the future for our youth, but we can
build our youth for the future, end of
quote.
What a powerful statement and what a
massive responsibility it is for us. We
have to lead by example and be role
models because we are responsible for
them in the two institutions which they
spend most of their childhood lives in,
the home and school.
Conclusions
Today by agreeing to the Scholastic
program you are also accepting the

Commissioners invitation to work

together under the Duavata Community
umbrella and we truly appreciate this.
The Crime Stoppers Scholastic
Program will help keep your school
community safe, as well as each other
safe from the clutches of negative
issues that can affect your education.
By right schools should be a safe
place for students to live, learn, enjoy,
harmonize and strive for excellence.
It must not be a place for fear, crime
and deception. Sadly influences have
changed this norm to a certain degree
that makes our schools seem unsafe. The
life and future of any country such as Fiji
will be at stake if we turn a blind eye.
Students my final request for you this
morning is to enjoy your childhood.
Dont be too quick to grow up. Your
time as an adult will come and believe
me it is not all smooth sailing especially
if you have not fully capitalized on the
multitude of opportunities provided by
the Fijian Government to attain a good
education.
The Principal, teachers, management,
students, ladies and gentlemen, on
behalf of the Commissioner of Police,
vinaka vakalevu for agreeing to be a
part of the Crime Stoppers Scholastic
Programme.
Without taking up too much more of
your time this morning, I now have
the honour and privilege to officially
declare Pundit Shreedhar Maharaj
College an official member of the
Crime Stoppers Scholastic Program.
Vinaka Vakalevu and Thank you and
Danyabat.

Fiji and France Build Military Co-operation

The Republic of the Fiji Military Forces
welcomed the Commanding Officer for
the French Armed Forces based in New
Caledonia, Major- General, Philippe
Leonard.
RFMF official, Captain Eroni Duaibe
said the issues discussed were the full
re-engagement between the military
since 2006.
He said one of the major issues
discussed was the Southern Cross
Croix du Sud that would be conducted
in New Caledonia later this year where
the Fijian Military personnel would be
engaged.
We were observers last year, but this

year there is full participation from the

RFMF from the Land Force component
and also a naval component.
We will be sending one of the Fiji
Navy patrol boats and the infantry
component we also putting in a platoon
that will be part of the training.
This has been an on-going exercise
which is a multi-lateral co-operation
between countries like Australia, New
Zealand, United States of America,
United Kingdom, Singapore and other
countries that come in as observers,
Captain Duaibe said.
He said the RFMF was expected to put
together a comprehensive instruction

in terms of the deployment of our

troops for the training.
Captain Duaibe said it was a high level
visit for the French Armed Forces to
Fiji.
It uplifts our profile in terms our
standing in the military across the
globe, Captain Duaibe said.
French Embassy public affairs advisor,
Moira Vilsoni, said the meeting
was successful and it was aimed to
strengthen relationship between the
two military.
Major-General Leonard is expected to
live on Friday.
PM receives courtesy call

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama

also received a courtesy call from
Major- General, Leonard.
The Prime Minister thanked the group
for their visit and welcomed them to
Fiji.
In turn, Major-General Leonard
expressed his pleasure of visiting Fiji
and meeting his counterparts.
The French delegation included
Commander Hubert Jannot, Major
Paul Nobili, Charge dAffaires, French
Embassy Olivier Vaysset and Ms Vilisoni.
The visit is an opportunity for the
two countries to meet and deepen cooperation

Fijian Immigration Sends MWH Global Staff Home

The Fijian Immigration Department

has confirmed that two expatriate
employees of MWH Global, have
been declared persona non grata.
MWH Global is the leading contractor
for the Fiji Roads Authority. While
details remain sketchy at this moment,
FBC News has received confirmation
from Director Immigration, Nemani
Vuniwaqa. Vuniwaqa says he cannot

comment any further on the matter.

FBC News understands the two
employees, Construction Manager,
Simon Court, and Adam Jackson, the
Maintenance Manager, were sent back
home earlier today. The MWH Global
office in Suva says they are awaiting
word from their Sydney office
before a statement will be released on
the matter.

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Homeless In Suva
IT is not too difficult a philosophy to
understand and it does not need much
interpretation.
"Where ever I lay my head is home,"
said Mahendra Bali as he sat on
the sheltered benches along Queen
Elizabeth Drive, just a few metres from
the tax office.
Bali, as he is known, had his slightly
oversized gym bag next to him on
the bench. That is his day spot, where
he spends the early morning until
afternoon, nights are spent in Toorak
as the streets provide enough shelter to
get him through the night.
The streets of Suva is where Bali stays.
He is one of the many homeless people
in the Capital City.
Standing at six feet, Bali wears black
jeans with a black pullover.
According to the 44-year-old, he has
spent most of his life on the streets and
has not known any other place which
he could call home.
"I was born into the street life. My
mother was a sex worker according to
what I was told and soon after birth I
was left in the care of somebody else,"
Bali explained.
"I don't know who my father is and if
I have any family. There was a kind
man who looked after me when I was
an infant and he gave me a name, his
name, Mahendra Bali.
"I started schooling in Deenbandhoo
Primary School as I had somewhat of
a shelter but was fending for myself.
I used to collect (empty) Coca-Cola
bottles and sell them for food, books,
uniform. As I got older, around 10
years old, I found myself alone and on
the streets again.
"The old man, who gave me his name,
had passed on and his family had
gone. I kept on going to school though
looking after myself. I used to sleep in
a few different houses but never really
had a place.
"I used to target the Morris Hedstrom
Thomson Street dumpster where I
found things like chocolate and other
food items which were still good but
thrown away, that I used to take for
lunch. I went to school until I was 12.
"From there on, the streets of Suva had
been my home."
Bali moved from place to place.
Initially the nights were spent under
the Nubukalou Creek bridge, then
around the seaside, then to the culvert
pipes around Suva.
As he became a young man, he had a
relationship with a woman but nothing
concrete became of it.
"Selling bottles was easy money. I also
managed to get work in retail shops
in Raojibhai Patel St but those were
temporary jobs. I know that some people
were not comfortable working with
someone who's homeless," Bali said.
"So keeping jobs became hard and I
never made enough money to move off
the streets. It is expensive. So I stayed
and I have no problems."

Mahendra Bali (right) with his friend Sulesh Prasad at the Suva foreshore.
Bali patted his oversized gym bag and
said all he needed was in there.
"See this. This is my blanket which I
use in the night and this is my pillow,"
he said as he showed his possessions
wrapped neatly in garbage bags.
"My spare change, soap, toothpaste
brush, I have it all here. I use the taps in
parks to have a shower and sometimes
to wash the clothes."
According to Bali, he has never gone
hungry as there are people who provide
one meal a day and he is also able to
collect a few coins to buy a few items.
A few metres away from Bali, in
the next sheltered bench 51-year-old
Sulesh Prasad sat and stared at the

ocean. A Bible opened next to him

and verses highlighted in different
colours.
"Glory be the God's, my brother," Suli
shouts out with a marked American
accent.
Suli was not always on the streets.
"I grew up in a good family in
Flagstaff. I went to school and had
decent education but it was just me. In
my late teens, I had become a chronic
marijuana user," Suli relayed his tale.
"My parents then migrated to United
States when I was 19. They thought
there was a future for me over there but
the only future that I got into was drugs.
Cocaine, meth, heroin, I was into it. I

got caught up in a world that does not

spare anybody and soon I committed a
big crime.
"I am not going to say what crime, but
it was something that landed me in jail.
Over time I found God, the real God
and now I am walking the road he has
shown me.
"After my jail term, I was deported
and I came to Fiji. I was staying with a
relative but found myself living on the
streets. I know that this IS what God
wants. He has a plan for all of us."
Bali and Suli are just two of the many
people that are now finding refuge on
the streets of Suva. According to Bali,
life is not as smooth as their story
because there were nights when they
had seen violent crimes.
Bali himself admitted that he has seen
the underbelly of the city and it was
not a pretty sight as the vulnerable get
exploited and the weak pushed aside.
The Social Welfare Department had
been sent questions and requests to
provide data and research that has
been done to show the extent of the
homeless situation but it has been more
than a month and there is no response.
The ordinances in the Local
Government Act allow the removal
of homeless people from the streets
but the biggest obstacle, the municipal
councils are faced with is where to take
them to.
Religious and social bodies are doing
their part by providing food, clothing
and sometimes minor medical care.
In a society like Fiji's where there
is so much focus on family ties and
traditional values, should anyone be
homeless?

