fijitimes_mar 13 2015.pdf

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FEBRUARY 13, 201


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3Fiji News

Essential National Industries DecreeReviewed

Government has launched a review ofhe Essential National Industries Decree

which was introduced four years ago toprotect industries vital to the nationalnterest from industrial disruption.

Employer and employee groups that fallunder the provisions of the Decree heldalks with the Attorney General, Aiyaz

Sayed-Khaiyum and the Employment

Minister, Jioji Konrote in Suva.The parties shared their experiencesunder the Law and agreed to meet againin three weeks’ time but in the meantime,they would prepare formal submissions

that the Government would considerduring the review process.Sayed Khaiyum said that anychanges to the Decree would take

place wi thin the context of ensursustainability of employment, jcreation and the economic w

being of al l Fi jians.When the current review is complet

any proposed amendments to law will be submitted to Cabfor consideration and eventually introduced in Parliament.

VegetableShortage

A Suva market vendor had no choice

but to import produce to cater for thegrowing demand of fruits and vegetablesn Suva.

Bobby Chand imports capsicums, purpleabbage, apples, grapes, pears, oranges,elery and purple onions to substitute for

off-season fruits and vegetables in theountry.I'm importing fruits and vegetables dueo shortage in the market in the Sigatoka

and Suva area," Mr Chand said.He said the shortage was inevitablewhich left him no choice but to import

rom Australia and New Zealand.The situation in the market is thataccording to the farmers they cannotproduce vegetables to cater for thepeople of Suva.The reason for this is dry and hot

weather and in this type of weathervegetables do not grow well in.We cannot produce vegetables whichorced us to import it from Australia and

New Zealand."With 40 years of experience at themarket, Mr Chand said he sold locallyproduced vegetables and fruits when

hey were in season.We go for the locally produced

vegetables because they were far cheaperompared to the imported ones but dueo the weather we have to import due tohe demand."

Mr Chand also supplies vegetables andruits to resorts, hotels and hospitals in

a daily basis.Suva Market Vendors Associationgeneral secretary Krishna Kumar saidhe shortage would go on for more thanwo months until vegetables were in

eason again.

Fiji Ranks Fourth HighestFIJI ranked fourth highest on a 2005report of teenage pregnancies in selectedPacic Island countries.This was noted in a presentation prepared

by the Lautoka Hospital and Fiji NationalUniversity's obstetrics and gynecologyassociate professor, Dr Swaran Naidu atthe Viseisei Sai Health Centre.Her presentation noted that Fiji trailed

behind the Marshall Islands, SolomonIslands and Kiribati for selected countrieswith teenage mothers aged 15 to 19."In Fiji, one in 10 deliveries is to a teenmother," it said.

Noting bleak prospects, it emphasizedthat teen mothers were more likely to dropout of school, have low qualications,live in poor housing conditions, suffer

depression, live on welfare, have more

children than her peers, be unemploor lowly-paid and become victimsviolence.It added that for teenage pregnanc

girls aged 12 to 14 years were more likto have unplanned sexual intercourse more likely to have been abused, whtwo-thirds of teen pregnancies occurin teenagers aged 16 to 19 years old."The child of a teen mother is mlikely to live in poverty, grow up witha father, become a victim of neglectabuse, do less well at school, becoinvolved in crime, abuse drugs alcohol and eventually become a teen

parent and begin the cycle all over aga Next week, the clinic plans to launcreproductive health book and proj

report on adolescents.

Fiji Police Force TightenBudget

The Fiji Police Force has establishedan internal unit to oversee their budgetspending.Police Commissioner Ben Groenewaldsaid this will ensure allocated budget isspent to plan.The Fiji Police Force has alreadyidentied ways to avoid overspending.Police Commissioner Ben Groenewaldhas assured the Public AccountsCommittee that they have looked at theAuditor General reports from 2007 to2009 and have made some changes toimprove budget spending.” The Fiji Police Force has established a

procurement unit to oversee the engagingof a private printing company that it islimited and that proper guidelines are

followed” said Groenewald.

Check and balances have also been in place to ensure that misuse is detecearly.“Monthly reconciliations are carried to detect errors and corrections are maccordingly, the procedure for mont

payment salary and wages are followas per nancial instruction of 2014″ sGroenewald.The Police Commissioner also sharsome light on some of the crimiinvestigations they are looking into.” Outstanding debt of $1 mill

payment were approved in 2014 by PS of Finance and it was paid in our 2

budget this specic case is a subjeccriminal investigation and the outcowill give us an indication of surcharg

said Groenewald.


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4 Fiji News

National Defence Review To Stop Coups,Teleni

The National Defence Review will stopoups in Fiji, says the chairman of the

National Defence Review Committee,EsalaTeleni.

He said Prime Minister VoreqeBainimarama had time and again, saidhere would be no more coups.Our challenge now is to make sure thattatement stays,” Mr Teleni said.

He said the new approach now was nothat Fiji would have a major invasion ornemies of Fiji from outside. He said

a lot of security issues now was fromwithin.According to Mr Teleni, the only way tomanage and address that was to managehe people by making sure that they are

at peace all the time.We will identify if we still have any

discriminatory policies, hatred policiesand policies that need to be re-lookedat.”Coups, he said, happened when therewas insecurity and jealousy againstome government policies.

He said the Fijian people and visitorsmust at all time, feel safe and securewherever they lived in.“Our new defence strategy is for all livingin Fiji to be safe and live harmoniouslyall the time.”Mr Teleni said the security should befocused on the people and they should

take ownership of that.The review, according to Mr Telwill make sure that people will lharmoniously and have pride of thnation.He said coups happened when secuwas not tight enough, but the revwould address that.



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Fiji News

PM Bainimarama Slams Kepa FlagBoycott

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimaramayesterday criticised Opposition LeaderRo Teimumu Kepa for boycotting theprocess to choose a new national ag.

I was surprised when I returned fromGeneva to nd that the Opposition isboycotting the national panel of citizenswe are setting up to choose a new designor our ag,” Mr Bainimarama said.

He spoke to the media during the openingof the rebranded Fiji Maritime School atLaucala Bay, Suva.Ro Teimumu said she would not nameher two nominees for the panel becausehey wanted a national referendum to lethe people decide whether to change the

ag or not. She has defended the existingag.But Mr Bainimarama said: “I don’tunderstand why the Opposition wants usall to continue to honour the symbols of

the Colonial power that has been gonefrom Fiji for 45 years.”He said Fiji “is a young nation in everysense and most importantly becausemost of the population is young peoplewho have no recollection of colonialtimes beyond what they read in thehistory books.”“They deserve to honour symbols wecan all relate to as Fijians – genuinely,authentically and proudly Fijian.”He also urged the Fiji Maritime Academystaff and students to also enter the designcompetition of the proposed new Fijianag.“I’m sure you will all agree that the newsymbol of the Fiji Maritime Academy –its new ag – is one that everyone who

passes through this institution in themonths and years to come will honourand hold in the highest respect.”

Government, he said, was proud to part of the upgrade of the institutwhich included the provision $2million to fund the bridge and engroom simulators that were transformthe learning experience of every cadeFiji as a whole, he said, was proud tthe academy had received certicatfrom the ISO – the InternatioOrganisation for Standardisation– whtold the region and the world that twas a place of excellence and worthyinternational respect.The competition for a new design already been launched and a natiocommittee will go through the entafter May 1, when the competition enThe Prime Minister had announced tthe winner would raise the new on the 45th anniversary of the Fiindependence on October 10.

IguanasCreate HavocAMERICAN iguanas on Qamea Islandontinue to feed on small sh and leaves

of cassava plants.

Naivivi village headman IosefoTikoisolomone said the massive presenceof the reptile on the island needed to beaddressed.He said the iguanas had started feedingon small shes in mangrove areas andhe leaves and soft stem of cassava plantshat grew by the shore.

Mr Tikoisolomone said the situation wasnot new and had been happening for aew years.

He said they were worried about thewelfare of their future generation.The small shes, he said, were a source

of food for villagers on a daily basis.During a phone interview, he said theoldiers were in the area to assist withhe eradication of the reptile, however,

he said details of the eradication processwere not made known to villagersalthough the soldiers did a marvelousob.

Describing the result of the work, MrTikoisolomone said since the soldiersarrived on the island to carry out theirwork, the reptiles visibly decreased.He said the reptiles were no longer seen

around the village, on mangrove trees byhe seashore or in farms.


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6 Fiji News

Parents To Send Children To School AtTheir Own Discretion

Fiji's Minister for Education DrMahendra Reddy says parents are atiberty to decide whether to send theirhildren to school or not in light of bad

weather brought expected to be about by

Tropical Cyclone Pam.According to the Nadi Weather Ofce,although TC Pam, upgraded to aategory four system, poses no directhreat to Fiji, associated heavy rain andtrong north/northwesterly winds withpeeds of 45 knots is expected to affect.

