September 9 2016

Sitiveni Rabuka Slams Those Who Boycotted

Event

Those who didnt turn up to celebrate

Constitution Day with the intention to
boycott it had missed their chance of
showing their true capability of national
leadership, says Sitiveni Rabuka.
The SODELPA leader made this
statement after the first Fijian
Constitution Day celebrations at Albert
Park Pavilion and Grounds in Suva.
He was the only leader from the
Opposition political parties who
attended.
The National Federation Party leader
Biman Prasad, Opposition Leader
Ro Teimumu Kepa and Fiji Labour
Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry
were conspicuously absent. Mr
Prasad instead gave Radio Australia
an interview in which he claimed that
Constitution Day was a sham and
meaningless exercise.
But Mr Rabuka said: It was a great
celebration and very well organised.
I enjoyed the participation of young
people and also seeing people turning
up in large numbers.
He said it was the first time that our
nation celebrated Constitution Day.
We celebrated it on the refurbished
Albert Park and we are renaming
Southern Cross Road as Constitution
Avenue, so the whole the thing was
good, I had very good vibes and happy
to be there, Mr Rabuka said.
Recommended
He said some critics had opposed his
decision to join the occasion.
The invitation was given to me on
Monday; some people that I spoke
to last week recommended that if I
attended the occasion it would show
that I endorse the Constitution.
I said No! The invitation is from the
Prime Minister, for me personally.
He said someone told him that he
shouldnt have attended the occasion
as it was not his Constitution.
I said it doesnt matter, you people
can change the constitution, you can
have another new constitution, amend
this constitution, it is the constitution
of this Republic I declare, and its my
Republic, a new constitution, so I went
along, Mr Rabuka said.
He said SODELPA party supported his
decision to attend the Constitution Day.
Mr Rabuka said his invitation was
personally delivered at his home in

Voreqe Bainimarama

SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka (right, third row from bottom) and wife, Sulueti, joined Prime Minister Voreqe
Bainimarama (bottom row, middle), Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum (bottom row,
left), with other key Government Members of Parliament and invited guests during the Constitution Day celebrations
at Albert Park. He was the only Opposition party leader to join in the celebrations.
Namadi Heights.
In 1990 we passed the new constitution
for Fiji, many people were against it
so they decided to stand for elections,
because only through Parliament
can we amend and re-engineer the
Constitution.
A lot of people who fought the
elections didnt like the Constitution
but they had to go in to fight according
to the provisions of the Constitution so
that they could get into Parliament with
the specific reason to makes changes to
the Constitution, we went there made
the changes in 1997 and came out with
the Amendment Act, he said.
Mr Rabuka said when he was Prime

Minister there were people who didnt

like his political ideologies, but he still
invited them to such occasions.
They came because I invited them
as the chief executive officer of Fiji
and Prime Minister. Out of respect for
the office they accepted my invitation
even though they disagreed with my
politics, he said.
Mr Rabuka said we must attend
invitations from the Prime Minister.
He said he had the chance to speak
to some Government MPs who were
close to him.
These are personal friends whom
I know personally, why lose your
friendship because of politics? Today

was a great opportunity for elders of

the nation to come together.
We cannot be behaving like children,
demeaning ourselves, Mr Rabuka
said.
He said when people attended such
events they tended to overcome their
own personal prejudices.
Its a great thing , and those that
didnt come deliberately because of
the differences in politics, they missed
a great opportunity to show they are
capable of national leadership and
going above their personal differences,
thinking about things in the national
interest rather than personal or political
party interest, Mr Rabuka said.

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$283,000 Bonus For Ports Terminal Staff

Seventy-six permanent staff members
and 177 registered relief workers of
Fiji Ports Terminal Limited shared a
bonus payment of $283, 870.66 for
2015.
The Attorney-General and Minister
for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum,
said three years in a row the employees
have been receiving bonuses, which is
wonderful.
What we hope to do obviously is to
keep up this momentum, he said.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said previously on
these various occasions that when they
started the partnership with Aitken
Spence about three, four years ago, it
brought about a lot of synergy.
A lot of new ways of doing business
that were not done in Fiji before and it
is very very critical for us to understand
we sometimes need to partner with
people outside of Fiji to be able to give
us that edge.
Using the example of the famous Fijian
Rugby 7s coach Ben Ryan, Mr SayedKhaiyum said nobody had complained
about Ben Ryan being an expatriate.
In the same way, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum
said we need to get the best people to
do the right job.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said when Fiji as a
country benefits, we all benefit.
He told staff and management that
everybody is very important.
Whether you are a driver, a port
handler, a secretary, an accountant,
or whoever you are in any teameverybody is important.
More productivity
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum stressed that
productivity is very important.
If we have increased levels of
productivity in Fiji- the total output
will increase, he said.
Our GDP levels will increase which
is the total gross domestic product will
increase, which is basically the value

Jubilant Ports Fiji staff with Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum after their bonus pay-out at Kings Wharf
of the goods and services we produce.
It means the government has more
money to be able to spend to provide
better services.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added at the
moment Government is giving
free education, free medicine and
subsidising electricity cost.
Some of you may not realise this but
that if your household income is less
than $30,000, we pay 17 cents for each
unit cost for you. The Government
does that, he said.
Now, how is Government able to do
that is when the GDP increases, we
have a greater productivity.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added the reality

is: If you do not have the level of

productivity and the kind of focus we
have in management, we wont be able
to get bonuses.
He pointed out that our ports can
be a truly international port and the
Government believes that there are a
lot of opportunities.
The chairman talked about bringing
in $5 million worth of equipment,
also looking at the development of a
modernised port, he said.
All of that will help you not just keep
your jobs, increase salaries but it also
would mean we can create more jobs.
Lot of people who talk about the
economy forget the fact that we have

to constantly create jobs.

