Thursday, January 13, 2011

Cane Grower May Switch to Fruit Farming as Sugar Industry is Dead!

Giant pawpaw surprise farmer

by Sera Whippy
Fiji Times - Friday, January 14, 2011

WHEN Lautoka farmer Mahendra Prasad bought a giant pawpaw last year, he thought he'd try his luck and shed the seeds for planting.

To his surprise, one of the trees from the seeds bore a fruit larger than he had imagined.

Yesterday, he showed off the giant pawpaw which weighed more than four and a half kilograms.

"I did not expect it to be this big. This is great," said Mr Prasad.

The pawpaw was grown in Solovi, Nadi where his sister lives.

"This pawpaw is from my sister's farm but the tree I planted on my farm is not ready," he said.

"I think it is because of the soil quality."

The 60-year-old is the president for the Fiji Cane Lorry Operators Association.

He said the pawpaw was a great way for farmers to slowly switch to fruit and vegetable farming.

"Sugar cane planting is no longer viable in this country because it costs a lot to maintain and it takes long to be ready for harvesting," he said.

"That is why the younger generation are not going into cane farming," he said.

"However, if farmers could start growing these pawpaws, they would make a lot more money and have cash on hand."

He owned 17 acres of cane farm and used parts of it to plant chillies, pawpaws, corn and other vegetables.

387,000 people living below poverty line

Fiji Village News - 14 January 2011

About two hundred squatter settlements with a population of 387,000 people are living below the poverty line earning less than $7,000 a year.

This is according to the Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Urban Development as some proposed legislations are currently being considered by the government and relevant authorities to ensure changes in the housing sector are made for the provision of affordable and decent shelter for the people.

Permanent Secretary for Housing Taina Tagicakibau said they are holding wide consultations with churches and NGO's to address the housing needs in the country.

Tagicakibau said a key underlying issue they will be addressing is housing affordability.

There is an audio file attached to this story. Please loginto listen.

The consultation on the housing policy draft for the first quarter of this year is currently underway in Suva with relevant stakeholders.

India, China lead investments in Fiji

Posted on Intelligentsiya - Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Indian Weekender news desk

Suva: A Reserve Bank of Fiji economic report reveals how China and India stood out as strong contributors to direct investment into the Fiji’s economy.

The RBF economic review also described that activities in emerging economies had remained strong and continued to underpin the overall global economic rebound.

The review noted how positive international economy growth supported Fiji’s export and tourism industries.

It also states that crude oil and gold prices rose in November due to the continuing debt crisis in Europe.

Tourism and gold industries performed strongly in the period, however lower output was noted in the sugar industry.

Fiji’s tourism industry growth by 18.4 per cent is 6.2 per cent higher than the 2008 arrival figure.

The RBF review stated that net Value Added Tax collection in Fiji rose by 22.2 per cent on an annual basis.

In addition consumption loans rose annually by 5.4 per cent in October. There was a rise in private sector credit to 2.4 per cent to October.

And high levels of bank demand deposit with the Reserve Bank rose from $62.9million to $374.6m as at November 30.

The foreign reserve stood at $1,305million as at December 31, 2010, which was equivalent to around 4.1 months of imports of goods and non-factor services.

The Fiji dollar weakened against the US dollar over the month of November but strengthened against the Euro and Yen.

All of Fiji’s major trading partners posted positive quarterly growth lately, for instance the USA with 2.5 per cent and Australia with 0.2 per cent.

New Zealand, India and the Euro region showed positive growth in their recent assessments and strengthen domestic demands.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Where to in 2011 asks Fiji Labour Party

www.flp.org.fj - 9 January 2011

Yet another year has ended. It is a convention, as we stand on the threshold of a new year, to take stock of the past in order to prepare for the year ahead.

Four years have lapsed since the regime change of 6 December 2006. Much was said then about why the military takeover was necessary: to rescue Fiji from the grips of an elected government that had grossly mismanaged the economy and State finances to near-bankruptcy; was actively pushing a policy to fragment the nation along racial lines; and was closely aligned to the terrorist and fundamentalist elements in our multicultural society, not to mention the high levels of corruption and high crime rates that prevailed.