Dr Reddy says situations differ invarious parts of Fiji so parents afterhaving carefully assessed the weather

warnings will be in the best position andwith the advisory given by the weatherofce be in the best position to decide onthe movement of their children."If parents feel that it is not safe to send

their children to school then can keepthem at home and ensure their safety,"Dr Reddy said."I wish to advise all parents to carefullyassess the weather warnings and makeinformed decisions about the movementof your children."School heads and management have also

been advised to secure their schools andensure all resources are kept in a safe

place."All school heads should also ensure tall loose materials are moved to a sa

place and ood prone areas should smoving all valuable materials to ar

above ood level."Meanwhile, TC Pam continues intensify and has average windsapproximately 140km to its centrewas analysed approximately 1,100to the far Northwest of Nadi. Itmoving towards the south and expected to maintain its southetrack for the next 24 hours and passthe west of Fiji.

Business Community To Accept The Old $CoinTHE Reserve Bank of Fiji is encouraginghe business community to accept the

old $2 coin for trading purposes fromonsumers.

The advice from RBF Governor BarryWhiteside followed concerns that someraders refused to accept the old $2 coinrom consumers for transactions.

Other traders had even placed signsnside their shops advising customers

hey were no longer accepting the old $2oins.Businesses act as intermediaries

between the individual customers,ommercial banks and the RBF. It ismportant that businesses accept the old

$2 coins and subsequently deposit thesewith their respective banks," he said.The old $2 coins should not be reissued

as change to customers. This will greatly

assist in the withdrawal of the old $2coins from the system."He said commercial bank branches had

been advised to accept old $2 coinsfrom customers who may wish to havethose deposited into their accounts orexchanged for new ones.On November 3 last year, the central

bank issued new specication $2 coinsinto circulation to address concerns

regarding the confusion between the present $1 and the then old $2 coins."The new $2 coins have been made

larger and thicker with a new edto better differentiate between current $1 coins. The change in sof the new $2 coin has been accepextremely well by the public," Whiteside said.The general public was then advisedreturn the old $2 coins to their nearcommercial bank by December 31, 20While the response had been posit

Mr Whiteside said, some old $2 cowere still in circulation and were ye be returned to the RBF.

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7Fiji News

Auditor-General Gets Green Light ForAudit

THE Supreme Court of Fiji has vouchedor the Auditor-General to look into trustund accounts of the Republic of the Fiji

Military Forces but this has not beendone yet.Revealing this during the PublicAccounts Committee meeting yesterday,deputy Auditor-General AtunaisaNadakuitavuki said this was not donebecause they had not received the booksneeded from the RFMF.Apart from these issues we have alsoequested the (books for) trust fundshat the military has been operating. So

ar we have been given the vouch fromhe Supreme Court to look into theserust funds but we're still waiting for the

books to be released," Mr Nadakuitavukiaid.

However, military commander BrigadierGeneral Mosese Tikoitoga said he didnot have any issue with Governmentrust fund accounts held by the RFMF,

however, discussions were neededegarding private trust fund accounts.I have no objections with Governmentrust accounts to be audited, there may

be some private funds which may beheld within the RFMF which I againmphasise are RFMF private funds

which are voluntary-based. Those areperhaps the ones that we need to discusswith the Auditor-General," he said.Brig-Gen Tikoitoga said Governmentrust accounts were open for auditing.Private funds for each unit like

Mataivalu savings, our Credit Union ormedical scheme or regimental funds,hose are internal private funds that

maybe we need to discuss further withhe Auditor-General on how those can be

audited if they need to be audited.

"... but I emphasise those are internal private funds but I have no objection toall the trust accounts that we hold andI'm sure they have continuously beenaudited over the years."

Mr Nadakuitavuki maintained OAG had been auditing private trfund accounts in other departments ministries over the years as mandatedthem.

The two parties are expected to htalks on how they could assist each otin auditing the private fund accountsBrig-Gen Tikoitoga said the RFMF a lot of trust fund accounts which walso layered "from platoon stren

private funds to company stren private funds to battalion funds even ships have their own private funds".Brig-Gen Tikoitoga conrmed that si2010, RFMF had set up an internal auteam to continuously look at all the fuheld by RFMF including public fun

private funds and project funds heldtheir engineers.He said this was done as they continuoutried to improve on what was reportedthe Auditor-General's report.

Military and Naval Commander Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga


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8 Fiji News

TLTB To Pay Lease Money To Individualsndividual landowners from the four

provinces will be receiving their leasemoney from May directly from theTaukei Land Trust Board.

The TLTB general manager, Alipate

Qetaki, said this initiative was part of aequirement by Government for TLTBo equally distribute lease money toandowners.From May lease money will be

deposited into individual accounts toandowners in Bua, Cakaudrove, Ba and

Kadavu,” Mr Qetaki said.Before, lease monies were deposited intohe clan’s bank accounts and the trustees

would distribute them to clan members.Mr Qetaki made the announcement at thepublic consultations on iTaukei issues at theNausori Village Community Hall last night.Mr Qetaki said the new move would beasier for the landowners.

Some landowners have been unhappywith the way the trustees have handledhe distribution of lease money.Taukei involvement in business

Ministry of iTaukei Affairs’ deputyPermanent Secretary Apakuki Kurusigaeassured villagers that ministry’s

ofcials had been conducting awarenessn villages on business management.

This was after concerns were raised onhe involvement of iTaukei people in the

business arena.Village Nurses

Concerns were also raised on the payment of village nurses.The president of the Tailevu South Village

Nurses Association Nanise Burelalahighlighted that there was a need forvillage nurses to be paid for their services.At the moment, they are volunteers.But they do the same work as villageheadmen do.Mr Kurusiga responded that the ministryhad met with the Ministry of Health lastyear on the issue. It was decided thatthey would meet again this year before

the Memorandum of Understandingwould be signed.

Pay for ChiefsChiefs should be paid for carrying their duties when Government ofcvisited villages.The suggestion was raised by Nauschief Ratu Lepani Tagicakibau tchiefs needed to be paid.Permanent Secretary Savenaca Kaunissaid the ministry would consider thconcerns.He also reiterated that the consultatwas not politically motivated. Howevit was the job of the ministry to go

and enlighten people on the servithey were providing.

Tourism Ministry Focuses On VisitorArrivals Report

AFTER a lapse of about ve years, theTourism Ministry has recommencedwith the country's international visitorurvey reports.

Those will have Fiji's 2013 and 2014eports prepared by StollzNow Research

and Insight Advisory, which was recentlyigned on board and will help train

ministry staff in the use of specialisedoftware.

Tourism permanent secretary ShaheenAli said those reports would provide aquantitative and qualitative assessmentof Fiji's visitor arrivals by noting theirnumbers and reasons for their visit,ncluding their activities and areas ofheir stay.The difference this time around would

be that the project will also focus on

developing capacity within the ministryto operate and use the specialiseddata software, which will enable theimmediate generation of data and basic

report," he said.Information from the surveys wouldalso be used to develop tourism sector

policies, help identify areas with largevisitor numbers, and assist governmentagencies to develop appropriate

infrastructure."We expect to have the 2013 and 20reports completed before the end of year, after which the ministry will t

over data compilation and analysis."The surveys will be facilitated ofcials with electronic tablets at

Nadi International Airport for quicresponses to the questionnaires, whthe Tourism ministry will review.

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9Fiji News

Fijian Company Praised For Investing InTourism Venture

The Fijian Government has praised thenvestment of more than $70 million in a

new resort at Nadi’s Wailoaloa Beach byocal company Gokals.

The Minister for Industry, Trade and

Tourism, Hon. Faiyaz Koya says it hasnever been a better time to invest inFiji. He added that Fiji’s unprecedentedconomic in the past few years

provide the ideal environment fornvestment. “This is also due to theonducive environment and the pro-

growth policies of the BainimaramaGovernment. Total investment in 2014s estimated to be approximately 25 perent of the Gross Domestic Product, of

which more than half is private sectordriven and on average, domestic sectornvestment accounts for 50 per cent

of this investment,” the Minister said.Therefore, it is companies, such ashe Gokal Group that are putting their

money into the Fijian economy. It isnot just your money, but your actionsalso demonstrate condence in theGovernment and the policies.”

He said Government valued its partnership with the private sectorand the investment by Gokal Groupof Companies was a testament of thecondence in the economy.