Opportunities To Earn Aussie Wages

Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific
Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells at The Pearl
Australian Minister for International to participate annually in the Seasonal "But Fiji s potential goes much further.
Development and the Pacific Senator Worker Program. "We expanded it to "I would encourage Fiji to see Australia
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said they had the agriculture and accommodation as a partner and a platform for linking
uncapped the number of workers able industries," Ms Fierravanti-Wells said. into global value chains."

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Region To Benefit From Forum Hosted In

Fiji

With over 540 delegates converging

on Denarau Island for the Alliance
for Financial Inclusion Global Policy
Forum, the benefits spread across not
only to Fiji but also the South Pacific.
Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor,
Barry Whiteside, said we have
experts from world-over who
have done things in many areas of
financial inclusion.
He said many of these things we have
never done before or which we are
trying to do but having trouble putting

these into place.

Therefore, Mr Whiteside said hosting
the Global Policy Forum will be a big
plus for Fiji and the whole region.
Its an annual meeting and something
we have aspired to for four years now
to get the hosting rights, he said.
We laid the interest in Cancoon,
Mexico four years ago and we finally
brought it home to Fiji.
At last count, I was told there are
540 delegates confirmed who have an
interest in financial inclusion for this

meeting and thats huge for us and they

are from about 81 countries.
This meeting is in a couple of stages
where there is an Alliance for Financial
Inclusion AGM.
This will be followed by the Global
Policy Forum which will be opened by
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
About AFI
AFI is an alliance which is focusing on
peer learning and knowledge sharing
among policy-making regulatory
institutions.

Mr Whiteside said AFI is about sharing

of knowledge and collaboration and
this was why RBF joined up when they
had the opportunity in 2009.
Fiji became a member of AFI in 2009
and we have really benefitted from the
fact we can collaborate with so many
countries around the world in the area
of financial inclusion, he said.
We have what we call Pacific island
regional initiative where we share
experience with our fellow countries in
the region.

Kava In Short Supply

THERE is a "kava crisis" at the Suva
market at the moment, say kava dealers.
They say they've been short on their
stock for the past two weeks.
"Every kava dealer here is carrying a
lot of cash with them to buy kava, but
it's slow in coming.
"We're calling the rush for the kava
cargo 'na qio' if any cargo comes, traders
will go for it like sharks," said Ritesh
Kumar, the executive member of the
Suva United Vendors Association and
a kava dealer for more than 20 years.
Another kava dealer Mere Lesivou said
she had completely run out of her supply.

"I get my kava from our farm in

Lomaiviti," she said.
"My husband and son farm the crop back
on the island. Right now, we're using
only what we were able to save from
our farm after Severe Tropical Cyclone
Winston in February. But we are not
able to meet my customers' demands."
The 53-year-old said she put two of
her daughters to university through her
kava business.
"It is a lucrative business, but we're just
not able to meet the high demand at the
moment.
"Hopefully it will stabilise soon," the

businesswoman said.
Another
kava
trader Vonivate
Veitaukitoga said he had to turn down
offers from other kava vendors who
wanted to buy his supply.
"I have to really ration it before our
next shipment comes from Kadavu" he
said.
They said the reason for the shortage
was the rainy weather experienced over
the past few weeks which made it hard
for kava farmers to dry their crops.
Meanwhile, a kava trader who wished
not to be named said it was about time
the kava industry was regulated and

that vendors paid tax.

He said there were a lot of "free riders".
"Kava vendors make a lot of money
and when you make money, you should
pay tax," he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture deputy
secretary agriculture development,
Uraia Waibuta, said the ministry had
started on a yaqona development
program as part of their kava rehab to
boost production in the identified areas.
Farmers are predicting prices will
return to normal once planting and
harvesting stabilises, but this will take
between three and six years.

Lawyer Will Continue To Drive Bus When Needed

A student lawyer was a popular figure

when he went to court with his mentor.
More people used to shake his hands
than his mentor, lawyer Parvesh
Sharma of Victoria Chambers in Suva.
One day, Niraj Raghunath Singh, 23,
was asked by Mr Sharma why he was
more popular.
Mr Singh told Mr Sharma he drove a
bus in the morning before he came to
court and again in the afternoon after
he returned home.
Mr Sharma related the story when Mr
Singh was admitted to the bar.
Every morning, before Mr Singh went

to court, he would drive a bus for the

family company, Shore Buses Limited,
and people would recognise him as the
bus driver.
Mr Sharma said: One day I came to
court with Niraj and I saw many people
shaking hands with him and I thought
to myself, Niraj is more popular than
me even though I have been in this law
firm for so long.
When I asked Niraj about his
popularity, he said to me that people
know him because he drives the bus
every morning at 6am before he comes
to work and after he finishes from work.

Then I knew why he was recognised

and I am sure people will be happier
to know that Niraj is now a legal
practitioner of Fiji.
Mr Singh said: My struggle to become
a lawyer has finally ended.
It was my fathers dream to see me as a
lawyer and today I am proud of myself
that I have achieved his dream, he said.
Former
Mayor
and
Special
Administrator of Lami Town Council,
director of Shore Buses Limited, Jasper
Singh, said: Today I am a proud dad
and my son made me feel over the
moon when he took the oath as a legal

practitioner.
My son had faced many challenges
while he was in Law school and one of
them was to manage the family business.
He drove the bus from Lami to Suva
bus stand every morning and afternoon
and sometimes, when bus drivers did
not come, Niraj was there to take care
of it and today he proved that he had
overcome the obstacles.
Mr Singh graduated from the
University of Fiji.
Although he is lawyer now, he said
he would continue to drive the bus,
whenever he was needed.

Tax Erosion, Profit Shifting On Agenda

Attorney-General and Minister for

Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum,
right, with Fiji Revenue and Customs
Authority acting CEO Visvanath Das
TAX base erosion and profit shifting
are among the key topics that will be
discussed by participants of the Pacific
Islands Tax Administrators Association
meeting in Natadola, Sigatoka, this
week.
The meeting opened on Tuesday with
participants from across the region
signing up.
Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority
(FRCA) acting CEO Visvanath Das
said those topics were high on the
agenda.
"So we will discuss how these big
multinational agencies have been

investing in our countries and how

they have related parties they probably
import things and pay service charges
and mechanisms in place that erodes
our tax base," he said.
"So eroding our tax base means that
Government's revenue source is
being eroded and these are the issues
on the agenda. We will be sharing
our experiences with other member
countries.
"In terms of legislation, we need to
have modern tax legislations. If you
look at the face of business today, it
has evolved."
Mr Das said one of the ways this
was done was through building
business presence online or through
e-commerce.

"So we need to ask have we placed

ourselves to modernise our laws to

be able to capture these transactions

which should be taxed fairly," he said.

14

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Linkedin's Hoffman Offers $5 Million For Trump's Tax

Returns

LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is

the latest Silicon Valley heavyweight
to get his money involved in politics.
He's offering to donate as much US$5m
to veterans if Republican nominee
Donald Trump releases his tax returns
in time for the final presidential debate.
Hoffman, who is chairman of LinkedIn
and a partner at venture capital firm
Greylock Partners, saw a crowdfunding
challenge by a 26-year-old Marine
Corps veteran, Pete Kiernan, who said
he would donate any of the money
raised to nonprofits that assist veterans
if Trump releases his returns by October
19, the date of the final presidential
debate. If Kiernan meets or beats his
US$25,000 target, Hoffman will match
the total amount by five times, up to
US$5 million, he said in a post on US
news site Medium.
"There's no real reason that Trump is
keeping his returns secret, except that
he sees them as a bargaining chip to
utilise," Hoffman wrote. "As Trump
skirts his obligation to the American
people, we must show him that we do
value accountability and transparency."

Hoffman didn't say which candidate

he supports, but appealed to Trump's
claims as a supporter of veterans. His
pledge comes a few days after Facebook
co-founder Dustin Moskovitz said
he would commit US$20 million to
helping Democrats in the election,
including presidential nominee Hillary
Clinton. Moskovitz said it was his first
open endorsement and donation to a
candidate for president.
"We hope these efforts make it a little
more likely that Secretary Clinton is able
to pursue the agenda she's outlined, and
serve as a signal to the Republican Party
that by running this kind of campaign
- one built on fear and hostility - and
supporting this kind of candidate, they
compel people to act in response,"
Moskovitz said, also in a post on Medium.
n July, more than 100 technology
leaders signed a letter naming Trump
a "disaster for innovation." Twitter cofounder Ev Williams, Box Inc. chief
executive Aaron Levie and venture
capitalist Vinod Khosla were among
those endorsing the letter, which said
Trump's views on immigration, internet

Tech billionaire Reid Hoffman is ready to pay US$5 million to see Donald
Trump's tax returns
security and government investment Sheryl Sandberg and Tesla and SpaceX
would stifle the technology industry co-founder Elon Musk are also among
and divide the nation. Facebook board supporters of Clinton in Silicon Valley.
member Peter Thiel is one of the few In his post, Moskovitz hinted that
Silicon Valley leaders to have publicly others may become vocal. "We are
not the only ones being activated so
supported Trump so far.
Facebook Chief Operating Officer strongly during this election."