Nearly 70 per cent of our population
is below the age of 40 which means
there is a lot of challenges but we have
to create opportunities for the young
people too.
This is why we are investing in
education and infrastructure.
Looking after employees
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum further said certain
Governments when they got elected
they only looked after the businesses
and didnt look after workers.
You can look after all sides and make
everybody happy as long as you have a
focus and increasing the productivity in
our country and doing well as a nation.

ABD Increases Grants To Pacific

THE Asian Development Bank will

provide at least $US2.5 billion ($F5b)
in loans and grants to 14 countries in
the Pacific region from 2016-2020.
A statement from ADB said this was
more than double the $US1.1b ($F2b)
it had provided in the past five years.
This increase in grants is a result of ADB's
new five-year strategic framework for
the 11 smallest Pacific countries, which
will focus on reducing the high costs of
business and services; better managing
economic, financial, and climate change
risks; and creating conditions to enable
the private sector to grow.
ADB's Pacific Department director
general, Xianbin Yao, said the
development challenges in the
Pacific region demanded support
across multiple sectors, efficient
use of financial resources, capacity
building and knowledge transfer, and
close co-ordination with government

counterparts and development partners.

"Our new Pacific Approach 2016-2020
will prioritise our assistance through
a three-pronged plan to tackle these
issues," said Mr Xianbin.
He said the ADB's Pacific Approach
2016-2020 would serve as the overall
country partnership strategy for the
Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, the Federated
States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau,
Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
ADB has individual partnership
strategies for the three larger Pacific
developing member countries Fiji,
Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste.
It said the small size of most Pacific
countries made it difficult to build
economies of scale and their many
islands and isolation from each other
translated into very high costs for
providing services and doing business.

Under the Pacific Approach, the ADB

will help reduce the costs of doing
business by modernising tax systems,
boosting access to credit, and reforming
state-owned enterprises.
Through the Pacific Approach, the
ADB's infrastructure program in the 11
Pacific countries will focus on transport,
information
and
communication

technology, and renewable energy to

get goods to and from markets, create
opportunities for electronic delivery of
health and other services, and improve
access to power supplies.
In addition to that, the ADB would
continue to help countries strengthen
their public finances to mitigate the
various risks facing the region.

Police are investigating a matter where

claims have been made that an unknown
person withdrew $20,000 from another
persons bank account last week.
A Nadi businessman Dinesh Chand
claims that he was overseas and when
he accessed his bank account through
the internet he found that someone had

withdrawn $20,000 from his account.

He says he had lodged a complaint with
Nadi Police last Wednesday and the
matter was transferred to the Lautoka
Police Station.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro says
Lautoka police are investigating the
matter.

Businessman Claims An Unknown

Person Withdrew $20,000 From
His Bank Account

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CPA Australia Recognises, Awards 13 Fijians, And Two

Organisations

Thirteen
individuals
and
two
organisations have been recognised by
the Certified Practicing Accountants
(CPA) Australia.
The graduation ceremony was a part
of the CPA Australia-Fiji Branch 2016
Congress held the past week.
Amongst those recognised was
Vodafone Fiji chief executive, Pradeep
Lal and CPA Australia-Fiji Branch
President, Shaneel Nandan.
Mr Lal was awarded the status of a
fellow which is the highest level of
membership in CPA and only a select
few in Fiji have this status.
FCPA is CPA Australias highest
appellation it is a sign of considerable
experience,
knowledge,
and
professional standing.
These long-standing members, are
the cornerstone of CPA Australias
membership body and a credit to the
accounting profession.
Mr Lal was therefore recognised by
CPA Australia for his knowledge,
experience and contribution to the
profession.
Meanwhile, Mr Nandan was recognised
for achieving 10 years of membership
with CPA Australia.
To mark this milestone, he was
presented with a unique service pin
which is crafted especially for CPA
Australia members.
CPA Australia President and chairman
of the board, Graeme Wade, said Mr
Nandan, as a member of CPA Australia,
had made a difference.
Through your ongoing education
and knowledge exchange, your
development of professional networks
or your advocacy of standards and
regulations, you have contributed to
the accounting profession, he said.
You continue to provide strategic
leadership, innovation, vision and
exemplary technical skills to the

Accounting professionals who have advanced to the status of Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA) and who were
handed their certificates during a ceremony the past Friday during a gala dinner night after the 2016 CPA Congress at
the Shangr-Las Fijian Resort.
organisation in which you work.
CPA Australia owes its strong
reputation as a leader in finance,
accounting and business to the support
of members like you.
Certificate of excellence
Meanwhile, Avindra Nand, was given
a special award for having achieved
more than five high distinctions in his
CPA Certificate.
Mr Nand is the Assistant manager
in Audit and Assurance at the
PricewaterhouseCoopers and has been
working there for almost six years now.
Therefore, in addition to his CPA
Certificate, he also received a

Certificate of Excellence.
Recognised Employer Partner
The CPA Recognised Employer
Programme is one of Asia Pacifics most
prestigious professional development
partnerships.
It is a powerful demonstration of
an organisations commitment to
continually developing their employees.
Recognised Employers ensure that
individuals development needs are
aligned with business strategy and they
understand that the most important
element of their organisational success
if their people.
ANZ Fiji and Vodafone Fiji were two

new organisations who were noted to

have demonstrated this and were given
the Recognised Employer Partner
Certificate.
Other CPAs
Meanwhile, 10 other individuals have
also advanced to the status of Certified
Practicing Accountants.
In order to gain this designation,
these members have undertaken and
passed the CPA Programme as well
as having at least three years relevant
professional experience.
In addition, these members have
now made commitment to undertake
continuing professional development.