“We deeply value your investment andcommitment and regard you as vital partners to Government in creatingwealth and developing the nation that weall love,” the Minister said.In response, Gokal Group GeneralManager Vikesh Gokal said love fortheir country was a major contributorin the company’s efforts to tap into thetourist market. “We are proud Fijiansand we are more proud today that thiscompany is wholly Fijian owned. Welove our country and we will continueto ensure that we play our part as proud

Fijians by investing in such ventures,”he said. “Gokal Group is pleased to

be working with Accor, and we lookforward to embracing their globalnetwork to benet from the international

brand recognition Pullman represents,and the group’s dynamic distribution,

digital and loyalty programs that extacross the globe.”The Pullman Nadi Bay Resort & Spa wilAccor’s 5th address in Fiji, complementits existing hotel portfolio incorporat

the Mercure Nadi, Novotel Nadi, NovSuva Lami Bay, and the Sotel Fiji Re& Spa on Denarau Island.Currently under construction, the nPullman project represents a strateopportunity to drive the culture of Fijeconomic growth. Once constructis complete, the new hotel will empmore than 300 Fijians.Located on the beachfront of Nadi Bthe resort will offer guests a premlocation just two kilometres drive frthe Nadi International Airport.The nished resort is expected to op

with 234 rooms and suites, and oguests an extensive range of faciliincluding six restaurants and bars, tswimming pools and a day spa. Pullm

Nadi Bay Resort & Spa will also featfour meetings rooms, with capacity up to 400 guests’ theatre style.

Kava Council Not Happy With Aust Kava BaThe Fiji Kava Council is not happy with aproposal made by Australia’s IndigenousAffairs Minister, Nigel Scullion to banKava in Australia.This follows reports in Australia that MrScullion, a Northern Territory senator,evealed on February 23 that he plannedo “pursue” the banning of Kava.

This is after claims that Tongans arellegally smuggling Kava into the

Northern Territory, where Kava has beenbanned.The chairman of the Fiji Kava Council,Rupeni Koro said Fijians and SouthPacic islanders living in Australia

hould be treated fairly.Australia should look at Fiji. People of

different races, religions and ethnicityare allowed to practice their traditionsand beliefs freely,” Mr Koro said.He said Kava had no alcohol content andhad been a traditional aspect of the livesof Fijians, especially the iTaukei.When living in a land away from home,

you like to do something that remindsyou of home. Once in a while and for aot of iTaukei people overseas, they likeo gather around the tanoa when they

meet,” Mr Koro said.According to the Sunshine Coast Daily,

Mr Scullion said they accepted people practicing their culture in Australia, butwhen it is perverted and redirected andto harm their rst Australians, it isn’t aright, it’s a privilege.“But I’m an advocate unashamedly forAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people in Australia. That’s my job – andI think it should be banned and I willcontinue pursuing it until it is banned,”Mr Scullion said.

Pacic islanders living on the SunshCoast are also outraged with the propoFijian-born, Naibuka Sokovagone started an online petition to urge Minister to change his mind and it already gained support from around world.Mr Sokovagone said Mr Sculliocall to ban kava would be like bannAustralia’s popular beer, VB, or teaEngland.


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10 Fiji News

Suva Sex House RaidThere was high drama as Immigrationand Police ofcers raided an allegedSuva sex house.They used a box cutter and hammero try to open a padlock in the heavily

ecured Rewa Street concrete buildingas occupants refused to open the maindoor.The raid was part of a continuingoperation by Police and Immigrationo crack down on illegal sex jointsmploying overseas Asian women.

The landlord, who turned up sometimeater, opened the house and allowed the

ofcers to enter and interrogate fourwomen who are Chinese nationals.They were carrying Chinese passportswith work permits. They were listed as

garment workers.The ofcers began the raid at the 3.25pm.Four women of Chinese nationality werenside the at with two men.

Although the ofcers identiedhemselves, the occupants did not openhe grill and the door.

Ofcers repeatedly called out for theoccupants to open the door but they didnot move.At 3.47pm an unregistered vehicledriven by another Chinese nationalarrived and demanded that the ofcerseave the premises.

At 4pm, the landlord arrived and opened

the door.When he was questioned by ofcers, headmitted that he had been renting out hisat to Chinese nationals for a short-term

but he had not been paying Fiji Revenueand Customs Authority taxes on moneyearned from renting out his property.Although the women claimed they didnot understand English, they spoke inEnglish to the ofcers.At 4.36pm, as the ofcers were leaving

the property, another private vehicle wfour Chinese men came to the residenThe driver of the vehicle informed ofcers that he had picked up the mfrom King’s Wharf. The men had thim that they had paid $150 each for sfood and accommodation for the nighthe at.They were then questioned by ofcer

No one was arrested but the ofcers wcontinuing their investigations.

New Services To BeAvailable At RenovatedCWM Hospital

The President of Fiji’s MedicalAssociation said the newly renovatedColonial War Memorial Hospital willallow for surgeries and operations thathave never been performed in Fiji.Dr. James Fong said the renovationis in its nal stages and the hospital is

expected to be running full servicesthe end of next month.Dr. Fong said the much needed rebuand new equipment were funded by government and foreign donors.He said some of the new services inclneurosurgery and cardiac surgery.


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Fiji News

Retailers Warned AboutStolen Chequesnvestigations are currently underwaynto a series of stolen cheques that we

believe could be used for retailing soonor in the near future.t is believed that the Westpac Cheque book

belonging to DWJ & B Stewart was stolenfrom the company earlier last month andheir cheques are being used for retailing.

Police conrmed that they have seized 4cheques from various retailers.

“We wish to advise members of the public that more cheques could be usedin the near future.”The Police is pleading with retailers to

be on alert while trading using chequesand not to report any cheque from thecompany DWJ &B Stewart. We wishto apprehend the perpetrator as soon as

possible to avoid disappointments forany business owners.

Fiji Airways CancelsVanuatu Flights

Flights to and from Vanuatu are amonghose canceled by Fiji Airways in light

of strong winds and heavy rain expectedo impact Fiji over the next few days dueo Tropical Cyclone Pam.

Canceled are Friday's scheduled ightso and from Port Vila via FJ 263 and FJ

262.The Fiji Airways says passengers will bebooked on a supplementary service onSunday, March 15 - FJ 263 Nadi – PortVila 0730 and FJ 262 Port Vila-Nadi0950.The airline says it will continue tomonitor the weather situation, assess

its impact on operations, and advise ofchanges to schedules.Also canceled are Fiji Link ights, FJ117 Suva-Koro and FJ 176 Koro-Suva.Details for a supplementary ight will

be announced once weather and runwayconditions improve, the airline said in astatement."Fiji Airways continues to monitorthe weather situation with regards toTropical Cyclone Pam. The cycloneis expected to bring winds and rain,and its track has been fairly consistentwith forecasts. At present, the cycloneis not expected to affect Fiji Airways’operations signicantly.

8 Years ForRape

A young man who raped a 63-year-man has been sentenced to eight year

jail by the High Court in Lautoka.Sione Sadrugu, between May 28 and 2011 raped the older man who was

Fiji for a visit.In the evening of May 28 the vicwas in the presence of Sadrugu and friends where the victim bought thfood and drinks and took them to clubs.When the victim discovered his mob

phone missing, he went to Sadruguseek assistance.The accused with his friends took victim to an unknown place here tassaulted and robbed him, put himthe rental car and took him to anot

place where the accused’s friend tothe rental car and left the accused the victim.The accused then raped the victim athreatening him. The victim was sa

by a passer-by who heard him shoutfor help.Justice Thushara Rajasinghe whsentencing the accused said the vichad treated him as a friend.Justice Rajasinghe said rape was worse form of sexual offence whnot only physically degrading but aemotionally infringes someone’s

severely.Sadrugu has been sentenced to eiyears with a non-parole period of years.


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12 Fiji News

British Government Honours Fallen FijianSoldiers

Ten Fijian British Army soldiers whodied during operations in Afghanistanare among those to be honoured byhe British Government in a national

ommemoration service in London laterhis week.They are Pte Anare Draiva, Tpr RatuSakeasi Babakobau, Fus Petero Suesue, RfnAminiasi Toge, Cpl Taniela Rogoiruwai,Kgn Ponipate Tagitaginimoce, Pte JosevaVatubua, Pte Ratu Manasa Silibaravi,Gdsm Apete Tuisavura and LCpl DuaneAnthony Groom.The fallen will be represented by theiramilies who have been invited as

guests of the British Government for theAfghanistan Service of Commemorationat St Paul’s Cathedral in London on

Friday 13 March (Saturday 14 March

FJT).Arrangements have been made to yout eight family members based in Fiji.Family members of six soldiers who

reside outside Fiji will also attend theservice.Prior to their ying out, BritishHigh Commissioner to Fiji RoderickDrummond hosted tea for the familymembers.The families will be accompanied bythe British Army Support Ofcer, Major(Ret’d) Jim Hall, who is based at theHigh Commission in Suva. During teaDrummond paid tribute to all 10 soldiersfrom Fiji who paid the ultimate sacricein Afghanistan. He wished the familiesfrom Fiji a safe journey to London.

A British Government statement says

the national commemoration evmarks the end of combat operationsAfghanistan and honour the contributof members of the UK Armed Forc

past and present, who served operations in Afghanistan and in the UIt will also reect on the 453 service mand women who lost their lives durthat campaign, and those who wwounded.The Queen and the Duke of Edinbuwill also attend the service includmembers of the Armed Forces, veterarepresentatives of military and charities and organisations and the U

NATO allies. The activities will incla parade through the City of Londfrom St Paul’s Cathedral to the Guildh

and a ypast.