Theres a housing bubble in Vancouver

but its not caused by foreign buyers,
says a note out Friday from Capital
Economics.
Paul Ashworth, chief North American
economist with Capital Economics,
said media reports showing a decline in
housing sales in Vancouver following
the implementation of a new tax on
foreign buyers is missing a key part of
the story.
Sales were down 26 per cent in August,
2016 from a year earlier a decline
that coincides with an additional
15 per cent property transfer tax on
foreign buyers that was announced
July 25 and took effect Aug. 2. Some

in the real estate industry said July

sales were boosted by foreign buyers
moving transactions forward to avoid
the tax.
Most of those media reports failed to
mention that Vancouver home sales
were down by an even bigger 27
per cent year over year in July, said
Ashworth. The foreign buyer tax
had very little impact on Vancouver
home sales, which have been on a
downward trend since February. That
supports our claim that, rather than
foreign buyers, it is irresponsible
lending and rising domestic debt that
has been driving Canadas housing
bubble.

The economist points out that

Vancouver sales have declined 40
per cent since peaking in February
and show a marked decline in the
annual growth rate of house prices in
Vancouver. We would be amazed if
sales didnt fall further over the next
six months, he said.
Ashowrth said the Canadian housing
is a tale of two cities, adding Toronto
to the theory of inflated markets. He
added interest rates, as low as two per
cent on five-year fixed rate mortgage,
have boosted the market.
This begs the question, if interest rates
are going to remain unusually low,
what else could trigger a downturn in

Foreign Buyers Are Not Whats Driving The Vancouver

Housing Bubble, Economist Says

Toronto? Our answer to that would

be another question: What exactly
happened back in February to trigger
the slump in Vancouver home sales?
Its true that global financial markets
were volatile in February specifically,
but the downturn in stock markets was
quickly reversed. Since then, stock
markets and commodity prices have
rebounded, while interest rates have
fallen further. That should have been a
positive environment for house prices,
said Ashworth.
The truth is that, for all the talk of socalled triggers, when they get that big,
bubbles often end up collapsing under
their own weight.

Woman 'Raped For Eating Beef'

An Indian woman has alleged she was
gang raped in northern Haryana state,
after her attackers accused her of eating
beef because she was Muslim.
The woman, 20, told the BBC that four
men brutally raped her and her 14-yearold cousin two weeks ago, even though
they had denied consuming beef.
She said the men also beat her uncle
and aunt to death in their home in
Mewat, a Muslim dominated district.
The suspects have been arrested and
charged with rape and murder.
Although the alleged rape took place
two weeks ago, news of the incident
has only just come out.
"They [the accused men] said that
we ate cow meat and that is why we

were being disgraced [raped]. They

even threatened to kill me and my
family if we ever told anybody what
happened to us" the woman told BBC
Urdu.
Many Hindus consider cows sacred and
the slaughter of the animal is banned in
several states, including Haryana.
Mewat district, located 100km
(62 miles) from the Indian capital
Delhi, recently made headlines after
a senior official told reporters that
police would check dishes of mutton
biryani to ensure they do not contain
beef.
"The Muslim community is in shock
and they are really scared because such
a horrific attack has never happened

in our area," Ramzan Chaudhary, a

Muslim community leader in Mewat,
said.
Some were of the opinion that the attack
was planned to create a rift between the
Hindu and Muslim communities.
"We have never had any religious
tensions here since independence.
People [Hindus and Muslims] have
always lived in peace in this area. It's
possible that this incident was planned
to create religious tensions in the area,"
Abid Khan, a member of the Mewat
Bar Association, said.
However the district has seen
communal riots in the past.
Haryana state's ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) has dismissed the theories

that the women were raped with a view

to creating religious tensions in the
area.
"This is not about Hindus or Muslims.
The people who are responsible for this
incident will be punished and it doesn't
matter which community they belong
to," BJP leader Chaudhary Aurangzeb
told reporters.
Rape and gender crimes have been in
the spotlight in India in recent years
after the brutal gang rape and murder
of a student in 2012 in Delhi.
In response, tough new anti-rape laws
were introduced in the country.
However, brutal sexual attacks against
women and children continue to be
reported across the country.

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Muslim Woman Set On Fire On New Yorks Fifth

Avenue In Possible Hate Crime, Police Say

A Muslim woman wearing traditional

garments had her clothes set on fire by
a man with a lighter as she shopped on
a crowded New York City street over
the weekend, police said Monday.
The 35-year-old was dressed in a hijab
and standing outside a Valentino store
on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan Saturday
night, when she felt heat on her left
side, according to the New York City
Police Department.
The woman, who has not been
identified, saw that her blouse was on
fire and patted out the flames. When she
looked up, she noticed a man standing
with a lighter in his hand, police said.
The man disappeared down a side
street, leaving the startled woman
with a quarter-sized hole in her
blouse and no injuries, NYPD

spokesman Christopher Pisano told

The Washington Post.
The male doesnt say anything and
walks away, Pisano said.
Police are investigating the alleged
assault as a hate crime. No one has been
arrested and no suspects have been
identified. Pisano said the woman was
visiting the city from another country;
DNAinfo described the woman as a
dentist from Glasgow, Scotland.
The Council on American-Islamic
Relations said the incident fit an
alarming pattern of attacks on Muslims
and Islamic sites in recent months.
We are clearly seeing a spike in
attacks on individual Muslims and
Islamic institutions in New York and
around the country, which should be
of concern to all Americans, said Afaf

Nasher, director of the groups New

York chapter, in a statement posted
on Facebook. It is time for the mayor
and the NYPD to put forward the
necessary resources to investigate and
prevent these attacks on the Muslim
community.
The incident comes just days after a
Brooklyn woman allegedly beat two
Muslim mothers as they pushed their
toddlers in strollers down a busy
sidewalk in the boroughs ethnically
diverse Bath Beach neighborhood.
The woman, Emirjeta Xhelili, punched
one of the mothers in the face and tried
to rip off her hijab while screaming
obscenities at them, authorities told
the Daily News. Xhelili then allegedly
tried to grab the other mothers stroller,
which was carrying her 15-month-

old child, according to the New York

Daily News. Xhelili, 32, was arrested
and charged with hate-crime assault.
Xhelili is being held on $50,000 bond
or $25,000 cash bail, according to the
Associated Press. Her lawyer told the
Daily News she has no prior arrests.
In another attack that has stoked fear
in the citys Muslim community, a
Queens man in August allegedly shot
and killed an imam and his assistant
as they left afternoon prayers in the
boroughs Ozone Park neighborhood.
Alauddin Akonjee and Thara Miah
were walking together on a weekend
afternoon when Oscar Morel came up
behind them and shot them executionstyle in their heads, authorities said.
Morel, who is charged with murder,
has denied killing the men.

A central Alabama teenager was jailed

on a murder charge after an apparent
dispute over a house party and drugs
led to the shooting deaths of his parents,
authorities said Tuesday.
Jesse Holton, 17, was charged as an
adult in the slaying of his father, former
Eclectic mayor Mike Holton, said
Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin.
Authorities also plan to charge the
teen in the death of his mother, April
Holton, Franklin said in an interview.
Both husband and wife were 37.
Court records were not available to
show whether Holton, who has two
younger siblings, has a lawyer. But
Franklin said the youth denied shooting
either person.
He just said, I didnt do it, I didnt do
it, Franklin said.
The parents were away and returned
home to find their house in disarray after
a party that apparently included drugs,
Franklin said. The father called the
sheriffs department Sunday afternoon,
and an officer arrived at the house to find
that the father had handcuffed the son.
They obviously were trying to discipline
their son, and they had had problems
with him in the past, Franklin said.
The deputy talked with the family
and collected evidence from the party

remnants that included a pipe used

to smoke marijuana, Franklin said.
The father told the deputy he planned
to sign a juvenile warrant the next
morning against the teen.
The deputy left on another call, but a
neighbor called about 30 minutes later
to say the teen showed up claiming his
parents were fighting, Franklin said.
A deputy went back to the house and
found Mike Holton dead of a gunshot
wound to the head and the woman
near death, also from a head wound;
she died at a hospital Monday evening.
The youths description of what
happened - that the man shot the woman
during an argument and then turned the
gun on himself - didnt match physical
evidence, Franklin said. A forensics
examination determined the mans
wound wasnt self-inflicted, he said,
and preliminary investigation showed
the womans wound wasnt, either.
We asked him if anyone else had been
at the house and he said No, said the
sheriff.
The youth, a senior at Elmore County
High School, told detectives he gets
easily agitated if he doesnt have access
to marijuana and Adderall, Franklin
said, and witnesses told investigators the
teen has anger problems.