Increase In Medical Graduates

There is an increase in medical

graduates in our hospitals says Medical
Superintendent Dr Jemesa Tudravu.
Dr Tudravu said this during the
Fiji Media Association 58th annual
scientific conference at the Pearl South
Pacific Resort in Pacific Habour.
Usually graduates would be around
30 or 40 and all of a sudden in the past
there years the numbers have increased
to 70s and 80s.
There are also increases in the
graduates from the overseas countries,
he said.
Dr Tudravu said since there was an
increase in medical graduates, there
was an increase in demand of some
other facilities to cater the medical
graduates.
There is a shortage of doctors in our
country and these graduates from the
overseas come to work in our country
to serve our people, he said.

Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum presenting the Life Membership Award to Dr Wahid
Khan during the Fiji Medical Association Awards

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Life Imprisonment For

Labasa Pair
A Labasa defacto couple, convicted of
murder, were yesterday sentenced to
life imprisonment.
The judge in the High Court of Labasa,
Justice Paul Madigan, said the couple
must serve 20 years before they could
apply for pardon.
Besun Deo and Shareen Raj had
pleaded not guilty.
But the court found that on January 13
last year, they murdered Parma Nand,
a labourer, at Wailevu Tiri in Labasa.
The 42-year-old deceased was the
estranged husband of Shareen, who
after leaving him entered into a
relationship with the accused, Besun.
The court heard that the divorce
proceedings between Shareen and
Parma were being contested over
matrimonial property and custody of
the one child.
The protracted nature of these
proceedings appeared to severely irk
Besun.
In considering the gravity of this case
and its seriousness, Justice Madigan
determined that it was an appropriate

case in which to set a minimum term

on both accused before they could
apply for pardon.
They acted jointly and were charged
and tried jointly so they will suffer
jointly, he said.
I make no difference in the exercise of
my discretion.
They will each suffer the loss of
seeing their only child (one boy each)
grow to maturity.
He said the facts brought forth in the
trial showed ruthless, cynical and
determined agreement to do away with
the deceased who was perceived to be
an impediment to couples happiness.
He further explained that the two
accused set out in pursuance of a
premeditated plan using deceit to lure
him to a totally deserted place and set
upon him.
He said by throwing the deceased in a
swamp when he had been incapacitated
was not only reckless in the extreme
but showed a clear intention to kill.
Justice Madigan said it was a very
serious murder indeed.

Shireen Wati Raj and Besun Deo outside Labasa court

Economic Rights Guaranteed:

A-G Sayed-Khaiyum

Attorney-General and Minister for

Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says
the Fijian Constitution guarantees
social economic rights.
He made the comment at the Fiji Ports
Terminal Limited bonus payout and on
the eve of the first Constitution Day.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said every Fijian
had a right to basic health care,
food, water, economic participation,
transportation, to be able to have a
secure environment.
We have a Constitution now that is
translated to the braille language, he
said.
We have to look after the disabled
people.
These are the many provisions in the
Constitution that were never there before.
We have free education now, so
those of you who have children or
grandchildren- you no longer have to
pay school fees.

If they dont get a scholarship when

they leave high school and they are not
one of the toppers, they can still go to
university, he said.
Mr
Sayed-Khaiyum
said
the
Government could pay for them if you
couldnt pay the school fees.

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Largest Temple Marks End

Of Pooja

Devotees at the Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu temple in Nadi

Families from Aust, NZ, US, Canada clay with a sound belief that all the
made it to Fiji for the pooja
shortcoming at their homes or in their
The Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu life will be carried away by Lord
Temple, the largest Hindu temple in Ganesha when all immersed into the
this part of the world, ended five days sea.
of Sri Ganesh Chathurthi (Sri Vinyaja Mr Kumar said there had been a good
Charthuthi) pooja.
number of devotees that had visited the
Nadi temple priest Pradeep Kumar said temple
over
the fiveAffairs
days. Minister,
Russian
Foreign
the Vinayaka Chathurthi celebration We had families
who
now reside in
Sergey Lavrov
was about Lord Shivas first son Australia, NZ, US, and Canada that
Vinayakar who was born on Chathurthi have made it into the country for this
day of Vinayakars birthday which is pooja which has strong links to the
known as Vinayaka Charthurthi.
devotees, he said.
The celebration of Lord Vinayakars A good number of devotees gathered
birthday is a grand occasion and the at the Newtown Beach in Nadi to
scale of celebration at the Sri Siva later immerse the clay images of
Subramaniya Swami temple is proof of Lord Ganesha in the sea with all their
this, Mr Kumar said.
respective rituals.
Families on this particular time had The devotees then were served Maha
made images of Lord Ganesha in Prasadam at the sea-side.