Buy Fijian GrownThe Minister for Industry, Trade andTourism, Faiyaz Koya is encouragingateries and restaurant operators andhose associated in food and beverage to

use Fijian grown produce.He highlighted this during the ofcialopening of Chef’s Kitchen last Fridaynight at Namaka, Nadi.Food is a signicant aspect of theourist’s experience of a destination,

driven by the growing trends ofauthenticity and the need demand tohave a high-quality experience.As tourists’ desire for new experiencesncreases, the ‘authentic’ restaurantxperience becomes more important.Authenticity is about food that isimple, rooted in the region, natural,thical, beautiful and honest. Theseeatures have the potential of creating

— all of the makings offer a true foodourism destination.”

Chef’s Kitchen will provide the doorwayo the real Fiji – the multicultural Fiji –he Fiji that has absorbed a number ofultures and with it the different cuisine

and created a truly unique cuisine.Tourism, particularly food tourism,

allows communities to generate incomeand employment opportunities locally,providing jobs for local chefs, whilealso fuelling other sectors of the localconomy such as agriculture.This is where my ministry and the

Ministry of Agriculture are workingogether to ensure that hotels andestaurants, especially in the tourism

sector, should use only Fijian grownfruits and vegetables. Restaurants

have always been places to celebrate aspecial occasion or mark an importantmilestone, to bond with new friends andor grow closer as a family.“They provide a service to ourcommunities unlike any other and evenas tastes and customs have changed overtime, restaurants remain an incrediblydynamic part of our Fijian lifestyle.”New venture

Managing director Anwar Shah sa“After many years in the tour

industry we thought to try out the nventure in the hospitality section.”Chef’s Kitchen is the new restaurarm of AIMS Rental Group. It is a loautomotive dealer which has expanits investment to other division like restaurant and others in future.Chef’s Kitchen will be open six dayweek for espresso, breakfast, lunch, co’ clock and dinner.

Faiyaz Koya

bizz.Search

Advertise go

ca


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1Fiji News

Dividends From State-Owned EntitiesJumps To $17.1 Million

Government received $17.1 millionrom state-owned enterprises in the form

of dividends the past year. This was a249 per cent increase when comparedwith 2013 gures.The acting Permanent Secretary forPublic Enterprises, Shaheen Ali, revealedhese gures to the Parliamentary

Standing Committee on Economic

Affairs.Mr Ali said this was a big increasecompared to the previous years where$3.8 million was received in 2013 and

$3.9 million in 2012.He further highlighted that the numberof entities making prots signicantlyincreased from nine in 2011 to 15 in2014, equating a total increase of 67 percent.“This is attributed to the reformsimplemented, strengthening of board and

better monitoring oversight of entities,”he said.2015 projectionsGovernment has put a number of state-owned enterprises on the market to divestshares or form public private partnerships

and some are on the market for sale.Mr Ali said for this year, the anticipatedcollection from investing revenue in thesale and divestment projects has beenforecast at $509.7 million.“It should be noted that divestment is animportant project, however, it is not onlyundertaken with the aim to earn revenue,to bring about reforms and efciency,”

he said.“Furthermore, it is about creatstrategic partnership that can inject ithe company or operation new cutt

edge management style, new technoloand a new outlook.”Mr Ali conrmed for a number

projects, updated valuations have bcompleted and discussions are curren

being held with potential investors.Government objectivesMr Ali said Government’s objectiwill continue with the modernisationFiji’s seaports and airports including development of specialised facilities.This, he said will be included with aim to increase protability, efciencand productivity.

“Also increase investment in maor critical infrastructure that woimprove service delivery, enhancemof management and technical skills,”said.Mr Ali said Government will ensure introduction of top-of-class procesand systems, develop and promote as regional hub.

Shaheen Ali


14/[email protected] 604.909.4088604.510.4088

14

Matrimonial

Looking for a Indo Fijian girl in Canada betweenthe age of 20 - 25 years old.

Religion has no barrier as long as can becompatible.

Boy

25 years oldProfessional Chef

From Fiji Islands

Well settled Fijian family seeking a suitablematch for their son. He is 25 years old, 5’ 8” tall,

medium complexion. He is professionallyemployed as a chef in Fiji.

For Further information Contact Ragani at:

[email protected]

Fiji News

21 Days In Quarantine

POLICE ofcers who returned frompeacekeeping duties in Liberia willbe quarantined for 21 days, saysDivisional Police Commander Westope Ralulu.

The 18 ofcers who returned on Tuesdaynight undertook medical tests as aprecautionary measure upon their arrivalat Nadi International Airport.They have already been cleared by the

United Nations health ofcials in Liberiaprior to being allowed to travel and what

we're doing here is taking further stepsto ensure that no disease like the EbolaVirus or Malaria have slipped through,"Mr Ralulu said."They will be conned to their homes

and given regular health checks to ensureall is well before being allowed to returnto duty."Mr Ralulu said the men had performedadmirably in their duties and kept thereputation of the Fiji Police Force intact."From the rst mission in 2004, which

I led, to these men returning homwe have maintained a very high leof service to the UN because of ability to integrate easily with the locommunity there."

Contingent commander Inspector APrasad said they were keen to be reuniwith their families.Liberia was a hotspot for the Ebvirus last year, resulting in the withdrawing all peacekeepers from African country.

Driver In CustodyKishan Sharma, 22, appeared inhe Suva Magistrates Court after

allegedly causing the death of Sekaia

Lasarusa, 40, during a road accidentast Sunday.The accident happened when the driverallegedly tried to overtake anothervehicle at Fletcher Road, Vatuwaqa

when he hit Mr Lasarusa while who wascrossing.The victim was rushed to Colonial

War Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. No plea was taken by the accused whohas been remanded in custody until hisnext court appearance on March 24.

6-MONTH FAST-PACED

‘Morning Class’

OPTICIAN/CONTACT LENS FITTER

CLASS STARTS ON

April 7th 2015


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1Fiji News

Fiji Police Force Tighten BudgetThe Fiji Police Force has establishedan internal unit to oversee their budgetspending.Police Commissioner Ben Groenewaldsaid this will ensure allocated budget isspent to plan.The Fiji Police Force has alreadydentied ways to avoid overspending.

Police Commissioner Ben Groenewaldhas assured the Public Accounts

Committee that they have looked at theAuditor General reports from 2007 to2009 and have made some changes tomprove budget spending.

” The Fiji Police Force has established aprocurement unit to oversee the engagingof a private printing company that it isimited and that proper guidelines are

followed” said Groenewald.Check and balances have also been putn place to ensure that misuse is detected

early.“Monthly reconciliations are carried outo detect errors and corrections are made

accordingly, the procedure for monthly

payment salary and wages are followedas per nancial instruction of 2014″ saidGroenewald.The Police Commissioner also sharingsome light on some of the criminalinvestigations they are looking into.” Outstanding debt of $1 million

Pure Fiji Continues To Shine With AwardsPure Fiji is proud and announced itswin at the New Zealand Best in BeautyAwards for a second year in a row.The award ceremony was hosted at theuxurious Northern Club in Auckland.

Hosted by Bauer Media, the NZ Bestn Beauty Awards are the most widelyecognised in New Zealand.

They are judged by beauty editors andeaders of the country’s most popular

women’s magazines.This year more than 81,000 votes wereast.

Pure Fiji continues to gain internationalecognition afrming its position as the

world’s cosmetic manufacturing pioneerof virgin coconut oil.The company was honored to have been

nominated in ve different categoriesalongside some of the world’s best brands.New York Spa ConferenceMeanwhile, representatives of Pure Fijiare currently attending the InternationalEsthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conferenceat the Javits Convention Center in NewYork City, USA.The representatives include two localtaff, Ian Ma and Apisai Vuki, along

with Pure Fiji’s USA distributors.The Pure Fiji Team was paid a surprise

visit in New York by Phillipa Steele, aFijian model currently signed with world-famous Trump Model Management.Ms Steele was treated to a mini spa ritualand also serenade by her fellow Fijians.Phillipa is.International Esthetics, Cosmetics &Spa Conferences are the leading spa andwellness events in the USA.

Spa and wellness professionals relythis event for insightful guidance to grtheir businesses and keep them at forefront of their competitive industrInternational Esthetics, Cosmet& Spa Conference New York is first of eight international spa shwhere Pure Fiji will be attending2015.

payment were approved in 2014 the PS of Finance and it was pin our 2014 budget this specific cis a subject of criminal invest igatand the outcome will give us indication of surcharge ” sGroenewald.


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16 World News

Alberta Town Bans Swearing, Spitting AndYelling

Do not disturb.Or yell, or swear or spit on the sidewalk.The southern Alberta town of Taber,population 8,104, best known as

Canada's corn capital, has brought in abylaw to clamp down on bad behaviour.The nes may leave a bad taste in themouth for anyone who breaks the law.Reading like a page from the Old Westhe bylaw includes a $75 ne for spittingn public and a $150 penalty for yelling,creaming or swearing in a public place.