He hasnt shown any emotion at all.

Most people would be bawling their
eyes out if their parents had been

killed, said Franklin.

The couples two younger children are
with relatives, said Franklin.

Teen Accused Of Killing Parents After Dad Handcuffed

Him

Diwesh Sharma

Japan Firms Wage War On 'Smell Harassment'

Got stinky colleagues? Japan has a

seminar for that.
After a long, sweaty summer, some
firms in a nation renowned for its
cleanliness are declaring all out war
on an office plague known as "smell
harassment".
Telling a colleague they stink is touchy
stuff, of course.
But personal care product maker
Mandom says it has the answer for
firms worried about hurting someone's
feelings: "smell care" seminars.

Japanese media have picked up

the scent on this anti-odour battle,
reporting that about 40 employees
from mobile giant SoftBank recently
attended a session on what causes body
odour and how to avoid it.
Smell harassment joins a long list of other
office complaints including "alcohol
harassment" (forcing a colleague to
drink) and karaoke harassment (forcing
someone to sing against their will).
In response to the national crisis,
eyewear chain Owndays has reportedly

created a list of odour regulations for

staff amid concerns that poor hygiene
could hit sales.
The culprits include sweaty, chainsmoking salarymen, a colleague doused
in perfume, and that guy who ate too
much breath-destroying garlic at lunch.
Mandom insists the seminars can
gently teach offenders to change their
ways, and create a more tolerant office.
"Better understanding the mechanism
behind and nature of those smells
should lead to increased tolerance," said

Mandom's Miyuu Sato, optimistically.

Intensive research found a whopping
90 percent of Japanese men emit odours
noticeable to others nearby, Sato said.
But the anti-odour firm is also clear on
where to draw the line: bullying smelly
colleagues into a shower is not the
answer.
"Bodily smells are not always a bad
thing and they don't always bother
people," Sato said.
"Odours are a person's unique
characteristic."

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Canada May Grant Easier Residency For Foreign

Workers: Minister

Canada may make it easier for

temporary foreign workers to get
permanent residency and eventual
citizenship, Immigration Minister John
McCallum said on Sunday.
Speaking on CTV television's
"Question Period," a national politics
talk show, McCallum did not give
details, saying he was waiting for a
parliamentary report on the matter to
be introduced in September.
Canada's Liberal government has said
it is revamping the program, which
brings in workers who are often in
low-skilled positions. Local unions
have criticized it for depressing wages
and affecting Canadian jobs, and
workers and advocacy groups have
complained of poor conditions and
rights violations.
The workers already have paths to
permanent residency that have been
criticized as too difficult.
When asked whether Canada will

consider loosening the rules, McCallum

said the government "is certainly
considering providing a pathway to
permanent residence" to the workers.
"We think that those who come, in
general, should have a pathway to
permanent residence more so than is
the case today," he said. "If theyre
on a pathway to permanent residence,
theyre only temporary for a while, and
then they become full Canadians."
McCallum's ministry, Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada, did
not immediately respond to a request
for comment.
Canada in June watered down
measures to limit the number of lowwage temporary foreign workers that
firms can hire after complaints the
restrictions would cause major labor
shortages.
Farmers and meat processors had
complained the limit would result in
labor shortages.

Canada's Immigration Minister McCallum speaks in the House of Commons

in Ottawa

Granny's in charge!
Queen Elizabeth II took Princess Kate
on a drive through her Balmoral estate
on Saturday, following in her long
tradition of taking the wheel while out
in the country.
The monarch wore a casual look which
featured a green vest over a navy blue
blouse. (Sadly she was not wearing
one of her favorite country accessories
a silk headscarf.) Kate meanwhile
looked like the epitome of English
country chic in a green jacket, brown
scarf and her fringe pulled back in a
tortoise shell-patterned headband.
William and Kate and their children
Prince George and Princess Charlotte
are staying on the estate for their annual
late summer break with the Queen.
They arrived in Scotland last week.
Prince William, who had been out on
a grouse shoot near Loch Muick on
Saturday, had gone up ahead of the
Queen and Kate. Then the Queen was
spotted by walkers.

They looked really happy," a local

tells PEOPLE. "They were coming up
to see the others for a picnic when the
shoot had its break."
The royal party was photographed
about five miles from the Queen's
Balmoral Castle, but still on the estate.
The Queen drove Kate to a remote part
of the estate to meet with William for
a picnic.
The couple is expected back in England
later this coming week, as on Friday
they are visiting a school just outside
London to highlight their mental health
campaign Heads Together, at a time
when youngsters feel the pressures in
the first weeks of starting school.
The extended royal family often
makes the trip to Balmoral at least
once during the Queen's month-long
vacation. Princess Anne is residing on
the estate while she recovers from a
bad chest infection that forced the hardworking royal to cancel her official
engagements. Prince Harry will also

reportedly make an appearance at the

Scottish estate after he returns from his

Granny's At The Wheel! Queen Elizabeth Takes

Princess Kate Out For A Weekend Drive In Balmoral

six-week charity expedition in Africa

on Thursday.

Woman Stuck By Needle At Target Parking Lot Awarded $4.6 Million

A jury has awarded a South Carolina
woman more than $4.6 million after
she was stuck by a needle picked up in
a Target parking lot.
Before Carla Denise Garrisons lawsuit
against Target Corp. went to trial, her
lawyer offered to settle with the retailer
for $12,000, but the offer was rejected.
If the amount stands, it would be one
of the largest awarded in the history of
Anderson County litigation, according
to Clerk of Court Richard Shirley.
Garrison, of Anderson, said Friday that
she was too overwhelmed to talk
about the case.

According to court documents,

Garrisons injury happened in May
2014 in the parking lot of a Target
Anderson.
Garrison had parked and gotten out
of her vehicle when her then 8-yearold daughter, Kaileigh, picked up a
hypodermic needle. Garrison swatted the
needle out of her daughters hand. When
she did that, the needle stuck her in her
right palm, according to court documents.
Documents show that Garrison went
into the store and reported the injury
to a Target employee. The employee
noted in a report that Garrison seemed

worried.
Garrison was treated at AnMed Health,
where she was tested for HIV and
hepatitis. She was also prescribed
medication because of the potential
risk that she would contract HIV. She
has tested negative for both HIV and
hepatitis thus far, documents show.
According to court documents, the
HIV drugs made Garrison sick and
caused her to be bedridden. Garrisons
husband, Clint, had to take time off
work to care for her, according to her
attorney.
When we started this, we were just

trying to get Target to make my client

whole, to pay for her medical bills and
the time that her husband had to take off
work, said Garrison's attorney, Joshua
Hawkins of Greenville. We tried to be
reasonable and not take this to trial. But
Target took a really hard stance on it ...
and I think the jury sent a message.
Target spokeswoman Erika Winkels
said the company disagrees with the
outcome of the case.
"The final damages award has not yet
been determined by the Court," she
said in an email. "Target is currently
considering post-trial motions and
appeal options."