But after four years of military rule, where do we stand as a nation? Better or worse off? To gauge this, its best to view the regime’s performance in the past four years against the Mandate it received from His Excellency the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo in January 2007 when he appointed the interim administration:

• Steady our economy through sustained growth and correct the economic mismanagement of the past 6 years:

Our economic data tells the story: Fiji’s economy has contracted three years in a row: -0.9% in 2007, -0.1% in 2008 and -3% in 2009. Key exports have fallen sharply forcing Foreign Reserves to be artificially boosted in April 2009 by the 20% devaluation of the dollar. Moreover, Reserves are further boosted by withholding the repatriation of profits of foreign companies (mainly banks) as pointed out by the Asian Development Bank in its December 2010 report on the Fiji economy (Pacific Economic Monitor).

State finances – Government’s debt level now stands at 57% of the GDP and rise to a staggering 73% if the State’s contingent liabilities to statutory bodies and corporations are included. In 2010 alone (this year) the State borrowed a staggering $740 million of which $242 million was raised overseas.

Government’s irresponsible borrowings are placing an intolerable burden on the taxpayer. The provision for debt repayments in the 2011 Budget stands at $519 million. This means that the taxpayer is forking out an alarming $1.42 million per day to repay the State’s massive debts. It leaves little in the kitty for capital development projects.

One of the saddest tragedies on the economic horizon has been virtual demise of the sugar industry in the past two years under the policies and decisions of the current regime.

In two years sugar production fell to its lowest ever record of 168,000 tonnes in 2009 and an estimated 120-125,000 tonnes in 2010. Many thousands of tonnes of cane delivered to the mills have gone to waste because of milling problems and inefficiencies. In 2009 alone the industry lost close to $100m, of which loss to cane farmers stood at $70m. There is no redress to the cane farmer from such huge losses.

• Lift up the living standards of the growing poor and underprivileged of our country

Poverty levels have risen to 45% of the population according to the Household and Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES 2008/2009) – official figure released by the Poverty Eradication Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister at a workshop in Suva in April this year.

Almost as many are struggling to keep their heads above poverty; the hike in VAT from 12.5% to 15% (20% increase) from January together with increases in Customs Duty on a wide range of food and consumer items will impact negatively on the standard of living of our poor and low income families.

Government’s decision to charge increased fees for a range of medical services at its hospitals from January will place an additional burden on ordinary families.

• Eradicate systemic corruption …. And set new standards of governmental and institutional transparency

Transparency International in a survey about budget transparency in October this year gave Fiji zero out of 100 possible points, saying it is virtually impossible for Fiji citizens to hold the government accountable for its management of the public’s money.

Ministerial pays have been removed from the ambit of the Treasury; Proper procedures are not being followed for the outsourcing of public works and procurement of goods and services. Despite the setting up of FICAC, corruption remains high

• Improve our relations with our neighbours and the international community

We remain suspended from the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum; we are in a state of virtual hostility with the governments of Australia and New Zealand, having expelled their Heads of Mission; the European Union has suspended its development assistance funds.

• Take our country to democratic elections after an advanced electoral office and systems are in place and the political and economic conditions are conducive to the holding of such elections

With the imposition of the Public Emergency Regulations in April 2009, elections have been deferred to at least 2014. The Supervisor of Elections Office is hardly functional and all political dialogue has been put on hold until at least 2012. In other words, there is no move, apart from constant rhetoric about 2014, to move Fiji to democratic elections.

• Immediately as practicable introduce a Code of Conduct and Freedom of Information

There is no Code of Conduct. Freedom of Information remains even more of a dream considering the rigorous censorship imposed on the media and restrictions on any criticism of the regime as well as the curtailment of other human and civil rights under the Public Emergency Regulations.

• To continue to uphold the Constitution

This, fellow citizens, is the state of our nation today. There has been much rhetoric about “reforms” but little to show for it. In fact, our economy, financial status, infrastructure, standard of living have all slid notably in the past four years.

As we stand on the threshold of another year, there is no indication of a ray of hope that things will get any better. Indeed, all pointers indicate that 2011 may be an even more difficult year.

We can only advice courage, fortitude and extreme prudence in the face of increasing difficulties. Unless we take urgent steps to return speedily to democracy and constitutional rule, we will continue to have more of the same. That is the sad lesson we have learnt over the last 23 years since the first coup in 1987.

Not withstanding the foregoing, our best wishes for the New Year to one and all. (FLP website, January 1, 2011)

Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement Challenges Fiji Dictator's Message

Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement Statement - 09 January 2011

The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement would like to condemn and rebut illegal Prime Minister and Military Dictators New Year’s Message as silly and nonsensical. In essence, Bainimarama’s New Year’s message is just a lot of hot air.

