Sunday, March 12, 2006
We want gold
THE national rugby sevens team to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia want to win gold more than ever. On the front page of the newspaper, team coach and captain, Waisale Serevi said they aimed to play hard against tough oppositions in England, South Africa and New Zealand teams.
Bring military to heel: Vosanibola
HOME Affairs Minister Josefa Vosanibola called on President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo and the Vice President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi to discipline Military Commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama. He made the plea after Commodore Bainimarama said on national television he would campaign against the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party before the May general election. He added the military commander could not speak out against the Government because it was a democratically-elected government and his employer.
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Commonwealth’s priority for Fiji is to re-engage with it so that the island nation can return to democratic rule, said secretary-general Don McKinnon. He made the comment in a message to mark Commonwealth Day March 12, 2007. He said their priority was not to isolate Fiji but to engage and see “it come in from the cold”. The year’s theme was ‘Respecting Difference, Promoting Understanding.’
Court voices concern
THE Fiji Court of Appeal is concerned that nothing had been done to ammend an unconstitutional provision in the Fiji Military Forces Act, barring soldiers from appealing against unfair sentences. Military lawyer Major Kitione Tuinaosara said nothing could be done to ammend the clause because Parliament which had the powers to promulgate the laws had been dissolved. “Anyway, whats the rush? The guys are sentenced to life,” he said in reference to several former members of the now disbanded Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit member who challenged their sentences in relation to the November, 2000 mutiny.
March 12, 2008
Media accused of ‘having an agenda’
INTERIM Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry says media organisations in Fiji should take a critical look at the manner which they are abusing the freedom of the media in pursuit of what is clearly a political agenda to discredit the interim administration. His comments came after an independent inquiry team cleared him of any taxation breaches. The investigation came about after a series of articles written by Victor Lal and published by the Fiji Sun which called on investigations into Mr Chaudhry’s tax issues.
March 12, 2009
High Court orders military commander to pay $65,000 in damages
MILITARY commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has been ordered to pay over $60,000 for damages sustained by a man who was beaten by soldiers in August 2000. High Court judge Justice Thomas Hickie held the commander liable for the actions of solders who assaulted Senitiki for his alleged involvement in the Monasavu Dam takeover and missing guns from the military armoury. Mr Naqa alleged he was assaulted by the soldiers and made to eat horse manure after he was arrested.
Appeals court backs PSC case
THE Appeals Court upheld a Public Service Commission decision to reduce the compulsory retirement age of civil servants from 60 to 55 years. Justice John Byrne said the decision to reduce the retirement age did not amount to unfair discrimination by reference to age and that compulsory retirement was a feature of the management of civil servants in many, if not most civil services in the world.