info@gobizz.ca

World News

778 278 4088

17

Girl, 7, Killed On Her Doorstep By Her Own Father

After He Was 'Accidentally' Sent Safe House Address

The address of a girl murdered on her

doorstep by her estranged father was
accidentally sent to him by her mothers
solicitor.
Mary Shipstone, seven, was returning to
the safe house from school when Yasser
Alromisse shot his daughter in the head.
He then turned the gun on himself.
Her mother Lyndsey Shipstone warned
police that her solicitor had inadvertently
revealed her new address to Alromisse
in legal papers, a serious case review
revealed.
Evidence or strong suspicion also
emerged that details of her previous
addresses or identity were given to
46-year-old Alromisse by other bodies,
including a bank and the Child Support
Agency.
Despite the disclosures, the serious case
review concluded that no-one could
have predicted or prevented the killing
in Northiam, near Rye, East Sussex, on
September 11, 2014.
It said there was no evidence Alromisse
located his daughter and estranged wife
through the inadvertent disclosures
of the girls address and her mothers
circumstances.
The criminal investigation into Marys
shooting found Alromisse had used a
variety of covert and illicit means to
trace his daughter Marys death was
calculated to deprive the mother of her
child while at the same time leaving her
with a permanent memory of her death,
the report said.
And it added that Ms Shipstone believed
Alromisse killed their daughter because

he feared the outcome of a new round of

court hearings would end in him being
denied contact.
At an inquest in September last year,
East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said the
thoroughly despicable act of violence
had been pre-meditated over a long
period of time.
The inquest heard Ms Shipstone carried
Mary to a neighbours home, where
they tried to revive her while waiting for
emergency services to arrive.
She was taken to Kings College
Hospital, London, but later died of her
injuries.
The review explains: In April 2014 the
mother reported to the police that her
solicitor had inadvertently revealed her
new address to the father in legal papers.
She was concerned that he would seek
to remove Child P and that previously
he had stated in court that he had been
stalking them.
She stated that she was very worried
for the safety of the children.
The police recorded this information
correctly in records and sought to pass it
to the neighbourhood policing team for
further action.
It was passed in error to the wrong
neighbourhood team where it was closed
without further action.
It is not certain whether in fact the
father received this information (as he
had moved house) or whether he noticed
it in the correspondence.
For some time after this he engaged in
a number of clandestine methods to find
out the exact address and to establish

Child Ps routine.
Sussex Polices Detective Superintendent
Jason Taylor said human error meant
a call from Ms Shipstone on April 19
2014 had been passed onto the wrong
neighbourhood team.
He said the inquest found Alromisse
probably tracked her down through
other means than the solicitors letter,
adding neither the inquest nor the
review made specific recommendations
for the force.
Detectives have not been able to find out
where Alromisse got his gun.
No action has been taken against the
solicitor over the error.
Ms Shipstone, 44, criticized some of
the support she had received during her
five-year court battle with Mr Alromisse
over custody of their daughter.
She added: Because it took so long,
people underestimated the seriousness.

Actually there is a lot of danger - we

had the briefest window and then Mary
was killed and really nothing was OK.
The mother said she felt let down
and disappointed by the police taking
no action on her new address being
disclosed, but added: I am not sure if
it would have ultimately changed the
outcome.
The last words she said to her daughter
as she put the key into her front door
were: Youll like what Ive done to
your room.
She had been living there with her
daughter for a year and Mary had settled
into her school.
A heartbroken Ms Shipstone added:
She was the happiest she had been for
a long time.
A series of recommendations were
made in the review, including tightening
up protection of information about
vulnerable people.
A spokesman for the East Sussex
Local Safeguarding Children Board
said: The LSCB has also found that
professionals did respond diligently
to reports of domestic violence, which
were all taken seriously and responded
to appropriately.
As is always the case, the review
has, however, found some areas
where improvements could be made,
particularly around how information
is shared when families move areas,
and we are working with all agencies
involved to implement a small number
of recommendations to improve
practice.

Incomeless Students Spent $57-Million On Vancouver Homes

Nine students with no apparent source
of income bought $57-million worth
of single-family homes in Vancouvers
tony Point Grey neighbourhood over
the past two years, according to records
compiled by British Columbias
Opposition New Democrats.
The NDP said the purchases are more
evidence that authorities have let the
regions housing market overheat
beyond the reach of most locals.
The properties include a $31-million
mansion that Canaccord Genuity
founder Peter Brown sold earlier this
year to a buyer whose occupation was
listed on the title document as student.
Four of the sales to student buyers
were covered by mortgages from three
major banks a fact that underscores
how Canadas banks are inflating the
regions housing market, said NDP
housing critic David Eby, who provided
data from his provincial riding.
How did the students qualify for
mortgages? Where did that money
come from? Mr. Eby said at a news
conference on Wednesday at which he
handed out photos of the homes that
included the address and the purchase
price.
He said this very small sample size of

data he has collected offers a snapshot

of problems that are likely plaguing the
regions wider housing supply.
If this work were expanded or done in
a systematic way by an academic or a
provincial government it could raise
serious questions about the implications
of this bank policy of lending to people
with no apparent source of income
across Metro Vancouver.
Mr. Eby said he obtained the title
documents of the nine homes after
reading about a Globe and Mail
investigation that found Canadian
banks allow foreign clients with no
credit history, including students,
to qualify for uninsured mortgages
without verifying the sources of their
income. The practice exempts nonCanadians who have money in the
bank from the scrutiny domestic
borrowers face when buying a home or
an investment property.
BMO, CIBC and HSBC provided
mortgages to the four students, Mr.
Eby said.
Late last year, Mr. Eby and Andy
Yan, acting director of Simon Fraser
Universitys City Program, released
an analysis of 172 transactions in three
expensive Vancouver neighbourhoods

during a six-month period ending

last year. That study which ignited
controversy for screening buyers for
non-anglicized Chinese names showed
almost a third of all occupations listed
on titles held by a single owner was
homemaker, followed by business people
at 18 per cent and students at 6 per cent.
Mr. Eby said he had no way of knowing
if the nine students whose real estate
data he released were foreign speculators
because citizenship is not included on
land-title documents. But he said The
Globes investigation explained the rapid
inflation in real estate values over the last
two years, where people have functionally
accessed almost unlimited capital as long
as they have a down payment.
The federal regulator of financial
institutions warned the banks this
summer that income verification is
lacking for non-Canadian clients and
urged them to be more thorough.
Jean-Yves Duclos, the federal minister
responsible for housing, said on
Wednesday that his government is
reviewing this and other issues brought
up in another Globe investigation on
allegations that speculators avoided taxes
in Metro Vancouvers real estate market.
We are clearly concerned by the

fact that there may be ways in which

Canadians are not being treated equally
in having access to the housing market,
Mr. Duclos told reporters in Vancouver.
Mr. Eby said the provincial Liberal
government should immediately review
all residential transactions across Metro
Vancouver over the past two years to
identify how widespread these mortgages
are and give qualified academics access
to land-title and foreign-buyer data so
they can identify trends.
B.C. Finance Minister Mike de Jong
was unavailable on Wednesday,
but an open-data project on foreign
investment in local real estate will be
released this fall, his spokesman said in
an e-mailed statement.
He added that the Conference Board
of Canada is expected to complete
another taxpayer-funded study of
Metro Vancouvers superheated market
before the end of the year.
The spokesman said the provinces
financial-services regulator is focusing
heavily on ensuring that B.C.s credit
unions are verifying that mortgage
recipients have enough income to repay
their loans. Still, he said, these credit
unions are not significantly involved
in foreign buyer financing programs.

18

info@gobizz.ca

Recipe

Chicken Stir Fry Lettuce

Wraps

Ingredients
3 carrots, peeled and cut into small
sticks
3 stalks celery, cut into small sticks
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 onion sliced for stir fry
1 clove garlic minced
2-3 chicken breasts
cut into strips 2 tablespoons oil divided
2 pouches of Blue Dragon Wasabi
Plum Stir Fry Sauce
Lettuce leaves, washed and dried {You
can use butter, iceberg or romaine}
Optional: chopped green onions,
sesame seeds and chili sauce
Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon oil and garlic to a

hot skillet. Add chicken and stir fry
quickly until chicken is fully cooked
and no longer pink. Remove from
frying pan.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet.
Add vegetables and quickly stir fry
until vegetables are tender crisp.
Add cooked chicken strips and two
pouches of Blue Dragon Wasabi Plum
Stir Fry Sauce to vegetables in skillet.
Mix gently and heat completely.
Serve scoops of stir fry on lettuce
leaves. Garish with chopped green
onion, sesame seeds and drizzle of
chili sauce if desired.

778 278 4088

Spicy Szechuan BBQ

Chicken

Ingredients
900g chicken pieces (drumsticks,
thighs and breast pieces)
1 sachet Blue Dragon Szechuan Pepper
Stir Fry Sauce
2 tsp Blue Dragon Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Blue Dragon Hoisin Sauce
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely
chopped
1tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
Take chicken pieces and slash with a
knife to make incisions, then rub with
the stir fry sauce, sesame oil and hoisin
sauce. Set aside to marinate 1-2 hours

Ingredients:
500 gms of lean ground lamb
1 medium white onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
A bunch of green beans, cut into 2 inch
pieces
1 tsp of paprika
1 1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of chili powder
1 cinnamon stick
A handful of fresh mint, cilantro &
parsley, finely chopped
Juice of half a lemon
1 1/2 tsp of sea salt
1 1/2 cups of basmati rice
Scant 3 cups of water
2 Tbsp of olive oil
Preparation:
1. Cook the basmati rice with just under
3 cups of water in a rice cooker. If you
are cooking rice on the stove, place it in
a pot with the water and bring to the boil.
2. Turn the heat down and cover the
pot. Cook the rice for 10-12 minutes or
until done.

