Hope for survivors is fading
Officials feared in Suva last night that 54 people died when the 212-ton inter-island ship Uluilakeba sank during a cyclone in southern Lau on Monday.
There are 41 known survivors ? 40 of them on board the 10,000-ton cargo ship Soochow, which officials expect in Suva about 7pm today.
Five more people are missing from the wreck of the government cutter Makogai.
Searchers found the body of a European woman yesterday but authorities are withholding her name.
Two American women were among the round-trip passengers on the Uluilakeba.
The husband of one of the woman was also on the ship but officials did not know last night whether he was among the survivors on the Soochow.
Appeal for the victims
The Fiji Times, with a gift of $500, today launches a Christmas appeal for the Fiji islands devastated by Cyclone Lottie and fore the dependants of those who died in the sinking of the Uluilakeba and Makogai.
At a time when most of Fiji is beginning joyful celebrations of the Christmas season, thousands are homeless and a tragedy at sea has left many people grieving for loved ones ? and without support.
There was never a time when the spirit of Christmas and Christian charity was more necessary.
The Fiji Times therefore appeals to the people of Fiji to give as generously as they can, no matter how little, to help their suffering fellow citizens.
Its offices in Suva and Lautoka will receive gifts of cash or cheques and The Fiji Times will acknowledge them daily.
Extra power saving urged
People are responding to a Fiji Government request for voluntary saving of fuel and power but must do more, according to officials.
Suva City Council’s electricity engineer, Mr Bill Smith, said yesterday the voluntary reduction in power use was still far short of the required percentage. But people were making some effort and apparently were treating the matter seriously, he said.
Consumption of power began to drop after people went home on Tuesday and the reduction continued yesterday.
Mr Smith he was not yet able to work out exactly how much people were conserving, but they could still save a lot more.
The council and staff at Government Buildings in Suva have cut power use by restricting lights and air conditioning and halting lifts.
Judge rules out prosecution
use of ‘confession’
A Supreme Court judge trying a murder charge at Lautoka has thrown out an alleged confession which the defence said police obtained by threats and violence.
The accused man, Tanilea Tilivarua (38), told the court he signed the alleged statement without knowing what it said.
He said policemen interviewing him swore at him, pushed his head into a wall “countless times”, and failed to give him anything to eat during or between interviews which he said lasted for more than 10 hours.
Tilivarua faces a charge of murdering Aselemo Noya ( about 60).
Noya died as a result of injuries an intruder inflicted on him on October 29 as he lay asleep in a room he shared with his daughter and son-in-law Taito, who is Tilivarua’s brother. Police interviewed Tilivarua on November 1 last year and again on March 7 this year.
New launches
give police new teeth
The Royal Fiji Police Force will step up sea patrols in Suva and Lautoka with two new high-speed patrol launches the Australian Government has provided.
The two Savage Marlin launches, worth more than $42,000, are a grant from Australia’s South Pacific aid-programme.
Fiji made a special request for the launches to the Australian High Commission as a result of past emergencies.
A police spokesman said there was a growing need for such a unit.
In the past, police had to borrow or hire launches in the case of emergencies. Apart from anything else, this wasted a great deal of time.
The spokesman said the Mrine Department would operate the boats with a police officer aboard each one while it was on patrol.
QVSOB’s teams set to clash
The dark horse of Suva Cricket Association’s A-grade competition, QVSOB B, will seek revenge for its loss to QVSOB A in the first match of the season.
After five matches, QVSOB B’s record includes surprise wins over top ranking Imperial Colts and Combined Banks.
QVSOB A leads the competition with 29 points and another win over the B team should improve its lead. But the task will not be as easy this time.
The B team’s batting line-up has improved greatly and there is a lot going for it in its fielding and bowling.
Medium pace bowlers Filipe Koroi, Olipani Baba and George Mawi appear certain to spearhead the B team’s attack.
Qio Bale probable will have a chance to bowl also.
The A team has many experienced players including several heavy hitters.
The game will be on Albert Park’s pitch five.
Two weightlifters
chosen for games
Two former South Pacific Games medallists will represent Fiji in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch next month.
They are Inoke Luveni, middleweight, and Filimoni Ramanu, middle-heavyweight.
The Fiji Weightlifting Association’s delegate, Mr Vijendra Pal, made the announcement during the Fiji Amateur Sports Association’s meeting in Suva yesterday.
Luveni won a gold medal at the South Pacific Games in Tahiti in 1971 in the light-heavyweight division. After his return he fell ill and shed weight.
Ramanu returned from the Tahiti games with a bronze medal in the middleweight-heavyweight division.
Mr Sharma said the two lifters had set the qualifying standard the association set for them.