Commission Asked To
Clarify Formula

A local inter-island shipping operator

claims that their loan repayment to the
bank has been affected because of the
changes to the fare structure issued by
the Commerce Commission.
Operators of MV Uluinabukelevu,
Valesasa Transport Company Limited,
have requested the Commission to
clarify the formula used to determine
the fares to Kadavu.
Company manager Ilaitia Caginavanua
said there were two sets of adult fares:
$43 to part of Nabukelvu district, Yawe,
part of Tavuki, Sanima, Yale and $34
to Ono district, Naceva, part of Tavuki,
Ravitaki and part of Nabukelevu.
We are not really satisfied with the
formula the Commission is using, Mr
Caginavanua said.
He said he had written to the
Commission for an explanation but
there was no reply.
According to Mr Caginanavua, they
had provided the Commission with
records of logistics and operations that
included time taken for sailing their
routes, fuel used, distanced travelled,
etc.
From our calculations, it means that

the fare should be between the $67 for

Lomaiviti and the $98 for Moala.
Mr Caginavanua said the Commissions
formula had really affected their loan
payment to the bank.
He said the bank had approved their
loan on the basis that the fare would
$65.
From that amount, Mr Caginavanua
said they could pay their loan and also
save money for the company.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the
Commerce Commission, Seymour
Singh says they would be making
a response to Valesasa Transport
Company Limited soon.

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Biman Prasad Wants

Fiji Ports Terminal Allocates
Changes To Electoral Rules $5M To Procure Machinery

The National Federation Party leader

Biman Prasad says he is asking
Parliament for changes in the electoral
process before the 2018 general elections.
He spoke to more than 200 people
during the Partys national convention
and annual general meeting at Penang
Sangam Primary School in Rakiraki.
Mr Prasad repeated his previous claims
about the electoral laws not being fair.
This claim is despite the independent
election observers saying the 2014
elections were free and fair. NFP won
only three seats.
Mr Prasad said that people were now
realising the mistakes they had made in
2014 elections through their votes and
that NFP was getting its supporters at
large without any fear.
He further claimed that the current
Government had not set its priority
right in terms of income expenditure.
They had written in the constitution
that they can make decrees right up to
the day before Parliament sat in 2014,
Mr Prasad said.

So when the election was over when

they knew they had won they brought
out this decree.
Its
called
the
Parliamentary
Remuneration Decree 2014, decree
number 29 of 2014.
And in this they determine the
salaries of the president, the PM and
the ministers and members of the
parliament.
He said parliamentary benefits
and salaries should be decided by
independent committees.
The salaries of all parliamentarians
are being reviewed by a Parliamentary
committee made up of Government
and Opposition members. The move
was supported by Opposition members
and an NFP member was included on
the committee.
Mr Prasad also said he was happy
with the number of supporters who
had arrived for the partys AGM.
Meanwhile the office bearers for the
Party remains the same as they were
unopposed.

National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad (right) at their Annual

General Meeting held at Penang Sangam Primary School in Rakiraki

BSP Makes $1.10M Net

Profit After Tax
THE Bank of South Pacific (BSP)
Convertible Notes Ltd (BCN)
announced its unaudited financial
results for the six months ended June
30, 2016 showing a net profit after tax
of 1.70 million kina ($F1.10m) against
1.48 kina ($F958,677) for the same
period last year.
This is 15.6 per cent increase compared
with the corresponding period in 2015
and the company continues to record
healthy results.
The company also recorded a 15.4 per
cent increase in total operating income
at 1.74m kina ($F1.13m) from 1.51m

kina ($F978,842).
The company's retained profits at June
30, 2016 was 5.34 kina compared with
3m kina a year ago with basic earnings
per share at 0.5555 kina against 0.4816
kina a year ago.
BSP Convertible Notes Ltd is a
subsidiary of Papua New Guineabased Bank of South Pacific Ltd and is
based in Suva.
The company, which lends funds to
the BSP Fiji operations, was formerly
known as Tourmaline Ltd and changed
its name to BSP Convertible Notes Ltd
in October 2009.

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Ports Fiji board Chairman, Hasmukh Patel (left) with Attorney General Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum at Kings Wharf
The board of directors of the Fiji Ports positive organisation culture.
Terminal Limited made a $5 million This focus continues to be our top
budgetary allocation to procure a priority, he said.
modern heavy lift machine.
Adopt a School initiative
Fiji Ports Terminal Limited chairman, He also announced that under the
Hamukh Patel, said this is currently Governments Adopt A School
under discussions with the eligible Programme, they had selected a school.
suppliers.
The school namely Vashisht Muni
He made the comments at the $280,000 Primary School located in Tagitagi,
bonus payout to the Fiji Ports Terminal Tavua had suffered damages of
employees.
$117,000 to its infrastructure.
The port operation is always a combination The Fiji Ports Terminal board of
of man and machine, he said.
directors had decided to actually cater
In this regard, we do continuous for the entire interim cost.
training to uplift the knowledge and the Port productivity
skills of our employees.
Meanwhile, Mr Patel added whilst they
More so we procure the state of continue to motivate their employees
art equipment to max the skills through various incentives, they need
towards the achievement of increased to further enhance the port productivity.
productivity.
He highlighted the need to move
Mr Patel said their progress depends towards the achievement of industry
on very much on the ability to work needs to transform Fiji into a regional
internally as one team building a logistic hub.