There are also limits on noise from bars.The town's "quiet hours" are between 11p.m. and 7 a.m.My personal reaction was well, it's

Taber. But my legal reaction was uh, oh.don't think that's going to pass muster

with freedom of expression and freedomof association," said Linda McKay-Panos, executive director of the Alberta

Civil Liberties Research Centre at theUniversity of Calgary."I think it's the culture of that place,

but anywhere in Canada we have the

protections of the Charter of Rights andFreedoms and (that includes) Taber."The bylaw was put in place to "regulateand prohibit certain activities in orderto prevent and compel the abatementof noise, nuisances, grafti and publicdisturbances and to provide for a curfewfor minors."Town ofcials didn't immediatelyrespond to requests for comment.McKay-Panos, who teachesconstitutional law at the Universityof Calgary, said the bylaw appearsunconstitutional and would be unlikely

to stand up in a court of law."Especially the part about swearing in

public. If I'm walking down the street

heading to a story and quietly swearthe person beside me, I could be cau

by the bylaw," she said."I think you could argue swearing

pretty close to the core of what we wto protect because it's either self-fulllspeech or it's personal expression ofopinion. That is very closely guarunder the Constitution."Other aspects of the bylaw are disturbiadded McKay-Panos, who pointed that there is no denition of what a swword is. She noted there's also a sectthat allows police to order groupsthree people or more to disperse -- whgoes against freedom of association.The bylaw was adopted by Taber tocouncil late last month and signed i

law last week. It was also reviewedthe local police commission and TaPolice Service.

Argentina's Double Helicopter CrashIncreases Reality TV Filming Death Toll

The deaths of 10 people during thelming of a reality TV show in Argentinahas drawn new attention to recurringafety issues for an entertainment genrehat has suffered a number of fatal

accidents in recent years.The collision of two helicopters in LaRioja province on Monday killed twoFrench Olympians, swimmer CamilleMuffat and boxer Alexis Vastine, anda prominent French sailor, FlorenceArthaud, as well as members of thehow's production team. They were

lming a "Survivor"-like French realityhow called "Dropped" at the time.

The fatal accident, which has dominatedFrench media and prompted an

outpouring of condolences for the well-known athletes, has a death toll thattands out among recent incidents.n 2013, a helicopter crash in a remote

area of Los Angeles County killed threepeople during lming for a DiscoveryChannel reality show.That crash was the worst lm set accidentn California since the 1982 deaths of

actor Vic Morrow and two children, whowere killed in a helicopter crash whilelming "Twilight Zone: The Movie".n February 2012, a co-executive

producer was also seriously injured afterbeing thrown from a boat into a murky

river while lming "Bamazon", a seriesfor the History channel about out-of-workAlabama construction workers miningfor gold in a rain forest in Guyana. And inAugust, an employee of the long-runningreality show "Cops" was accidentallyshot and killed by police ofcers duringa taping in Omaha. The cameraman wasstruck while trying to lm a robbery.Safety questions have been raised aboutfeature lm sets as well. Last year, afreight train in Georgia ploughed intocrew members lming "Midnight Rider",a movie about rock musician GreggAllman. The crash left a productionassistant dead and that lm's director,Randall Miller, pleaded guilty this week

to charges that included manslaughterand criminal trespassing.Many safety mishaps on sets gounreported because crew members signnondisclosure agreements and fear being

blacklisted if they le lawsuits. Record-keeping can be muddled by the fact thatmany of the shows are nonunion, andworkers are often classied as independentcontractors. The US Occupational Safetyand Health Administration tracks onlyserious accidents involving employeesand has no jurisdiction if incidents occurin foreign countries.Judicial authorities in Paris have

opened an involuntary manslaughinvestigation into Monday's crash, whis common in fatal incidents involvFrench citizens abroad. Adventure LProductions was producing the show

Nonce Paolini, chairman and chexecutive of France's TF1, which the show, expressed his shock instatement. In France, TF1 is among most popular stations in the country w8.5 million viewers who watch a raof programming, including news, spand lms, according to 2014 audieratings. The show "Dropped" focusescelebrities being blindfolded and dropin remote locations around the world."We are in shock and really very, ve

very, very sad," Mr Paolini said."It's a hard ordeal for these families ait's a hard ordeal for all of us," he sa"You know this job, we do this to br

pleasure to people."US politician Ted Lieu, who in 20was a California state senator headthe Labor and Industrial RelatiCommittee, warned then that "reashows are ... encouraging people todangerous acts"."The problem that we've had is obviously California law can't reach ouother states or foreign countries where aof these shows are lmed", Mr Lieu sa


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1World News

Husband Hears Fatal Stabbing On Phone

A mother stabbed to death as she walkedhome after a double shift was speakingo her husband by phone when she was

attacked.Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, was headinghome through Parramatta Park inwestern Sydney.She was talking with her husband, ArunKumar, 9300km away at home in India,when she screamed before the line wentdead and she collapsed in a pool of

blood.She was walking while talking toArun on the phone when she said that auspicious-looking man was following

her," her brother-in-law, Thrijeshayachandra, told the Hindu paper.The next moment, he heard her screamor help and then plead with the man noto harm [her] and take all her belongingsf he wanted.Seconds later, he heard her scream anday she was stabbed."

Her husband immediately ew fromBangalore in India to Australia.He learned of his wife's death when heanded in Sydney.

Kumar had nished work and was takinga short cut to her Westmead home whenhe was set upon.

A local found her about 9.30pm and shewas rushed to Westmead hospital, wherehe died about three hours later.

She had been working in Sydney forhe tech rm Mindtree since 2012 but

was planning to return to India becausehe missed her husband and 9-year-old

daughter too much.

She last called me three days ago, whenhe complained that work pressure was

severe, and she planned to return homefor good in April," her aunt, BharathiJayachandra, told the Hindu Times.

Kumar's brother who lives in Perth to Sydney to identify her.Family members say they will take

body back to India for a burial.

Kumar usually worked in the city on Saturday she had visited a cliin Rhodes, News Corp reports. It

believed she had knocked back a from work because she didn't want

bother friends.She took the train home and got ofParramatta Station about 9pm.It's believed police have CCTV showher walking from the station aloArgyle St and on to Park Parade.The path through Parramatta Park c

between a golf course and ParramHigh School.

She was reportedly attacked near a groof trees, with open spaces on either sand about 20m from lights.Police are appealing for any witnessecome forward.

Prabha Kumar had been heading home from her work as an IT consultant in Sydney when she was stabbed to death


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18 World News

Richmond Plans Crackdown On VacantHomes That Pose Safety Risks

New bylaw could allow city to ne owners for police or re callouts, or even demolish homes

Ofcials in Richmond, B.C., could soonhave the power to ne owners of vacantor abandoned buildings in the event of a

re or emergency, and even knock downbuildings that are a deemed by the city tobe a public safety risk.According to the city, there are about

0 such homes being watched by civicofcials.Mayor Malcolm Brodie said often thehomes fall into disrepair when the owners,who might be investors or developers,wait for the right time to sell or redevelop.Most often they'll cut off the services —

no heat, no electricity, no running water,hat kind of thing, and so the house justits," said Brodie.

The vacant homes then become safetyrisks, because of squatting, vandalism orother factors, and if police or re crews

are called out to deal with an incident, itcan cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.Brodie said that's why the city wantsto beef up bylaws by expanding thedenition of a vacant property and givingcity staff the power to charge owners ofvacant properties if reghters, policeor city workers have to deal with anemergency, and to demolish the buildingif it's deemed a public safety risk.Safety before protsBrodie said dealing with abandonedhomes is not just about saving money."The safety issues, the unsightly issues

are, to my mind, far more important,"said."Wouldn't it be great if we could

some more people into those homes, them to be used for a useful purpoeven if it's just for six months or a yeThat's still more than you had befoand it gets someone off the street into some kind of an establishment."Fire Chief John McGowan said despthe proposed changes, the numbervacant homes in Richmond has actuagone down in recent years."In 2013, we had about 130 propertSince then, it's dropped down to ab30, which is a tremendous decreassaid McGowan.

Simpsons Co-Creator, Sam Simon, Dies OColon Cancer Aged 59

Sam Simon, a co-creator of the long-unning hit animated series The

Simpsons, has died aged 59 after a battlewith colon cancer.Simon, an ardent philanthropist foranimals, won nine Emmy awards for his

work as a writer, director and executiveproducer of The Simpsons.The show's executive producer, Al Jean,aid on Twitter that Simon was "a great

man; I owe him everything".He asked fans to honour Simon's memoryby doing something nice for animals.Executive producer Matt Selman sharedome of Simon's advice to writers on

Twitter: "Love your characters."Doctors rst gave Simon three to sixmonths to live when he was diagnosedwith incurable colon cancer in 2012.Simon decided to give away his fortune,

stimated by media at $US100 million.I have a desire to help animals," Simonaid last August.The question of whether it makes

nancial sense, it's my money and I get todo what I want with it. It's an expensivehobby I picked up at the end of my life."Simon founded the Sam SimonFoundation in 2002 to benet animalsn need and help fund the Save The

Children organisation.Growing up in Beverly Hills, Simonmbraced art and was selling cartoons to

San Francisco newspapers while still atudent at Stanford University.