Lamb Biryani

3. Once the rice is ready, put it straight

in the fridge so that it cools down and
dries out.
4. Saute the onion in a medium saucepan
over a moderate heat until translucent.
Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the spices including the
cinnamon stick and fry for 2-3 minutes
to release the oils. Stir well.
6. Add the ground lamb and break it up
with a wooden spoon. Stir well to coat
lamb in the spices. Add the salt. Lower
the heat slightly and cook lamb for
about seven minutes or until browned.
7. Add the chopped canned tomatoes and
about 300ml of the sauce from the can.
8. Stir well and then add the green beans.
9. Cover and simmer on a low heat for
25 minutes.
10. Carefully combine the lamb mixture
with the rice and mix thoroughly to
coat it.
11. Squeeze some lemon juice over the
biryani and stir well.
12. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve
immediately.

if time permits
Heat your BBQ or broiler to medium
high heat. Place chicken on a tray and
place on the grill, cook 40-45 minutes,
turning occasionally, and baste with any
leftover marinade as the chicken cooks
Place chicken on a large serving platter,
scaller over chilli, sesame seeds and
coriander and serve immediately.
Chef's tip: Large beef steaks or other
robust cuts of meat (e.g. pork chops)
also work really well with this flavourful
marinade. The chicken is cooked when
it has changed in colour and firm to the
touch. If in doubt, pierce the thickest
part, clear juices should run.

info@gobizz.ca

Health

778 278 4088

19

Running Better Than Cycling For Long-Term Bone Health

Exercise that puts greater strain on
bones, like running, may help in
improving bone health more effectively
than non-weight bearing activities like
cycling, finds a new study.
Normal human beings need to exercise
moderately to maintain health.
However, those at risk of weaker bones
need to take up running rather than
swimming or cycling.
The researchers measured glucagon,
leptin and insulin -- hormones involved
in regulating metabolism -- as well as
levels of osteocalcin and P1NP (proteins

associated with bone formation) in 17

trained runners before and after a 65km mountain ultramarathon run.
They compared it to the hormones
and bone constituents of twelve adults
of the same age who did not run the
race but did low to moderate physical
exercise.
Increasing glucagon levels indicate
an energy demand, whilst increasing
insulin and leptin levels indicate
adequate or excessive energy levels,
the researchers stated.
The findings showed that the

ultramarathon runners had higher

levels of glucagon and lower levels of
leptin and insulin when finishing the
race as compared to the control group.
The falling levels of insulin
ultramarathon runners lead to similarly
falling levels of both osteocalcin and
P1NP -- suggesting that athletes may be
diverting energy from bone formation
to power the high-energy demands of
their metabolism.
However, the runners also had higher
P1NP levels at rest compared to
controls, suggesting that they may

divert energy from bones during racing

but also have a net gain in bone health
in the long-term.
Running exerts a higher physical load
on bone than swimming or cycling,
it could be that these forces stimulate
bone tissue to signal to the pancreas to
help meet its energy needs in the longterm, the researchers explained.
The study has shown that bones
aren't just lying idle, but are actively
communicating with other organs
and tissues to drive the body's energy
needs.

Remedies To Treat Diabetes At Home

People with diabetes, deal with health

problems every single day. If diabetes
is poorly controlled or left untreated, it
may lead to blindness, kidney disease,
blood vessel damage, infection, heart
disease, nerve damage, high blood
pressure, stroke, limb amputation,
and coma. Below is a list of home
remedies for diabetes that includes
food remedies for weight control and
blood sugar levels.
Natural uncooked food: Natural
uncooked food is the best medicine
for all types of diseases. They have
got their own enzymes. They are not
diluted with chemicals. Food such as
sprouts, fruits, juices, nuts and so on
can be taken raw. Eating a diet rich in
fibre helps the body to absorb sugars
slowly, which in turn keeps blood sugar
levels balanced. Soluble type of fibre
does the best job of stabilising blood
sugar levels. Apples, apricots, beets,
berries, carrots, citrus fruits, parsnips,
and winter squash are some fruits and
vegetables which are rich in soluble
fibre. Soluble fibre is also helpful in
lowering elevated LDL cholesterol
levels, a serious problem in many
people with diabetes.
Whole sum diet: Diet which is a

combination of vegetables and fruits

get a rich array of antioxidants such as
vitamin C. Antioxidants prevents the
oxidation and damage of artery walls,
which otherwise can lead to plaque
build-up and heart disease.
Exercise: Exercise has the potential
to control the diabetes by nonmedical
means. It reduces the severity of the
disease and significantly reduces the
risk of long-term complications. The
energy needed for exercise can help
people to lose weight which helps to
take some of the risk related to central
obesity. Exercise is known to increase
insulin sensitivity which essentially
helps to tackle the root cause of type
2 diabetes. Also, regular exercise can
also help to reduce cholesterol levels
and help people to reduce high blood
pressure. Even a little extra activity
each day can help.
Meditation: Meditation lowers the
insulin resistance in our body. Stress
hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline
and
noradrenalin
intensify
the
production of insulin and glucose levels.
Reducing these neurohormones through
the Transcendental Meditation technique
helps to balance glucose and insulin
in the blood. This helps to normalize

metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Basil leaves: Basil leaves have power
to lower blood sugar levels. Basil
leaves contain potent antioxidants that
relieve oxidative stress; it's this stress
that compounds problems in diabetics.
Cactus juice and flax seeds: Cactus
juice from is also helpful. Cactus juice
can help decrease and stabilize blood
glucose and insulin levels. Consuming
flax seed reduces postprandial sugar
level by 28 per cent.
Leaves of bilberry plant and
cinnamon: The leaves of the bilberry
plant are known to lower blood sugar
levels. Also, 1gram cinnamon in the
diet for a month lowers the blood sugar
levels
Green tea: This tea is unfermented
and hence has high polyphenol
content, which has strong antioxidant
and hypoglycaemic effects. The
polyphenols help in a controlled release
of blood sugars.
Drumstick leaves: The fibre content in
the leaves increases satiety and slows
the breakdown of food.
Isabgol: Also known as psyllium husk
is often used as a laxative. When isabgol
comes in contact with water, it swells to
form a gel-like substance. This slows

the breakdown and absorption of blood

glucose. Metformin, a drug commonly
used in diabetic treatment, can upset
your stomach for which isabgol works
as a save guard.
Reiki: Reiki is more effective than any
other dummy treatment at improving
the health. It balances the sugar level
and natural energy flow in the body.
Reflexology: Reflexology can enhance
the production of insulin by helping the
cells that produce insulin in the body. It
is done by working on the pancreas and
generally the endocrine (hormonal)
system .The liver would be another key
area to work on through reflexology,
due to its processing functions being
affected by an increase in blood sugar
levels.
Medicines for diabetes
Kernel of jamun seeds: Jamun seeds are
very helpful in controlling sugar and
help to ease from Diabetic symptoms.
Chewing of Jamun leaves are also
suggested to Diabetic patients.
Karela bark, bitter gourd: Bitter
melon has plant insulin-polypeptide-P,
a bio-chemicals useful in reducing
blood sugar. Bitter gourd can also be
used as bitter gourd recipe, bitter gourd
tea, dishes, curry, and soup.

Enjoy Margarine
High cholesterol levels can put stress
on any family. The good news is that
you can lower your cholesterol and
improve your heart health by making
small lifestyle changes. Here are five
tips to help get you moving towards a
heart healthier lifestyle:
1. Eat a balanced diet
Canada's Food Guide helps you enjoy
a variety of foods from the four food
groups and specific types of oils and
fats. It provides recommendations on
serving sizes to help meet your needs
for vitamins, minerals, and other
nutrients, while contributing to your
overall health and vitality.
Its easier than you think! Make a stirfry for supper tonight with at least three
different vegetables. Add berries or
sliced fruit to low-fat yogurt, salads,
and whole grain breakfast cereal. Try
swapping white bread and white pasta for
their higher fibre whole grain versions

2. Include plant sterols in your daily

diet
Small amounts of plant sterols are
naturally found in a wide variety of
vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables,
and are an effective addition to a
cholesterol-lowering diet and lifestyle.
International health experts such as the
American Heart Association, as part
of the National Cholesterol Education
Program, suggest eating 2 grams of
plant sterols a day to enhance an LDLcholesterol-lowering lifestyle and diet.
Becel pro.activ contains plant
sterols, which help to lower cholesterol.
Two teaspoons (10 g) of Becel pro.
activ provides 40% of the daily
amount of plant sterols shown to help
lower cholesterol in adults. Consuming
2-3 servings of plant sterols fortified
food, like Becel pro.activ, helps
lower cholesterol up to 9%. With lower
cholesterol comes better peace of mind
for you and your family.

