Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Church Matters Raised with Bainimarama at Meeting Last Week
Subject: Matters of concern raised with Bainimarama at 24/3/10 meeting with Methodist leadership - legal changes
25 March 2010
ESO NA RIVARIVABI MAI NA VEILAWA BULI KA VUKICI ESO MAI NA EPERELI 2009
Ni oti na tau ni lewa ni mataveilewai ecake (Appeals Court) ka vakacalai kina na lewa ni Turaga na Peresitedi me vakaduria na matanitu ka liutaka ko Bainimarama mai na Janueri 2007, era a sega ni muria na ivakasala ni mataveilewai na Turaga na Peresitedi ko Ratu Josefa I.Uluivuda, ka ra a bokoca na Yavu ni Vakavulewa ni 1997 ena Decree No.1 ka tabaki ena i ka 10 ni Epereli 2009. Ena bokoci ni Yavu ni Vakavulewa ni 1997, kei na buli kei na veisautaki ni so na lawa ena kena ivakarau vaka-decree, e vu kina na rivarivabi eso me vaka oqo:
1. Na Qele Ni Taukei
E taqomaki koto na kena rawa ni yavalati se veisautaki ni lawa ni qele ni Taukei ena tikina e 185-(1) ni Yavu ni Vakavulewa ni 1997. Ena kena mai bokoci na Yavu ni Vakavulewa ni 1997, esa mai kauta tani edua na inuinui dei vakalawa ena kena maroroi na kaukauwa ni veisautaki ni lawa ni Qele ni Taukei ka me ra vakadonuya taumada na mata ni Bose Levu Vakaturaga ena Seneti (Senate).
E sega walega ni kautani na inuinui ni maroroi ni lawa ni Qele Maroroi. Ena Decree No. 31 ni 2009, esa veisautaki kina na lawa ni Qele Maroroi ni Taukei ka tamusuki na kaukauwa ni vakatulewa ni Bose Levu Vakaturaga ena digitaki ni lewe lima (5) me ratou lewe ni Matabose ni Qele Maroroi ka sa soli na kaukauwa vata oqori kina vakatulewa ni Minisita ni Veika Vaka-iTaukei (Minister for Indigenous Affairs) ka tara tiko ena gauna oqo na Prime Minister ko Bainimarama.
Esa rogo vakavuqa ni vinakata na matanitu e veiliutaki tiko oqo meda vakatautauvatataki. Esa rogo talega ni lalawataki ni rawa ni taura na itutu ni Peresitedi eso tale ka ra sega ni kawa iTaukei. Ena lawa ni Qele Maroroi na Native Land Trust Act, na Peresitedi e iliuliu se Chairman ni Matabose ni Qele Maroroi. Kevaka esa yaco na lalawa me taura edua ka sega ni kawa iTaukei na itutu vaka Peresitedi, esa na kauta tani mai na iTaukei na ulu ni lewa ena vakatulewataki ni bose ni Qele Maroroi.Na lewa ni vukici ni lawa ni Qele Maroroi ka sega ni vakatulewa kina na Bose Levu Vakaturaga e rivarivabitaki ni na rawa ni na yaco kina eso na lewa ka sega ni taqomaka na dodonu ni iTaukei kina nona qele. Na kautani mai na Bose Levu Vakaturaga ka soli vua na Prime Minister, se na Minister vaka-iTaukei na digitaki ni lewe 5 na lewe ni bose ni Qele Maroroi ni Taukei esa kauta tani na maroroi ni lewa ni maroroi ni qele ena ligadra na noda Turaga ena vukuda na iTaukei. E lewe tini taucoko na mata didgitaki era lewena na Matabose ni Qele Maroroi; na lewa me kauta tani na vakatulewa ni Bose Levu Vakaturaga e voroka sara ga na vakasama ni maroroi ni nodra digitaki na veimama ni mata kina Matabose ni Qele Maroroi mera tutaka na vakasama ni mareqeti kei na karoni ni dodonu ni Taukei kina nodra uma qele. Oqori esa basuka sara ga na bai me baleta na iTaukei me vaka era viria na Turaga kei na matanitu veiliutaki ena veigauna sa oti.