After graduating, he got his big breakwhen the producers of the hit televisionshow Taxi produced a script he hadwritten in 1981.In 1988, he joined producer JamesBrooks and cartoonist Matt Groening increating a prime-time series out of TheSimpsons for Fox's broadcast network.The cartoon began as an animated shorton The Tracey Ullman Show.Simon was in charge of the writingstaff and helped develop the characters

populating the dysfunctional worldaround the oash but endearing Homer

Simpson: his dutiful wife Marge their children Bart, Lisa and Maggie.The show was a smart social satire baround crass characters and it becathe longest-running sitcom on Ameritelevision.After four seasons of The SimpsoSimon negotiated a deal to leave show while retaining a percentageits future earnings, which would brhim between $US20 million and $USmillion a year.

He is still listed as executive producethe show's credits.

Hollywood mogul and co-creator of The Simpsons, Sam Simon


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1World News

Groom Of 12 Year 'Child Bride' In NswJailed For At Least Seven And A Half YearA man who married a 12-year-old girln an Islamic ceremony in New South

Wales has been jailed for at least sevenand a half years.The 27-year-old man pleaded guiltyo the charge of the persistent sexual

abuse of a child after he told police hemarried the girl in the Hunter Valleyn 2014.

After he was charged an examination at

Westmead Children's Hospital conrmedthe girl had an ectopic pregnancy andmiscarried.She was examined after she complainedof stomach pain.Court papers showed the man startedtexting the girl after he becameaware of her at a mosque in late2013.The girl, who is now 13, is in the care of

authoritiesIn the NSW District Court JuDeborah Sweeney gave the man, wcannot be named, a maximum senteof 10 years with a non-parole periodseven and a half years.He will be eligible for parole in Aug2021.He faced a possible 25-year sentencethe offence.

Accused Rapist Dragged From Prison AndKilled By Indian Mob

Several thousand people stormed a

prison in northeastern India, where theydragged away a man accused of rape andhen lynched him, police said.

The mob overpowered security atDimapur Central Prison in Nagalandand seized the rape suspect, whom theyalso accused of being an illegal migrantrom Bangladesh. They pelted him with

stones and beat him to death, said police

Constable Sunep Aier.Police said a curfew was imposed inthe city after the killing and no otherincidents of violence had been reported.The man had been arrested on suspicionof raping a local woman on February 24.In recent years, India has seen anoutpouring of anger against sexual

violence that is pervasive across

country. But Thursday's killing was alikely linked to tensions in Nagaland oan inux of migrants from BangladeDimapur, the largest city in Nagaland1,660 kilometers east of New Delhi.Several local groups accuse the migraof taking away their land and jobs have been protesting in recent weeks

Top Judge Loses $42K In Elaborate Bank Fraud Scammer guilty of ripping off eight people for more than $200,000 in elaborate bank scheme.

A serial fraudster has scammed one of

he country's top judges out of more than$40,000.ames David Stewart, 31, will beentenced in Auckland District Courthis month for an offending spree thatook place between July and October

2013.Stewart has pleaded guilty to sevenharges of accessing a computer systemor a dishonest purpose - ripping offight victims for more than $200,000 in

an elaborate bank fraud over the courseof a few weeks.One of those victims was Justice RhysHarrison, one of eight Court of Appealudges who preside over the second-

highest court in New Zealand.ustice Harrison was made a Queen's

Counsel in 1994 and appointed as a HighCourt judge in 2001, before taking up hisurrent position in 2010.

But on July 15, 2013, he found his ANZaccount $42,259 lighter than it shouldhave been.Court documents were released toNZME. but a judge ruled that the wayStewart drained the money could not be

published until after sentencing.The defendant was due to be sentenced

earlier this year, but the hearing was

deferred to another date to assess the possibility of a restorative justiceconference.It could have pitted the judge againstStewart in an over-the-table, supervisedconversation but it was later deemedunsuitable for such a meeting.The stolen funds represent about 10 percent of the victim's salary.Judicial salaries and allowances as ofOctober 2012 put a Court of Appeal

judge's yearly wage at $415,000. Aministry spokesman said the judge wasnot keen to discuss the case."Justice Harrison advises me he is unableto comment publicly on the sentencing

process," the spokesman said.During his career as a judge, JusticeHarrison has presided over dozens offraud cases, many more serious than theone in which he became a victim.In 2009, former All Black Doug Rollersonwas convicted but freed without penalty

by Justice Harrison for his part in acomplex scam which cheated sportsorganisations out of charity money.The judge said there was no point

imposing a ne because the defendanthad not proted from the crime.

Justice Harrison also presided over

case of Colleen Margaret Gray, 66, Bruce Kenneth Gray, 65, who sipho$30,000 from a decile-one schoolOtara.The couple appealed their home detentsentences last year, but abandoned appeal when the judge warned them tmight end up behind bars.Stewart will also be sentenced on otcharges after stealing a car at the of September 2013. Police later fouhim with drugs and drug paraphernin the car and laid further chargeswhich he will also be sentenced lathis month.It is understood the defendant

previous convictions and he made news in 2003 as a teenager when climbed the roof of a Napier chuduring a drunken escapade.He told the court he had been takinshortcut home and ended up climbindrainpipe onto the roof of the MethoTrinity Church. Stewart kicked a escape door, smashing a glass pawindow, and was jailed for six weand ned $172.

He faces a maximum jail term of seyears on the fraud charges.


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20 Health

Listen To Your Wife To Lower HeartAttack Risk

Do nd time to talk to your wife even ifyou come tired from ofce and want tohit the sack - for a better heart health.According to new research, positive

nteractions with your partner can lowerhe risk of heart attack or stroke for you.More negative interactions between

partners were linked to having thickerarotid arteries - the blood vessels thatarry blood through the neck to the

brain," Nataria Joseph from VA Greater

Los Angeles Healthcare System inCalifornia was quoted as saying.Thicker carotids are linked with increasedrisk of cardiovascular problems.

In the study, researchers found that people who reported few positiveinteractions with their partners had an8.5 percent higher risk of having a heartattack or stroke in the future.For the study, researchers analysed 281middle-age adults who were married

or living with partners in marriage-relationships.They found that interactions m

be closely tied to emotions, he

behaviours and physiology, all of whhave effects on health."The study, however, shows a correlat

but not a cause-and-effect relations between interactions and thicker caroarteries," Joseph said in a Live Sciereport.

Regular Coffee Drinkers Have 'Cleaner'Arteries

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day

may help people avoid clogged arteriesa known risk factor for heart disease -

Korean researchers believe.They studied more than 25,000 maleand female employees who underwentoutine health checks at their workplace.

Employees who drank a moderateamount of coffee - three to ve cups aday - were less likely to have early signsof heart disease on their medical scans.The ndings reopen the debate aboutwhether coffee is good for the heart.Heart effects

There is a lot of confusion when it comeso the effect of coffee on heart health.Some studies have linked consumptiono heart risk factors, such as raisedholesterol or blood pressure, while

others suggest the beverage may offerome heart protection.

But there is no conclusive evidence eitherway, and the latest research from SouthKorea, which is published in the journalHeart, only adds to the discussion.Unexplained link n the study, the researchers used medicalcans to assess heart health.

Specically, they were looking for anydisease of the arteries supplying theheart - the coronary arteries.n coronary heart disease, the coronary

arteries become clogged by the gradualbuild-up of fatty material within theirwalls.The scan the researchers used looks foriny deposits of calcium in the walls ofhe coronary arteries to provide an earlylue that this disease process may be

occurring.None of the employees included in the

Korean study had outward signs of heartdisease, but more than one in 10 of them

were found to have visible calcium

deposits on their scans.The researchers then compared the scanresults with the employees' self-reporteddaily coffee consumption, while takinginto account other potential heart riskfactors such as smoking, exercise andfamily history of heart problems.People who drank a few cups of coffeea day were less likely to have calciumdeposits in their coronary arteries than

people who drank more than this or nocoffee at all.The study authors say more research is

needed to conrm and explain the link.Coffee contains the stimulant caffeine,as well as numerous other compounds,

but it's not clear if these might causegood or harm to the body.Victoria Taylor of the British HeartFoundation said: "While this studydoes highlight a potential link betweencoffee consumption and lower risk

of developing clogged arteries, m

research is needed to conrm thndings and understand what the reais for the association."We need to take care when generalisthese results because it is based on South Korean population, who hdifferent diet and lifestyle habits

people in the UK."How much caffeine?In the US, experts say up to 400mg a appears to be safe for most healthy adThere is no recommended daily uplimit for caffeine consumption in

UK, except for pregnant womenIf you're pregnant, you should limit amount of caffeine you have to 200mday - equivalent to two mugs of instcoffeeone mug of instant coffee: 100mgone mug of lter coffee: 140mgone mug of tea: 75mgone can of cola: 40mg


21/[email protected] 604.909.4088604.510.4088

2Health

Reasons To Try Apple Cider Vinegart’s been touted as a “super uid” thatan do everything from lowering yourholesterol to polishing your furniture.