3. Focus on the healthier fats

Eat less saturated and trans fats (bad
fats); instead, replace them with
unsaturated fats like polyunsaturated
omega-3 fats (good fats). DHA and
EPA are two types of polyunsaturated
omega-3 fats, which are important
for the maintenance of good health
and increasingly being recognized as
important for heart health.
To include more polyunsaturated
omega-3 fats in your diet, use canola oil
and products made with canola oil. Look
for foods enriched with DHA and EPA
including some soft non-hydrogenated
margarine, eggs, lower fat milk and
yogurt. Eat salmon, rainbow trout and
other fatty fish, at least twice a week.
4. Keep active
Just 30 minutes of moderate physical
activity on most days of the week can
lead to many health benefits. By being
more physically active, you:
Take positive steps to keep your heart

healthy
Will stay in better shape to look and
feel better
May feel reduced stress levels
May find it easier to fall asleep
Adults should aim for 2 hours of
moderate (e.g. brisk walking or bike
riding) to vigorous (e.g. jogging or
cross-country skiing) physical activity
each week. Short, 10-minute spurts of
activity can be spread throughout the
week to help achieve the weekly goal. .
5. Give up smoking
Stopping smoking is one of the most important
decisions you can make for your heart, even
if youve smoked for years. As soon as you
stop, youll start to see the benefits. Your
circulation will start to improve, your lungs
will benefit, and in the long term, it will help
to keep your heart healthy.
If you smoke, quit or reduce the
amount.
For more information speak with your
doctor.

Lowering Cholesterol

20

778 278 4088

info@gobizz.ca

Emraan Hashmi chooses Deepika Padukone over

Priyanka Chopra as the next Bond girl
Emraan Hashmi was a complete sport
when we played a quick rapid fire
session with him. He didn't shy away
from making choices and the fun part
was him being quick witted since the
game demands it.
Emraan Hashmis Raaz Reboot has hit
the screens and Emraan for whom the
genre is nothing new is yet nervous for
it. The movie which also stars debutant
Kriti Kharbanda and Gaurav Arora
was extensively shot in Romania this
time and thats the one reason why the
movie gets Reboot in the title. There is a
saddening fact for all the Raaz movies
fans. If reports are to be believed, then
this shall be the last movie coming
from the franchise and after this there
shall be an end to it. So yes we are sad
considering there are not many movies
made in this genre when it comes to
Bollywood. Nonetheless we hope that
the movie does wonders at the box
office like its previous releases so that
we could cherish this last experience.
BollywoodLife had an exclusive
chance to have an one on one interview
with Emraan Hashmi before the release
of his movie Raaz Reboot. The actor

who is starring for the third consecutive

time in the franchises movie was all
excited and nervous at the same time.
To lighten up his mood and get our
source of information, we decided to
have a rapid fire session with the star
and his answers were really alarming.
He gets kudos from us for being so
quick while answering as the game
demands it. It was indeed a fun session
as Emraan was a sport and didnt shy
away from picking up his choices.
We asked Emraan if he will prefer
working with Alia as an actress or Pooja
Bhatt as a director, the actor picked the
current sensation Alia. Surprisingly he
has just rejected a movie offer which
required him to work with her. This
time we didnt have him rank the
celebs in terms of hotness or which
actor comes to his mind when we say
the following words. Instead we had
simple questions with options and he
had to pick one. We gave him a tough
choice to pick Deepika Padukone or
Priyanka Chopra as the next Bond
girl and surprisingly the actor chose
Deepika over Priyanka. Seems like Mr
Hashmi is a fan of DP and not PC.

Actor-director Satish Kaushik, who

is returning to stage with a new play,
feels presence of Bollywood faces
contributes significantly towards the
growth of theatre audience. "With
many known people like Anupam
Kher, Shabana Azmi, Saurabh Shukla
in the theatre circuit working regularly
on stage, we realize the audience for
theatre has grown," said the actor.
Recalling his initial days as a performer
in Mumabi's Prithvi theatre, Kaushik,
who was last seen in 'Udta Punjab'
shares how after a show, actors would
rush out to gather money from the
audience.
'When Prithvi theatre was inaugurated,
as soon as the show got over, we all
rushed out 'aur jholi phaila ke khade ho
jaate they' and people would throw in
Rs 4-5.
"Today people are spending money to
buy tickets worth thousands of rupees
to watch us perform live because they
have grown fond of watching theatre,"
he says.
The actor, 60, however feels that
the momentum of the growth can
be maintained only if the number of
shows as well as performing centres
are increased, not just in metro cities
but also in smaller towns.
'We must raise the number of theatres

for staging plays in the country. The

more, the merrier. Apart from big cities
like Mumbai and Delhi, every state
should make an effort and encourage
plays by increasing the numbers of
theatres.'
Talking about his new play titled,
'Mr and Mrs Murarilal', directed by
playwright Saif Haider Hasan, Kaushik
says that the plot attempts to highlight
the realities of different aspects of life old age, friendship and love.
Kuashik as Mr Murarilal will be
seen romancing actress Meghna
Malik. He says both the script and
the performances aim to strike an
emotional chord with the audience
while keeping the humour alive.
The play comes after a long gap
of over 14 years, during which the
actor performed several re-runs of
Feroz Khan's "Salesman Ramlal," an
adaptation of Arthur Miller's 'Death
of a Salesman,' before taking a break
from theatre.
'I needed a gap obviously. Although
there were offers for plays but I was
looking for some meaty content. I
found Hasan's theme very attractive
and something that people can relate
to. So, I decided to come on board.
"It defies the stereotypes of old age and
attempts to inspire that one should not

Satish Kaushik: Bollywood Presence Helps Theatre

Audience Grow
lose hope and just give up when they
grow old," he says.

The play is scheduled to be staged here

on September 17 and 18.

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21

Horoscope
Aries
Those holding position of authority and
influence should watch out-for favour seekers and flatterers. Any mistake on
your part could undermine your position
at work. An emotional show of feelings
could harm your interests. Those looking
out for a job are likely to receive two
offers in this week. Do not accept the
offer which entails a change of location.
Taurus
Stick to your routine work activities.
Fresh ventures are fraught with
some hassles. There is an element of
suspicion in a new venture brought to
you this week. You need to be careful
in the matters of the heart and not
getting involved with a person having
dubious past.
Gemini
Work wise a profitable week. Some
of you will be required to travel at a
short notice to conclude a certain deal.
Professionals or the self employed
need to be very careful, for someone
is likely to falsely,implicate them in a
legal tangle. Home and family affairs,

run smoothly.
Cancer
There can be a staff or labour problem
at work making this week a forced
holiday. You should try to stay clear of
any disputes and problems. Some of
you are likely to attend to some repair
work at home or visit a relative whom
you have not seen for a long time.
Leo
Travel plans are likely to get
postponed. Some of you are likely to
face problems while commuting to
work. An unexpected payment gets
deferred. The health of a parent or any
maternal member of your family will
cause worry and concern. Your plans
for the evenings may get cancelled.
Virgo
You will be making plans for a journey
either for work or on a holiday. Some
of you are likely to receive money
through the sale of a land or a house.
The youngsters who are in love will
face opposition from their family. This
may make them revaluate their present
relationship.

Libra
The successful completion of your
current task will bring immediate
financial gains. Some of you will travel
to sign new contracts or to recover
some payment long overdue. Love
life is brimming with excitement.
However, those having secret liaison
run the risk of being exposed.
Scorpio
You may not be in the mood to work
this week. Some of you may take a
day off and others are likely to go out
shopping. An outing in the company
of your mate or beloved and friends
will prove enjoyable. You will end up
spending much more than you had
anticipated.
Sagittarius
You are greeted with a sudden surprise
with the receipt of a large sum of
money. The employed will be given
a prestigious assignment to handle
independently. You will conclude your
task with the able support of colleague
and associate. Home and family is
good.