Bainimarama is simply singing his own tune and continues to sound like a broken record while trying once again to brainwash the people of Fiji with lies and nonsense.

The Commodore again attempts to make the people believe that his way is the right way and the only way – which totally violates the principle of the rule of law and in fact denies any democratic and fair processes to be implemented and actioned.

Commodore Bainimarama starts off by commending how innovative his illegal government is. If increasing the hand out of food vouchers is his idea of innovation, then God have mercy on Fiji because we are going to need it.

Creating a welfare system (such as food vouchers) can be of advantage to those in need, but it can lead to people relying on handouts rather than being provided with resources (equipment, advice, education) to be able to have sustainable work and business opportunities. To have a good welfare mechanism in a county, the rights, and voice, of the people must be heard and not be denied.

The key issue is in fact, why have the Fijian people become so poor that an increase in the welfare budget is needed? It is because there is a low level of confidence from the people, the economy is barely surviving and young people, in particularly are struggling to see a successful future for them in Fiji.

To address this fundamental issue a democratically elected government is needed in order to give confidence to the people and to potential foreign investors so that economic growth can be stimulated and to restore and grow national institutions and control mechanisms like an independent judiciary and a thriving legislature and National Human Rights Institution.

In regards to Bainimarama’s comments on Fiji’s National Superannuation Fund FNPF and that ‘it pays to be honest’, this is an irony in itself when in fact every time he speaks he is just trying to cover up for his own illegal actions of treason and gaining power through the barrel of a gun.

The truth is FNPF contributors have been disadvantaged because of the coup and in Bainimarama illegally taking over the FNPF operations. How can he say ‘honesty’ has brought FNPF an increase in its net surplus when he does not act honestly in his own dealings? For example, nepotism in who he is appointing to key government and organisational positions and that he paid himself a sizeable amount with money that the nation could ill afford to use for such purposes in the difficult economic conditions.

The Chiefly system is an integral part of the social fabric of Fijian society. The Dictatorship’s decree that all lease monies shall now be distributed equally amongst all the members of the respective landowning unit brings disrespect to the chiefly unity that has long been understood and acknowledged by those owning the land.

A chief gains their status through hard work and the process of time. As it is now with the new system, basically anyone can just step up and have part of the money distributed to them – isn’t this like saying a Class 1 student is at the same level of experience and understanding as a Class 8 student.

This supposed ‘modernising’ strategy by Bainimarama is simply an attempt to destabilise the Fijian societal system – first it was the Great Council of Chiefs that was dismissed and now this New Year decree to further break down the Chiefly system.

It is also an act of revenge on his two biggest critics Ro Teimumu Kepa and Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu who are chiefs that benefit from huge lease monies as paramount chiefs of confederacies and Turaga i Taukei to a large swath of land.

In allowing equal access to lease monies Bainimarama is arguably appealing to young Fijians in an effort to ‘buy back’ their loyalty, but in years to come Bainimarama will see the repercussions of this ill-timed decision.

Many young Fijians want to complete their studies and get good jobs so they can contribute to their families, but lack of money to complete studies and then a very slow employment market makes it difficult for young people to become active and contributing members of their communities.

Bainimarama shouldn’t be talking about such things as increasing public expenditure (welfare, education etc) or decreeing how lease monies should now be distributed, but instead focus on when the elections are going to be held. How is he going to create jobs and when are he and his soldiers returning to the barracks and restoring freedom and democracy in Fiji?

The date of the removal of the PER (Public Emergency Regulation) is always being extended – how is this democratic if people cannot speak out against the government and the nation’s news is continually censored?

In conclusion, Bainimarama is still the illegal Prime Minister. Fiji is not a democratic nation – the majority still have no voice and are being silenced. Therefore his recent criticism of indigenous Fijians living overseas as not knowing what is going on is fallacious and wrong.

Fijians living overseas are actively criticising his government because they are not subjected to the propaganda and censored media the people living in Fiji and subjected to and get first hand news of what is happening because they live in a world of free media, freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

They can see clearly what is really going on and a large proportion of them left Fiji after the 2006 coup in utter disgust at the suppressive life Bainimarama has illegally brought upon the Country. (FDM statement)

Fiji Coup Politics 2006