Below are both the scientic and

anecdotal benets of apple cider vinegar . Fights diabetesSeveral studies have found that vinegarmay help to lower glucose levels, makingt a benecial treatment for people withype 2 diabetes. A 2007 study from

Arizona State University in the US foundhat taking two tablespoons of appleider vinegar along with 30g of cheese

before bed led to a 4-6 per cent decreasen fasting blood sugar levels.

2. Reduces appetite and cravingsA 2005 Swedish study found that peopleelt fuller and more satised for longer

after eating bread with white vinegar, asopposed to eating bread on its own. Themagic ingredient in all vinegars that canuppress appetite is believed to be acetic

acid, which helps to reduce the glycemicndex of foods, slowing the rate at whichugars are released into the bloodstream

and lessening appetite.3. Lowers bad cholesterol levelsA 2012 study published in Life Scienceournal revealed that consumption of

apple cider vinegar over an eight-weekperiod can signicantly reduce harmful

blood lipids that contribute to highholesterol and triglyceride levels inpeople who suffer from hyperlipidemiatoo many fats in the blood).

4. Helps shift kilosWhile many people swear that appleider vinegar has helped them lose

weight, the scientic evidence forhis is a bit light. However, one smallapanese study, published in 2009 in theournal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and

Biochemistry, found that obese peoplewho consumed between 15ml and 30mlof acetic acid – the major component of

vinegar – diluted in water daily for 12weeks experienced signicant decreasesn body weight, abdominal fat, waistircumference, and triglycerides (a type

of fat in the blood).5. Promotes glossy tressesWhile this may not be scienticallyupported, many apple cider vinegar fanswear it works wonders for their hair,

making it glossy, shiny and dandruff-ree. Beauty blogs suggest adding one

part vinegar to one part water and usingt as you would conditioner – that is,

apply it to your hair and let it soak inor between ve and 15 minutes before

rinsing.6. Polishes woodAnother known use for this wonder-worker is in the conditioning of wood. A

concoction of half a cup of any vegetableoil with half a cup of apple cider vinegaris said to create a furniture polish thatwill clean and treat wooden furnitureand surfaces, and remove water stains.7. Aids digestion

b+s nutritionist Lisa says that, taken before each meal, apple cider vinegarimproves digestion and is particularly

benecial for people with stomach issuessuch as reux, bloating and indigestion.She suggests using it either to make asalad dressing or taking one teaspoonwith water before each meal.

8. Tones, claries and clears the skinApple cider vinegar’s list of widelytouted benets for skin health is long.Converts say it can be used as a toner(one part vinegar to two parts water),and left on overnight to fade age spotsand acne. Others have sung its praisesfor keeping skin clear when ingested asa tonic.9. Gets rid of wartsAgain, there’s no scientic evidenceto support this, but a host of onlinetestimonials attest to its wart-zapping

powers. The predominant method used by supporters is as follows: Each night before going to bed, soak a cotton ballin apple cider vinegar, apply it to thewart and keep it in place with a sticking

plaster. Leave it on all night – 24 hoursa day if possible – for a week, changingthe dressing each evening. The wart mayswell and throb, then start to turn blackwithin the rst two days, and disappearcompletely after a week or two.10. Works as an all-purpose cleanerDitch the chemical, commercial spraysfor something you don’t mind spraying

around your loved ones. This concoction

is said to gently clean and disinfhousehold surfaces: one part vinegatwo parts water, plus a few drops of tree oil for its antibacterial qualities.

Apple Cider Vinegar FAQsWhy so super?From a scientic viewpoint, the “supness” of apple cider vinegar is believto come from its high concentrationacetic acid, which improves the bodabsorption of important minerals frthe foods we consume.

Naturopath Dr Sandi Rogers, Cof Australia’s National College Traditional Medicine, has obserits healing powers for more than years, and says it’s “truly an impressmedicine”.

Rogers credits its high mineral contfor its “superfood” status. “Minerals the foundation of health and wellbeinot vitamins,” she explains. “Thisoften grossly misunderstood.” recommends taking apple cider vineevery day: “Small, regular amounts seto work best – two teaspoons addeda few teaspoons of water, then swiraround in the mouth [before swallowito activate the salivary glands.”Is it safe?Apple cider vinegar is great in a sa

dressing, but as mentioned, veriadata on its “cure-all” status is still limiwhich means its benets and risks arefully known. Illnesses should be treaand managed under the supervision ohealth professional.What kind should I buy?The “uglier” the apple cider vinegar

better. You want it brown and mu – the clear and pretty stuff has bthrough more ltration processes, this removes the powerful essencethe vinegar, called the “mother” –

brown strands that rest at the bottom

the bottle.


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For Woman

Quick And Easy Diy Spa TreatmentsEveryone Can Do At Home

. Steam FacialsSteam facials are quite easy, start byboiling water. Add herbs like lavender,green tea and peppermint. When enoughteam is generated, use a towel to trap

he steam. The pores open up and allowor deep cleansing.2. AromatherapyThis is what you’ll probably enjoy most.Settle comfortably in your tub for as longas you please. Before you do that, addome sea salt, Epsom salt, baking soda and

a few drops of vanilla or chamomile scent.3. MassageYou can give yourself a massage withoutanyone helping you out. You can startmassaging.4. ConditioningYou can use natural ingredients to give

yourself a deep conditioning right athome. Mash fresh avocado with naturalmayonnaise, and apply on hair. Allowhair to soak (wear a shower cap) for 15o 20 minutes and rinse from the base of

your head and proceed to the other areas,including face. Massaging hands andfeet should be easy once you get used tothe idea.5. Waxing

Waxing is not very taxing as most peopleimagine it to be. Spend a few minutes patiently and wax your arms, legs andeyebrows and other delicate parts. If youare not too sure about yourself, use rollerwaxes that make the job a lot easier.6. ManicuresManicures are probably the easiest todo by yourself. Spend a few minutesto remove the nail polish and clip yournails a fraction longer than required. Fileyour nails to shape and the extra portionvanishes.7. Facial Masks

Soon after you’re done with steaming,go for a natural facial mask. Mix freshmilk and natural honey in a small bowl.Apply evenly and rub in gently, avoidcontact with hair. Rinse with warm water

rst and follow with a dab of cold wa8. ExfoliatingExfoliating helps rejuvenate your sand adds fresh life to your complexiAdd some table salt to virgin olive

and mix well. Apply this mixture, ruband soak for a while. Rinse to removetraces of the mixture.9. Dying hairAlthough it is a slightly messy job, dyyour hair at home is very easy. Whmore is you save a lot of money this wEnsure the dye does not get into the eor stain clothes or washbasin. Choosgood brand of powder or liquid hair d10. Teeth WhiteningForget appointments with a dentist shelling out a lot of money. The ntime you buy bananas, don’t discard

peel. Rub the inside (soft portion)the banana peel on your teeth, and results will amaze you. Pearly whteeth are guaranteed after a few reguapplications.

Some Healthy Foods Every Woman Must Eat Essential nutrition for good health

While eating healthy is essential forboth the sexes, men and women havedifferent dietary requirements. Hereare some foods that every woman mustnclude in her diet...

Flax seedsHave ax seeds daily for overall goodhealth. They are a good source ofOmega-3 fatty acids and are known toeduce the risk of heart disease and breastancer. They also have anti-inammatory

properties that prevent arthritis, apartrom digestive properties which helpase irritable bowel syndrome.

SalmonNot only is salmon rich in iron, whichs usually lacking in women, but it is

also full of omega-3 fatty acids, knowno improve your mood. Experts say thatomega-3 helps treat depression andprevent mood swings.CranberriesCertain studies over the years have founda link between eating cranberries andhow it reduces the risk of breast cancerand heart disease. Also, they have theability to prevent and cure urinary tractnfections. Have a glass of cranberryuice every other day.