Capricorn
Work continues smoothly. Some of
you will take up a part time job or an
agency which will prove beneficial.
Some of you will be required to travel
on work which could keep you away
from home for a long period of time.
Heavy pressure at work leaves you
with no time for a leisure and romance.
Aquarius
A hectic work schedule could prove
stressful and tiring. You need to take
rest, or else, you could be heading
for a health problem. Those who are
already feeling fatigue should consult
their physician or go in for a thorough
medical check up this week. Tension
prevails on the home front.
Pisces
Stick to routine work and avoid fresh
investments. Any project which is
showing a loss should be abandoned
at once. A female relative is likely to
create mischief and misunderstanding
within your family. You need to warn
your immediate family members
against her machination.

Pink Critics Movie Review: Amitabh Bachchan And

Taapsee Pannus Courtroom Drama Is Getting A Huge
Thumbs Up!
Amitabh Bachchan's latest film, PINK,
is winning critics all over, and even
managed to get a decent start at the
box office. The film also stars Taapsee
Pannu and Kirti Kulhari.
It was expected, wasnt it?
Amitabh Bachchans latest film,
PINK, is winning critics all over, and
even managed to get a decent start
at the box office. The film also stars
Taapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari, and
is about three girls who are falsely
charged of assaulting a politicians
son, when one of them is molested by
the guy. Amitabh Bachchan plays their
neighbour as well as their lawyer, who
defends them in the court as well as
tries to raise question that how easy it
is for the society to blame the girl, even
if the atrocity is done to her.
We have already praised the movie
for its theme, its performances, the
direction and the message the film
wants to deliver in our review. And it
looks like we are not the only ones in
awe of Pink.
Here are other sources that are praising
the movie:
DNA: Pink is an engaging courtroom
drama revolving around the subject
of a womans consent. Despite
the feminist twang to the title and
perception, Pink isnt about womens
rights or liberalism. On the contrary, it
talks about a basic yet often forgotten
subject a womans right to say no
when it comes to sex.

Pink is a film every woman and every

man must watch. It carries an important
message. And even if it changes the
mindset of one percent of the countrys
population, its a big win.
Filmfare: Pink is the film that gives
feminism a brave new shade. It makes
many relevant and bold pro-feminist
and anti-sexist remarks. This is a
politically charged social drama. But
where its political statements are firm,
its cinematic finesse is not very strong.
But some films are all heart and thats
what makes Pink such a bold and
relevant statement to our times.
Well acted, well intentioned and
inspiringly brave, Pink is the film that
can shake up feudal mindsets in India.
It is a bit theatrical in its approach, but
some causes need to be shouted from
the rooftops. So thats what Pink does. It
stands tall and it lets out a roar of defiance
against gender inequality and women
exploitation. More power to girls.
Mumbai Mirror: Apart from narrating
a story that tells a lot more than it says,
this one also includes deliciouslywritten
and
meticulously-casted
characters.
Mid-Day: Its shocking, as Pink puts
it, the views some of the most unlikely
men hold about women on the basis
of how they dress, what they drink,
who they love, where they live Even
though we see more and more females
in public, party, and work places.
Yes, Pink does compel you to think.

And thats not all it does.

Hindustan Times: Every single actor
has upped the ante in this 136-minute
riveting drama. If Taapsee excels in
initial courtroom scenes, Kirti takes it
to a whole new level in the finale. The
girls have shown a tremendous range
and Pink belongs to them. Nobody
has overshadowed them, not even
Bachchan or a shrewd lawyer Prashant,
played by a super intense Piyush
Mishra.
The Hindu: When one article upon
another on a recent case (of alleged
sexual assault) has been obfuscating
reason and rationality in many of us
(including yours truly), its good to

have a film stating categorically, even

if a trifle simplistically, that a no is a
no is a no. That single working women
are not a catch. That friendly girls are
not promiscuous. That a shared drink
doesnt mean a woman is available.
That it all boils down to a womans
choice and consent.
India Today: Pink is a giant leap, sure,
but it can only leap so far. Keeping
Pink as a starting point, future writerdirectors should build on the foundation
established by it to make more brave,
more daring films on womens issues,
where one day, not Amitabh Bachchan,
but a woman can stand up and speak
for herself and everyone will listen.

22

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TS Times Sports

Jarryd Hayne Could Play For Fiji Bati At 2017 World

Cup And NSW Blues

JARRYD Hayne has not committed

to Fiji at next years Rugby League
World Cup, but he could do so without
jeopardising his future at Origin or
Kangaroos level.
Reports Hayne had confirmed his
availability to the Bati for the 2017
tournament are premature, but it
is believed the Titans recruit has
entertained the idea of representing the
island nation he qualifies for through
father Manoa Thompson.
Fiji Bati ambassador and former
Kangaroo Petero Civoniceva clarified
his comments in The Fiji Times, which
reported that Hayne had confirmed to
Civoniceva his availability.
I just said that itd be great if he
could play for Fiji, Im not confirming
anything, Civoniceva told foxsports.
com.au from Fiji.
I think there has been some sort of
talks there, and hes alluded to it before
but definitely nothing confirmed... I just
said itd be great if he was available.
FNRL chief executive officer Timoci
Naleba has also been quoted as saying
Hayne has expressed his interest to
be part of the build-up to the Rugby
League World Cup.
Hayne previously turned out for Fiji at
the 2008 World Cup and credited his
involvement with the Bati for turning
his career around, going on to win his

first Dally M Medal the following year.

Either side of that tournament he has
represented Australia in 11 Tests and
NSW at Origin level on 20 occasions.
Under the current international rules,
playing for Fiji at next years end
of season tournament would not rub
Hayne out of representing either the
Kangaroos or Blues in the future, as the
next eligibility cycle would start afresh
after the World Cup.
Those regulations could also be eased
further in coming months.
The Rugby League International
Federation is reviewing its eligibility
processes so players can represent
second-tier nations without ruling
themselves out of contention for Origin
or top tier countries Australia, New
Zealand and England.
Last week the RLIF extended the
residency qualification period from
three to five years following outcry
over Semi Radradras decision to align
with the Kangaroos earlier this year.
Those changes come into effect from
October 1, in time for the end of season
Four Nations tournament, but a player
like Radradra is already committed to
Australia for next years World Cup,
even if not selected.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has said
previously Hayne was not a realistic
chance of making the Australias 24-

Police have not identified any suspects

in the case regarding Fiji 7s player
Masivesi Dakuwaqas Olympic gold
medal that was allegedly stolen from
his home in Waqadra, Nadi last week.
Dakuwaqa has said the person who
allegedly stole his medal was known
to him.
Dakuwaqa told Fijivillage that he
always kept his gold medal in his room.
He confirms that there were some
visitors at his house last Tuesday
however he was out.
When he arrived home on Wednesday
morning, his mother asked him about
his medal.
He says he then realized that his medal
was missing from its case in his room.
Dakuwaqa says they then started
searching for the gold medal in the
house however they could not find it.
He says that his room was not locked
and he suspects that someone broke
into the house.
Namaka Police confirm an official
complaint was filed at the station at

8.50am.
Masivesi Dakuwaqa was a shadow
player for the Fiji 7s team to the Rio
Olympics Mens 7s competition and
replaced Savenaca Rawaca when he
was injured.

Dakuwaqa Says His

Olympic Gold Medal Went
Missing From His Home

man Four Nations squad so soon after

returning to the game from stints in
NFL and Sevens Rugby.
Haynes form had its ups and downs for
the Titans in the final six games of the
year, and he was not included in a strong
Prime Ministers XIII squad taking on
Papua New Guinea next week.
The former San Francisco 49er has found

Fiji Soccer Side Now

Ranked 179th In Latest
FIFA Ranking

The Fiji soccer side is now ranked

179th in the latest FIFA ranking.
Although they have moved up 8 places
from 187th, Fiji is now the 6th best
team in the Oceania Region out of 11
teams.
New Zealand remains the top team in
the Oceania region.
Argentina is the best team in the world
Fiji 7s player Masivesi Dakuwaqa
with his gold medal after winning at
the Rio Olympics

himself in hot water this week after

video emerged of him associating with
an alleged member of the Hells Angels.
He will face questions this week
from the NRL Integrity Unit over his
relationship with accused stand over
man and ex-Titans under 20s player
Chris Bloomfield - currently facing
charges of extortion and assault.

while Belgium and Germany make up

the top three.
Meanwhile in local soccer, the
Vodafone Premier League continues
tomorrow with two games to be played
at Subrail Park.
Dreketi will play Nadi at 5.30pm
while Labasa will play Ba at 7.30pm
tomorrow.

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