ATHKL Records $0.74M Profit

AFTER a year of operation under

a new management, Amalgamated
Telecom Holdings (Kiribati) Ltd
achieved encouraging result, delivering
a net profit after tax of $A0.47 million
($F0.74m) at the end of its first
financial year.
The Amalgamated Telecom Holdings
(ATH) 2016 annual report states that
this result was even more significant
when viewed in the context of the
strings of losses Telecom Services
(Kiribati) Ltd (TSKL) achieved in
previous years.
Financially, it said, the company
improved.
Looking ahead into the next financial
year, it stated the company plans
to introduce new services, for the
benefit of Kiribati customers, such
as value added services, inbound and
outbound roaming, hosted enterprise
solutions, business and corporate
telecommunications solutions.
In addition, the company is continuing
dialogue with the Government of
Kiribati to identify a solution for the
upgrade and improvement of services
to the outer islands to ensure improved

quality and reliability services are

delivered through Kiribati.
In May 2015, as part of ATH's strategy
on regional expansion, the company
successfully bid for the assets of TSKL
and incorporated ATHKL to own and
operate those assets.
Vodafone Fiji Ltd was appointed
to manage and oversee ATHKL
operations.
Within six months, the existing
network infrastructure was upgraded
and modernised to provide 3G and
4G state of the art, reliable and high
quality, voice and data services for
customers in Kiribati.
The new network was launched in
December 2015 offering significantly
improved customers' experience on
voice and mobile broadband service.
Newly-introduced smartphone, it
said, including flagship brands such
as Samsung and a range of affordable
handsets were a timely boost to
ATHKL's customer acquisition drive.
As a result, it said, the business
experienced exciting and rapid growth,
increasing from 16,000 to 31,000
customers by the end of March 2016.

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Saint Josephs Secondary Schools 60Th Jubilee

Celebrations
The Old Girls came from around the
world to take part in the diamond
jubilee celebrations.
The celebrations started off with an
opening mass at the Sacred Heart
Cathedral in Suva.
Over 1000 people attended the opening
mass including the Old Girls Alumni
and current staff, students and parents.
SJSS Old Girls president, Pule
Sukanaivalu said the girls had been
planning the week-long event for over
seven months now.
It is fantastic to see how everything turned
out after so much work and planning to
get all the alumni of SJSS from 1950s till
date, Ms Sukanaivalu said.
We all are happy that we are here
and so far it has been a successful
celebration.
We have majority of our alumni girls
travelled from Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, USA, United Kingdom and
Pacific Islands.
She said the whole week would be filled
with fun activities and performances
from the alumni.
The week-long event will also have
one of the important activities which
is the story telling; where the alumni

All set for the reunion St Josephs Secondary School old girls at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva
girls will share their experiences to the
students, Ms Sukanaivalu said.
She said they have conducted a lot of
fundraisers to organise the event which

would help them cater the expenses.

We organised the fundraisers to meet
the expenses for this celebration and
the money left will go for the school

around 7pm Kavya passed away.

Ms Chand said after the accident, the
driver of the vehicle came out to help
collect Ms Nairs belongings which
had scattered onto the road.
He looked very shocked.
Ms Chand said she could not imagine
the pain Kavyas parents were going
through.
Kavya was a very active girl and will
be missed by us all. We all cannot
imagine the pain of the parents but
only hope well for them. She was their
only daughter, Ms Chand said.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro
confirmed that the driver of the vehicle
was currently in Police custody as
investigations on the incident continue.
Bail granted for driver accused of
causing death
(Sikeli Volavola is escorted by the
Police officer at the Sigatoka Magistrate
Court
The driver accused of causing the
death of Kavya Pillay, 4, and injuring
her mother, Anushka Nair, has been
released on strict bail conditions.
Sikeli Volavola, 40, of Naqeledamu,
Cuvu, appeared before Sigatoka
Magistrate Tomasi Bainivalu.
Volavola has been charged with one
count of dangerous driving occasioning
death, one count of driving a motor
vehicle with an expired drivers licence
and one count of contravening the third
party policy.
Magistrate Bainivalu ordered the
accused with two sureties for a cash
bail bond of $1000 each.
Volavola has to report to the Sigatoka

Kavya Pillay, 4
Police Station on Monday, Wednesday concrete evidence to support the claim
and Friday weekly from 6am-6pm.
made by the prosecutor, except that it
He has to surrender all travel was a case of public interest.
documents and not to interact with He added that the accused was not a
the police witness and not to reoffend threat to the public and not a flight risk
while on bail.
and he was unlikely not to appear for
Magistrate Bainivalu told the court that his court cases.
he made the ruling after the court heard There is a lot of reckless driving that
both oral submission of the Police cause accident but it is not justifiable,
Prosecutor, Sergeant Mohammed not to grant him bail with his
Shamim, and Defence counsel, Nemani conditions, Magistrate Bainivalu said.
Vakacakau, on Monday.
Magistrate Bainivalu deferred the plea and
He told the court that there was no the case will be called on November 22.