SpinachWhile this might not be a much-lovedood, spinach is packed with a host of

vitamins, minerals and high amounts ofmagnesium. And magnesium is knownto help reduce the physical symptomsof PMS like swelling, breast tenderness,

bloating and weight gain.WalnutsExperts say that walnuts have omega-3fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols —all important in reducing the risk of breastcancer. The high omega-3 content alsohelps bone health, arthritis and depression.Walnuts also comprise nutrients likecalcium, magnesium and folic acid.OatsOats are bursting with health-boostingnutrients, great for female health. They keepyour heart healthy, are great for digestion,

keep blood pressure levels in check andalso contain vitamin B6, which helps prevent PMS and mood swings. Another

component — folic acid — prevents bdefects in babies and is essential for womduring and after pregnancy.MilkCalcium deciency is one of the mahealth concerns that affect womworldwide. Milk is an absolute mfor women at any age. A great souof calcium, milk, when combined wvitamin D, is one of the best ways to kosteoporosis at bay. Milk is also helpfu

preventing symptoms of the dreaded PMTomatoesA carotenoid that is essential for gohealth is lycopene, which is a pigmfound in tomatoes. And several studhave said that lycopene can help prev

breast cancer. Apart from this, this also evidence that suggests thareduces the risk of heart disease.


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24 Parenting

Things All Brand New Parents ShouldKnow

We agree that parenting a child is a huge task - surviving nine months of pregnancy, then the pain of labor, and laterchasing your child through the crawling, feeding, toilet training stages - it's a lengthy experience indeed. But all this pa

and agony disappears and a coat of excitement grips you when you rst hear your baby calling you 'Mamma-Dada' owhen your baby takes his very rst step.

Though parenting a newborn requires aarge amount of effort and energy, the

positive aspect of the reward you receiveby watching your baby grow and develops priceless. Today, we help each andvery new parent by presenting a fewips ranging from child potty training to

baby care, so that parenting becomes anever so slightly) easier task for you.

Potty can even take hoursDon't get into high hopes when youake your child to eliminate the waste.

Some kids may surprise you by doing

his mechanism in minutes. Don't expectyour child to do the same; your child canven take hours to eliminate his waste.

Let him take his own time, and keepool.

Elastic waists are your baby's friendsMake your child's dressing andundressing process simple and effortless.Many kids are uncomfortable withbuttons and zippers, because it can bea time consuming affair and can makeyour baby frustrated when he wants tovisit the bathroom. Hence, invest inlastic waist pants or shorts, until your

hild is comfortable with the buttons andwaps.

Don't go overboard with technologyYou may be geeky when it comes to newechnologies, but it can scare your child

quite a bit. When you take your child tohe bathroom, and there is an automated

usher installed, the loud noise maypetrify your child. The fear can gripo deeply that he may never use the

bathroom alone.More time with your child and lesswork

f you want to get the required attentionrom your child then you too mustdedicate time for your child. Focus onhe things that make your baby happy.

When you are with your baby, avoidmulti-tasking as this can spoil yourelationship with your baby.

You might have to change a whole lotof bed sheetsSome kids take much longer to masterhe technique of staying dry overnight.n case your child wakes up wet, then

don't yell at him, it is completely normal.The reason for him to wake up wet could

be that he is in deep sleep. Just keep an

extra set of bed sheet to let him sleep peacefully.You will make new friendsYou might have an endless list of good

pals, but those friends may just end up being a peripheral group now. You don'tchoose your friends now, your childchooses friends for you. Nowadays,you will end up hanging with moms anddads of those children that your childmet at the playground or playmates fromschool.Your living room will be messy

Slowly when your baby grows up,you will jump with joy to see your baby rolling, crawling and then nallywalking. But that peace of moment canturn into a nightmare when your baby

becomes mobile.You will see your living room turninto a huge mess, when your childwill suddenly turn into a mischievousmonster. Suddenly you will see yourcloset empty and all the clothes on theoor, and whatever is within his reachwill nd its way to the oor and oddcorners of the room.

Keep calm, and don't forget to keephazardous objects beyond your baby'sreach.Your child may throw more tantrumsthan a teenage girlEvery parent shares stories of their kid's

monster tantrums with friends. Indeeis a toddler's job to throw tantrums, as a parent it is your job to set boundafor your child with rm loving and cardisciplines.Your maternity leave will be tougthan the toughest work daysYou may plan your maternity leavedoing all last minute tasks at work then feel like your vacation has jstarted on the last day before maternleave begins. But you're in for a surprYour maternity leave is an incredi

time to bond with your baby but it be a little gruesome as well.You might just end up without showerup till 4 pm, completely entrenchedyour baby's daily cycles of breastfeedichanging nappies, diapers etc. But befyou resume work you won't feel like goanywhere without your baby, becausethe incompleteness without him.When you are with your baeverything turns out to be sweetThere can be incredible sweet momewith your baby, even if you've just yelat him. These moments are very spe

for each and every parent, who wishekeep those memories alive forever. Aa serious ght with your baby, your bcan make your day just by coming clto you, kissing your nose and genwhispering to you, 'I Love You'.


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2Recipe

Braised Lamb Shanks6 New Zealand Lamb Shanks1/3 cup cooking oil2 medium sized onions, chopped1 cup chopped celery2 carrots, sliced

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt,1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon rosemary1 bay leaf 1 bouillon cube1 cup boiling water 1 can (7 1/2 oz) tomato sauce4 tablespoons our 1/3 cup water

Heat oil in large saucepan; brown shanksn hot oil; remove shanks.

Add vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes.Add shanks; add garlic powder, salt,pepper, rosemary, and bay leaf.Combine bouillon cube and boilingwater; add to meat and vegetablemixture.Stir in tomato sauce. Cover tightly andimmer for about 2 hours or until shanks

are tender, stir occasionally.Remove bay leaf.Combine our and water; stir intomixture, stir, and cook until thickened.

Skewered Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetablesngredients pound boneless, skinless chickenhighs, cut into chunks/2 cup bottled teriyaki baste and glaze medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise

and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces large red bell pepper, cut into squares

4 scallions, trimmed and cut crosswisen half

8 canned whole water chestnuts, drainedand rinsedDirectionsn small bowl, combine chicken and 1/4up of the teriyaki baste. Refrigerate,overed, 30 minutes.

Preheat grill to medium-hot or preheatbroiler. Alternately thread chicken,ucchini, red pepper, scallions, and

water chestnuts on eight 30 cm metalkewers. Thread a water chestnut on thend of each skewer. Brush with some ofemaining teriyaki baste.

Grill or broil skewers 10 inches from heat,urning often and brushing with baste, until

vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken isooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.


26/[email protected] 604.909.4088604.510.4088

26

Continued on Page 27

Aries:You will nd the week to give favorableesults. You will be in a position to satisfy

your wishes and can also plan for youruture. You will see very good returns

or the efforts that you make. Decisionmaking will be in your favor. You willnd good results in your job. There aregood chances to prove your worth atwork. Your skills will be appreciated andome to the notice of your superiors. You

will earn a good name by the intelligencehat you are applying in completing your

work. You will also be in a position toadopt better saving practices. You willhave prosperity related to money matters.You will be lucky enough for the week.You will be exchanging happiness in theorm of sweet words with your partner.

You will adopt a very adjusting andriendly attitude with your partner. Dueo this, harmony will prevail. You will

possess happiness and this will enableyou to keep yourself t. Exercising cando work wonders for your health.Taurus:This is very essential for the week andwill give you relief. You need to betraightforward and get rid of your

hesitation. Don’t feel insecure. You needo overcome all obstacles that you will

be facing at work. This can be done by

ffective planning on your part. It willbe good for you to plan your work wellahead of time. Else, you might end upworking overtime and stressing yourselfout. There are chances for money loss;hence monitor your nances well. Youneed to avoid ego and have a gooddiscussion with your partner to make theweek charming. Give more time to eachother. It is vital for you to develop moreunderstanding with your partner. Givinghem time and patiently listening to whathey have to say is very vital. This isssential as you will have chances foracing digestion-related problems. You

will have to incur expenses for the healthof your mother.Gemini:This week you need to be positiveand this is very essential for yourprogress. You can make better useof the week by involving yourself inecreational activities, which will give

you satisfaction. Results might be a bitdelayed, but this should not demoralizeyou. The week might not be in youravor completely. Plan and organize

your work well so that you can makegood use of the week. You will nd the

week less favorable for gains. You alsoneed to handle money carefully. Youmight have to bear unprepared expenses.Try to spend only on essential expenses.You need to spend more quality time

with your partner. Approach a friendlyattitude toward them to make things better. You need to maintain a relaxedapproach for maintaining good harmonywith your partner. You will have chancesfor irritation in eyes.Cancer:You will nd the week to be favorablefor you. You will fulll your tasks withfewer efforts. Pursuing new investmentdecisions will be protable. You will bein a position to handle even complextasks with ease. You will also be fast inexecuting your work. You will get better

progress in your job. You will maintain agood relationship with your colleaguesand gain appreciation for the work thatyou do. You will be spending money forthe development of your family. You canalso pursue some good saving practicesto keep yourself secure. You will ndyourself happy with your partner. You will

be more positive in your approach andstraightforward. This approach of yourswill enable you to maintain a healthyrelationship with your partner. You willnd yourself in ne health. This is due to

your healthy living and eating practices.Yoga can help you stay in good shape.Leo:You will nd the week to be an excitingone. You will have a passion to exceland determination to succeed. You willtry to build you

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