Opinion

Ethnic Relations in Fiji: threats and Opportunities

From left: USP Journalism Coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh, Dialogue Fiji chairman Nemani Buresova and executive director Nilesh Lal. Picture: Dialogue Fiji The University of the South Pacific Journalism Programme Coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh shares insights from the recently-launched book on ethnic relations. This is an extremely important book, and its title—Ethic Relations in Fiji: threats and Opportunities—indicates why. The chapters in the book book emanate from the proceedings of the 2017 Dialogue on Ethnic Relations at Pacific Harbour. They address what is perhaps the most crucial and costly issue facing Fiji—ethnic relations, or rather, ethnic tensions, suspicions, and even hostility, if…

View More

---

USP Journalism staff, students back moves to reinstate ABC services in the Pacific

The ABC announced in December, 2016 that that it was ending shortwave services. It ceased shortwave broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region on January 31, 2017. Picture: www.abc.net.au   Report by WANSOLWARA STAFF ABC’s sustained coverage of major events, issues and disasters in the Pacific region has played a vital role in keeping people informed about events that affect their lives. And according to staff and students of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme, this independent coverage and reporting should continue unabated for the sake of democracy, freedom of speech, economic development and decision-making processes, as well as for humanitarian…

View More

---

‘Flight of the myna’ – a reflection of Fiji 30 years on

First-year journalism and politics student Dhruvkaran Nand, left, speaks to Sri Krishnamurthi about the impending 2018 Fiji election. Picture: WANSOLWARA STAFF   By SRI KRISHNAMURTHI When I left Fiji 30 years ago, a week after the first coup in 1987, I planned to write a book titled “The flight of the myna” – a pesky, noisy bird, which can talk if trained, was introduced to Fiji by our forefathers from India. The book wasn’t to be, but that very thought crossed my mind again as the plane taxied down the runaway to a halt at the Nausori International Airport. I…

View More

---

The good, the bad, and the military

According to Professor Vijay Naidu, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom under Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama's leadership, as positive economic growth has been underpinned by current government initiatives. Picture: FLICKR.COM/kylepost Photography   (Pacific Media Centre/Wansolwara) As Fiji lurches towards stability and democracy, the military’s overwhelming presence is a reminder of what once was and could happen again as the PMC’s Sri Krishnamurthi talks to an academic who does not discount the possibility. The military has the backing of the Government at the moment, but a clause reinserted from the 1990 Constitution making it judge and jury is cause for concern, says…

View More

---

Import Dependence in Nauru

By Kaelyn Dekarube (Pictured phosphate loading station) Growing up as a kid in my lovely island of Nauru, I remember grownups used to say everything was imported, of course, I didn’t know what that meant. I also remember the times when my father would tell us to preserve fresh water as the next shipment will not arrive at least in the next two month or so.  (Thinking back now, that sounded really far-fetched). Growing up in Nauru I realized that everything from the food that we eat to even fresh water was imported to Nauru. Nauru was like most other…

View More

---

Students Tenants the Most Vulnerable

By Koroi Tadulala Every year students pouring into the capital city for tertiary education they face a daunting issue in renting outside Campus. In the past four years, the Consumer Council of Fiji received a little less than 1000 landlord and tenancy complaints. Sadly, tertiary students and first-time jobholders make up a significant number of tenancy cases. The issues young tenants face are numerous. These range from landlords giving them notice to vacate at the eleventh hour, bond money not returned after vacating, no repair works carried out despite several requests, increasing rent although rent freeze order is in place,…

View More

---

Remembering Dr Teresia Teaiwa

Dr Olivier Jutel (Originally publish by Overland) The Pacific has lost one of its great scholars, activists, champion of the arts and leading lights with the passing of Dr Teresia Teaiwa. Teresia’s impact in the Pacific was as expansive as the ocean which carried her across the region from Hawaii, Kiribati, Fiji and Aoteroa. In her poetry and scholarship she would turn to the Pacific Ocean as a metaphor of a universality that connects Pacific and oppressed peoples. Writing of the diasporic condition which brought her to the makariri (cold) of Wellington she wrote of ‘toes born in the tropics…

View More

---

Development and Accountability Needed for VFF

By Matthew Walter When it comes to sport disciplines, soccer is number one in Vanuatu. It is well-loved and played throughout the archipelago. In the Oceania Region, Vanuatu is a contender and a powerhouse. However recent times have seen inconsistent performances at the international and club levels of Oceania football. The lack of consistent development programs continues to thwart the country’s potential. Most recently the U-17 side were underwhelming at the recent World Cup Qualifying round in Tahiti .Raymond Nasse a Sport reporter for the Vanuatu Daily Post revealed that most of the U-17 players were selected from the Northern…

View More

---

Opinion: US Democrats Miss Opportunity

(pictured: DNC Chairman Tom Perez) By Dr Olivier Jutel The only thing more disempowering than watching Donald Trump’s surrealist acceleration of American revanchist conservatism is relying upon the Democratic Party to lead the #Resistance. After Clinton’s misreading of the electorate and colossal failure one would hope that even the most willing corporate servant might understand, even if only cynically, the necessity of a left-populist tack. But with the nomination of Tom Perez, Barack Obama’s former labour secretary, the party has shown itself more committed to disciplining the Sanders contingent than actually forging a winning electoral strategy. At a time where…

View More

---