Heartbreaking Story

Krishna Pillay suffered great sorrow

during Fathers Day. This was after
he lost his four-year-old daughter in a
road accident at Cuvu Top, Nadroga,
said neighbour Ronita Chand.
Witnessing his grief, Ms Chand
described it saying: Today he took his
daughter in his arms at the hospital.
He was in great pain and tears kept
falling. He was pained by the occasion
on which he is carrying his daughter
who was no more with him.
Young Kavya Pillay was with her
mother, Anushka Nair, waiting for
transport on the side of the road,
when it is alleged that a car travelling
towards Sigatoka hit them both last
Friday afternoon.
Ms Chand, who rushed to the scene
upon hearing loud noise, said Kavya
was thrown far as a result of the impact
and was in critical condition.
She said both were rushed to the
Sigatoka Hospital, but after nearly two
hours, Kavya died.
Ms Nair is still at the Sigatoka Hospital
in critical condition.
My house is closest to the highway.
I am not sure where both were going,
but they were headed towards Sigatoka
Town. It was around 5pm when I heard
the noise. I rushed out. I didnt realise it
was her until we picked her up, turned
her face around.
She (Ms Nair) asked me if her
daughter was okay and we had to say
yes to keep her calm, because blood
had almost covered her face and her
legs were badly hurt.
Unfortunately later that evening at

expenses, Ms Sukanaivalu said.

The celebration closes on Sunday
September 11 with a closing mass at
Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva.

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Presidents Unity Message At Yat Sen 80/30

Konrote urges people to continue to
promote Governments vision of one
nation and one people
Our young and developing nation will
be the ultimate winner if we continue
to promote Governments vision of one
nation and one people, says President
Major-General (Retd) Jioji Konrote.
Mr Konrote was speaking at the Yat Sen
School gala night at the school hall in
Flagstaff, Suva. He was the chief guest
with his wife, to mark the ending of its
week-long 80/30 anniversary celebrations.
The
anniversary
celebration,
with the theme Celebrating Our
Past,
Embracing
Our
Future,
Fanning Educational Excellence,
commemorated 80 years since the
establishment of its primary school and
30 years of its secondary school.
Mr Konrote acknowledged the vision
for Yat Sen School to open their doors
to all ethnic communities in Fiji.
This initiative may have been
introduced several decades ago, but it
is yet again another very good example
of what Fiji wants and must continue
do. That is to inculcate a greater sense
of true friendship, patriotism and
lasting unity among Fijis multi-ethnic
communities, he said.
The new Fiji that we are building is
one of unfettered national unity where
our children, grandchildren and future
generations know only of one human
race, and how to respect and care for
each other.
Mr Konrote said his family was
fortunate to have been associated with
the schools through his two sons who
were now both commercial pilots.
I like to think that they are able

From left: Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Fiji Zhang Ping, Chinese Education Society of Fiji
trustee Jenny Seeto, former Yat Sen Secondary School Iva Teilai, President Major-General (Retd) Jiojij Konrote, a
former teacher Akosita Kala, Paul Young, First Lady Sarote Konrote, Dixon Seeto, Newton Yuen, Chair of the Chinese
Education Society of Fiji and Warren Yee.
to successfully progress with their
careers because of the solid academic
foundation they received as students of
Yat Sen, he said.
Mr Konrote acknowledged the
founders of Yat Sen School, the Chinese
Education Society and commended the
teachers, management, parents and the
present student body.
I acknowledge and thank all past and

present teachers, head teachers and

principals who have and continue to
add significant value to the quality of
education and for inspiring the students to
always reach for great heights, he said.
These have undoubtedly contributed
to the quality of life for the students
and their respective families.
Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhang
Ping, who also attended the event,

congratulated the school for its 80/30

anniversary celebrations.
He said for the school to reach a
milestone of 80 years was a remarkable
achievement which took years of effort,
courage and perseverance.
The gala night was well attended by Yat
Sen School students, parents, teachers,
friends and former students including
pioneers of the Chinese community in Fiji.

Roads Like A Killing Machine, Court Told

Prosecutor makes comparison in a
case where a driver is charged with
causing the death of a four-year-old
girl, injuring her mother
Our roads were likened to a killing
machine, the Sigatoka Magistrates
Court was told.
The comparison was made by Police
Prosecutor, Sergeant Mohammed
Shamim, when he opposed bail for a
man who allegedly caused the death of
a four-year-old girl and sent her mother
to the hospital.
He made an application that Sikeli
Volavola, 40, be remanded because of
the seriousness of the offence.
Sergeant Shamim told the court the
case was of public interest and the
accused lives within the vicinity of the
victims address. He said if released on
bail, he could interfere with the victim.
He added there was likely more charges
were yet to be laid.
The court heard that the accused
allegedly caused the death of Kavya

Pillay and injured her mother, Anushka

Nair last Friday.
Defence counsel, Nemani Vakacakau,
asked for bail, saying his client was a
sick person. He said Volavola needed
to take traditional medicine, and he
lived with his mother who was 80 years
old. He said Volavolas elder brother
was admitted to the hospital when he
heard his brother was accused over the
incident.
Volavola, of Naqeledamu, Cuvu
appeared before Magistrate Tomasi
Bainivalu. Mr Bainivalu ordered that
Volavola be remanded overnight before
his ruling.
Volavola has been charged with one
count of dangerous driving occasioning
death, one count of driving a motor
vehicle with an expired drivers licence
and one count of contravening the third
party policy.
The court heard that the accused allegedly
caused the death of Kavya Pillay and
injured her mother, Anushka Nair.