2. Na Lawa Ni Curuvanua
Ena decree no. 23 ni 2009, esa mai bokoca kina na Peresitedi na lawa ni curu vanua na Fiji Citizenship Act 1998. Ena lawa sa mai boko oqo, esega ni vakatarai vua edua na lewei Viti me lewe ni duatale na vanua. Ia ena lawa vou ka vakatokai na Citizenship of Fiji Decree No. 23 ka buli ena I ka 8 ni Julai 2009, esa vakatarai vei ira na lewei Viti ka ra sa laki tu ena veivanuatani, me ra kerekere ka mera lewenivanua tale e Viti ni ra tu ga mai vanua tani era tu kina. E dina ni se bera ni buli na lawa ni veidigidigi, e tiko na rivarivabi ni kena vakatarai mera lewenivanua ko ira era sa laki tu ena veivanua tani ka ra sa lewe ni veivanua tani, ena rawa talega ni vu ni nodra na vakaitavi tale ena veidigidigi e Viti, ka na rawa ni vu ni tiko yavavala vei keda.Ena wili lewenivanua ena 2007, a laurai ni limasagarua na pasede (52%) ni lewenivanua e iTaukei, tolusagawalu na pasede (38%) na Idia, ka tini na pasede (10%) na veimata-tamata tale eso. Kevaka era na vakayagataki na lewenivanua era sa biu vanua ka ra lewe tu ni veimatanitu tani ena veidigidigi me rawa walega ni tauri kina na veiliutaki e Viti, oqori ena vakavuna walega na tiko yavavala ka na sega ni na vakavinakataka na veiwekani vinaka ni mata-tamata duidui eda tu e Viti.
3. Na Vakatarai Ni Tiko Vata Vaka-Yalewa se Vaka-Tagane (Homosexual Relationships)
Na lawa na Penal Code (Cap 17) e matata koto kina na cala vakalawa ni tiko vata vakatagane se vakayalewa. Esa mai bokoci na lawa oqo na Penal Code ena i ka 5 ni Noveba 2009. Ena lawa vou na Crimes Decree 2009 ka tabaka na Peresitedi ena 05 Noveba 2009, esa sega ni cala se vakatabui vakalawa na tiko vata vaka-tagane se vakayalewa kevaka erau vakadonuya vata orau erau vakayacora.
4. Na Vukici Ni Lawa Ni Yaqona Ni Vavalagi (Liquor Act)
Na lawa na Liquor Act 2006 e virikotora ni tabu na soli ni yaqona ni vavalagi vei ira e lailai sobu na nodra yabaki mai na 21. Ia ena lawa vou na Liquor Amendment Decree 2009, esa vakatarai na soli ni yaqona ni vavalagi vei ira era yabaki 18 ka lako cake.
Esa kacivaka raraba na vu ni lawa ko Aiyaz Khaiyum na kena vakadeitaki ni taurivaki ni lewa me na vakabalavutaki na gauna ni volitaki ni yaqona ni vavalagi me vakaoqo:
a. Ena vei otela – ena 24 na auwa dua na siga, vitu na siga dua na macawa
b. Ena ‘taverns’ – 11am ki na 1am ena veisiga
c. Esa rawa ni ra volitaki gunu na vei vale ni kana vakalaiseni me yacova na 12 ena bogi levu
d. Era sa na dola na veivale ni danisi ka volitaki kina na gunu (nightclubs) mai na 5pm ki na 1am, ia ena so na vanua me vaka e Suva, Nadi ka vakatokai na ‘special zones’ era rawa ni dola tu me 24 na auwa, vitu na siga dua na macawa.
E dau saqata na Vanua kei na Lotu na kena gunuvi sivia ni yaqona ni vavalagi ena vica na vuna ka wili kina:
1) Na rai ni ca na kena gunuvi vakasivia
2) Na tarovi ni so na leqa vakavuvale, vakaitikotiko eso
3) Na maroroi ni lavo mai na mateni kei na gunuvi ni yaqona ni vavalagi me yaga kina vuvale
4) Na maroroi ni bula vakayago mai na mate e rawa ni veitauvi ena gunuvi sivia ni yaqona ni vavalagi
5) Na rokovi ni Siga Tabu
6) Na maroroi ni tovo kilikili kei na veirokovi ena noda veitikotiko me i dusidusi tiko vei ira na luveda me baleta na nodra veigauna ni mataka.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Boost for Culture
Fiji Times - Wednesday, March 24, 2010
+ Enlarge this imageUSP vice chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra, left, with Fijians Trust Fund Board CEO Isoa Kaloumaira after signing the agreement in Suva
Those interested in learning the Fijian language and culture at the University of the South Pacific but away from the campus can now enroll for the course as it will soon be offered online.
This has been made possible after USP and the Fijians Trust Fund Board signed a partnership agreement yesterday aspiring to promote and protect the Fijian language and culture.
The acting Dean of Faculty of Arts and Law, Akanisi Kedrayate, said the target group was those the teaching in rural areas.
"The course is already offered face-to-face with an estimate of 20 students enrolled in the course. We are considering a blended approach since while a good number of students show interest taking it on campus, there is a high demand for distance learning," she said. "The problem is there are many teachers of Fijian language in schools without proper qualification. This course will help them get necessary qualifications since we will offer courses at certificate, diploma and degree levels."
She said the online course could help enroll another 20 to 30 students.
FTFB's chief executive Isoa Kaloumaira said the project served part of their mandate in preserving Fijian culture and traditions.
"The memorandum signed today includes the funding of salary of a senior lecturer and a lecturer. This will only be for the first year and a review will be conducted on the progress of the course," Mr Kaloumaira said.