A police officer escorts Sikeli Volavola to appear before the Sigatoka

Magistrate Court

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New Increased Price Agreed For Cartage Of Sugar

From Ra To Ba
Additional $14 per tonne to be paid for
carting cane to Lautoka should there be
a breakdown in Rarawai
Government yesterday successfully
negotiated with sugar cane farmers the
new increased subsidised cartage costs
for the transportation of harvested cane
from Rakiraki to Rarawai Mill in Ba.
This followed a meeting held at the
Penang Mill in Rakiraki between
Government, Fiji Sugar Corporation,
Sugar Cane Growers Council,
Sugar Tribunal and cane farmer
representatives.
Permanent Secretary for Sugar,
Yogesh Karan, said all stakeholders
were invited to resolve issues that had
cropped up.
With
the
transportation
costs,
Government had set aside $2.5 million
for the transporting of cane in the
Rakiraki catchment to Rarawai Mill.
Following the meeting, it was agreed
for the existing rate of $20.50 per tonne
to be increased by 43.6 per cent so that
those transporting cane would now be
paid $30 per tonne for cartage.
Of course this is a commercial issue
and everyone has to make a profit, Mr
Karan said.
It was also agreed to that a further $14
per tonne would be paid for carting the
cane to Lautoka Mill should Rarawai
Mill have a breakdown.
These rates would be available to all
lorry owners who cane cart cane, Mr
Karan said.
Its Governments responsibility to
subsidise the transportation of cane.

Sugar Cane being loaded into a truck outside Penang Mill to be transported to Rarawai Mill
Other issues
$1300 per hectare to $1500 per hectare. being transferred to Lautoka.
Other key issues included queuing We are encouraging farmers to take Mr Khan said the meeting was fruitful
of trucks at the Penang Mill, big pile advantage of this and plant more sugar and constructive.
of cane that had built up at the mill cane so that we are able to get back Now 70 per cent of sugar cane
because of a breakdown at the Rarawai to the tonnage we had in the past, he harvested, which was about 800 tonnes
Mill and the replanting of sugar cane said.
daily in the Rakiraki area, cane will be
for the new season.
Rarawai Mill
moved direct to Rarawai Mill, he said.
As for the queuing of cane at Penang, Fiji Sugar Corporate chief executive, The remaining 30 per cent, amounting to
Mr Karan said the issue of its quality Abdul Khan, said the problem at about 240 tonnes, would be dumped at the
had come into effect.
Rarawai Mill was with one of the Penang Mill and shifted at FSCs costs.
Also a significant issue was the generators.
Rakiraki businessman and cane farmer,
replanting for existing farm, he said.
This has been repaired and the mill George Shiu Raj, said he was happy
Mr Karan said to encourage cane should be starting soon Mr Khan said. with the issues being resolved.
farmers to replant, Government had Rarawai Mill has not crushed any cane In particular he was happy about the
increased the replanting rates from for the past two days and all cane was costs for carting cane to Rarawai.

11-Year-Old Pleads For Grandpas Return

A 11-year-old boy is appealing to the

public to help search for his 63-yearold grandfather of Urata in Bulileka,
Labasa.
Year Five pupil Ranish Chand of Shiri
Guru Nanak Khalsa Primary School
in Labasa clearly remembers that his
grandfather, Ashok Kumar has not
returned home since August 30.
My grandfather hasnt come home
and I dont know why, Ranish said.
Please look for him and when you
find him tell him that we are waiting
for him at home.
Ranishs father 32-year-old Rohit
Chand said the last time he saw Mr
Kumar, his father, was last week
Tuesday morning.
Around 8.30am my father said he was
going to Bulileka Village for a hand
massage, Mr Chand said.
Suddenly he received a call and
changed his mind.
When he saw me getting into the car
going into town, he asked me to drop
him near the Labasa bus stand.
I dropped him off nicely without
questioning and this was the last time
I saw him.
I called all our family and relatives,
checked Labasa Hospital and still there

Rohit Chand with his son, Ranish Chand, hoping that Ashok Kumar returns home at Urata in Bulileka, Labasa.
Right: Missing... Ashok Kumar.
is no sign of him.
My father is a former carpenter and Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro
I reported to the police after he failed a casual worker of Ashwin Enterprises said the Labasa Police had received a
to answer his phone and it has been in Labasa.
report from the family reporting that
eight days they have been searching He is a heart patient and is asthmatic Mr Kumar had been missing from last
for him.
too.
week.

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11

Two Weeks Attachment For

Tablets To
Ioane With Fiji Police Force ReplaceTextbooks: Reddy

Kiribati National Polices Inspector (IP)

Anaselina Ioane two week attachment
with the Fiji Police Force learning about
the recruitment process and programs
conducted by the Fiji Police Acadmey
came to an end on Friday.
IP Ioanes attachment to the Fiji Police
Academy was facilitated by the Pacific
Island Chiefs of Police Secretariat
(PICP).
The staff of the Fiji Police Academy
farewelled IP Ioane on behalf
of the Commissioner of Police,
with the Director Training Senior
Superintendent of Police (SSP)
Kuliniaisi Seru Savou reiterating the
institutions ongoing commitment to
helping out Fijis Pacific neighbours.
The Fiji Police Force hopes that
whatever you have learned will help
the Kiribati National Police with your
own recruitment process and as the

Commissioner of Police had stated

we are always ready to assist our
colleagues from regional countries.
IP Ioane in thanking the Fiji Police and
Academy staff said she was grateful
for the opportunity offered to her and
her colleagues.
I would like to acknowledge the
support of the Commissioner of Police
in allowing me to observe the activities
regarding the recruitment requirements
and the programs underway in the
Academy.
The knowledge Ive gained will
surely help me improve the way the
Kiribati National Police conducts our
recruitment program.
The two week attachment was an
outcome of the Fiji Polices current
Memorandum of Understanding signed
between Fiji and Kiribati covering
areas of police cooperation.