USP's vice chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra said they had plans to include modern technology in teaching techniques, including satellite, broadband and mobile technology in future.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
NLTB Employment not for Fijians Only
Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, March 02, 2010
People of all races can be employed at the Native Land Trust Board, it has been clarified.
The NLTB Board made the decision at its bi-monthly meeting last week, to clear perceptions that only indigenous Fijians can work for the NLTB.
General Manager Alipate Qetaki says all future recruitments will be merit based and open to all races.
"Up to now there has been a perception that NLTB only employs individuals of the ethnic Fijian race or indigenous race although history tells us in the past there have been employees of the NLTB who are non Taukei," said Qetaki.
"So I am not quite sure whether there was a definite policy to recruit only the Tauke to work for Native Land Trust Board."
"I believe the policy that the Board has now agreed to is a clarification and also to ensure that the recruitment policy is in line with Government’s recruitment policy," he said.
"Recruitment to the Public Service for instance, is based on merit."
The new policy comes into effect right away with the re-advertisement of the positions of Board Secretary, Manager Legal, and Manager Finance.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Fiji Barefoot Law
by Serafina Silaitoga
Fiji Times - Monday, March 01, 2010
NEW village laws introduced by a group of village heads in the Northern Division restrict people from wearing shoes, women growing long hair and wearing shorts and limit freedom of clothing and leisure activities.
The 200 villagers of Nukubalavu in Savusavu have to take off their shoes when entering the village boundary and walk barefoot to their homes. This rule also applies to visitors.
Health authorities, however, have expressed concern, saying walking barefoot could expose villagers to diseases such as leptospirosis. The Cakaudrove divisional health office in Savusavu said it would act to protect villagers from exposure to health risks.
Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Salanieta Saketa said the ministry would investigate before making a statement on the issue.
Roko Tui Cakaudrove Ro Aca Mataitini was away in Taveuni but the provincial office said that laws decided by the villagers and their chiefs were entirely up to them and applicable only in the village boundary. On hairstyles and banishment of villagers for marijuana and homebrew breach, the office referred all queries to Ro Aca.
All women and children with long hair have cut and keep their hair short.
The decision of the village elders follows last year's Cakaudrove provincial council meeting where they were asked to protect the Fijian culture from modernisation.
Village headman Maciu Baleidaku confirmed that new rules have been put in place restricting villagers from certain freedoms of clothing and leisure activities.
Anyone caught with marijuana or drinking homebrew in the village boundary would be banished, he said.
He said Savusavu chief Tui Nasavusavu Ratu Suliano Naulu and tribal heads of the village have been engaged in meetings on the new law the past two weeks. Mr Baleidaku said the chiefs agreed to introduce the laws after the two-week meeting.
He said concerns were raised about how villagers and visitors continued to show a lack of respect for Fijian culture and traditions through disrespectful dressing and unnecessary loud noise in the villages.
Men who spend long hours drinking yaqona have been told cut down and spend time with their families.
The new laws, Mr Baleidaku said, would be put submitted to the police and the Cakaudrove provincial office in Savusavu.
Mr Baleidaku said village police officers had been chosen to make sure rules were followed. He said villagers had been informed and accepted the decision.
Discuss protocols, linguist urges
by Elenoa Baselala
Fiji Times - Monday, March 01, 2010
THE enforcing of traditional protocol or rules in rural villages should be discussed amicably, Fijian culture expert and linguist Doctor Paul Geraghty said.
He said most if not all villages had protocols which must be followed.
However, he agreed that using corporal punishment was not a good enforcement method.
"People must follow these protocols," he added.
"When I take visitors to rural villages, I explain the rules and protocols and they respect and follow them," Dr Geraghty said.
Meanwhile, Dr Geraghty has urged Fijians to take up the Fijian course at the University of the South Pacific to improve their command of the Bauan dialect, widely accepted as the "Fijian" language.
While the number of those taking this course has increased in recent years, Dr Geraghty has urged those in the media practising in the Fijian language to take up the course.
No shoe law ‘is new'
Monday, March 01, 2010
My feet, my only carriage ... Dr Paul Geraghty in Suva yesterday
LINGUIST and Fijian expert Doctor Paul Geraghty says the "barefoot rule" being enforced in rural villages is new.
Dr Geraghty said Fijians in the pre-colonial era normally did not wear shoes.
However, the word "vava" or shoes does exist in the Fijian vocabulary. He said Fijians, or probably their children, wore shoes made of halved coconut shells, which he believes was probably for a particular game.
A man who walks barefoot himself, Dr Geraghty said it was nothing to do with wanting to be "Fijian".
"If I wanted to be a Fijian, I will wear shoes because all Fijians wear shoes," he said.
"I walk barefoot because I don't think shoes are of any use. It is only useful in cold countries. I don't wear shoes and I am a very healthy person, I hardly get sick," Dr Geraghty added.
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