Accessing text books will soon be

made easier for students with the
introduction of electronic tablets in
schools next year.
Minister for Education, Heritage and
Arts, Mahendra Reddy, announced this
in Suva.
He said they wanted to develop global
citizens where students had access to
global news and what was happening
around them.
He said that all education material
would be available on this internet
platform.
They wont be carrying hard copies
of their textbooks around with them, so
what we are looking at is pretty much
of the children that will have access to
electricity.
We can start from year 12 and 13 next
year but that depends on certain process
we have to follow and that is what we
are looking at so that our children have
full information about the Fiji, region
and the world, Mr Reddy said.
He said it was cost effective for the
ministry and they were looking at

exploring opportunities at the moment

with the overall digital literacy in Fiji.
Mr Reddy said it would start with Year
12 and 13 students which cost around
quarter of a million dollars. However,
they would also aim for Year 9 students.
He said the basic data megabyte would
be accessed by the students when they
were handed the gadget.
Basic data for them and they get top
up, addition to that their parent can top
up too, Mr Reddy said.
He said they aimed at setting a
mechanism where certain sites were
blocked that would have a negative
impact on education.
Mr Reddy said study notes and other
learning material would be uploaded
on the gadgets which students could
access even if they were on school
holidays.
We will upload the basic sets of
materials, the text books, the exam
papers and the solutions, he said.
Mr Reddy said students would have
to replace the gadgets if they damaged
them.

Mysterious Death
Police are now treating it as criminal
case after post mortem
A man, who gave up his Fathers Day
celebrations to help a teacher move,
has died in mysterious circumstances.
It is alleged that Mosese Ragutulei, 50, an
employee of Jacks Construction in Nadi,
was helping load the teachers household
item when the incident took place at
Nawaicoba Public School in Nadi.
Police have said that it was a criminal
case, but declined to give details. It is
not clear what actually happened. Was
he crushed by a moving truck or did he
fall from it?
The family is shocked.
His wife, Siteri Ragutulei, the schools
head teacher, was not present when the
incident happened.
I was returning from Suva when I
receive a phone call stating that my
husband was rushed to the hospital
after he sustained injuries, she said.
Later, I received another call stating

that he has passed away. He was a very

caring, loving, just like an ordinary
father.
His son, Eparama, said his fathers
caring attitude took him to assist the
teacher in moving his household items
even on a Sunday.
We are not really sure as what
happened, but we await the report from
Police, he said.
The late Mr Ragutalei is originally
from Natuguloa, Nairai, in Lomaiviti.
He is survived by his wife, four children
and three grandchildren.
Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro,
said: The investigation regarding the
accident has been treated as a criminal
case and not traffic.
The post mortem was done and the
results stated that victim suffered
multiple traumatic injuries including
a massive intracranial hemorrhage and
multiple skull fractures which led to
his death.

Trade In Shares Drop

The total number of shares traded in
the South Pacific Stock Exchange for
the week ended September 2 of 14,800
at a total consideration of $70,135 was
much lower than last week's results.
SPSE recorded 35,485 shares were
traded for a total consideration of
$179,336 for the last financial week.
This was reported in last week's
SPSE's trading where shares in five
companies namely, Paradise Beverages
(Fiji) Ltd (PBL), RB Patel Group Ltd
(RBG), The Rice Company of Fiji Ltd
(RCF), Vision Fiji Ltd (VL) and Fijian
Holdings Ltd (FHL) were traded.
In last week's report SPSE chief
executive officer Latileta Qoro stated
there were no price losses but a gain of
$0.02 (+ 0.65 per cent) was recorded

for RBG closing at $3.12 and RCF

which closed at $3.71 after posting a
gain of $0.01 (+0.27 per cent).
The report also stated that the aggregate
new order flow for last week was
$77,679 of which 89.22 per cent was
on interest to purchase listed stocks.
The orders were recorded for FHL,
RCF, RBG, PBF ATH and VIL shares.
It was also reported that last week saw
six new first-time investors in the Fijian
stock market with demand primarily
focused on FHL, RCF, RBG and VIL
shares.
Meanwhile the market closed last week
at $1,241,442,527 with the SPSE Total
Return Index increasing by 0.05 per
cent to 2937.89.

12

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Snake Bites Man After He

Man Denied Bail In
Rescues It From Road
Relation To 5 People Killed
In House Fire
The Suva High Court has refused the
bail application of Binesh Prasad who
is charged in relation to the death of
five people in Nasinu last year.
Prasad has been further remanded in
custody and the case will be called on
the 28th of next month.
Binesh Prasad and Matthew Gunua
are each charged with five counts of
murder, one count of arson, one count
of attempted murder and one count of

damaging property.
It is alleged that Prasad deliberately set
fire to a house in Navosai, Nasinu in
October last year.
Five people including a 10yearold
girl died in this horrific fire.
Gunua has been granted bail while
Prasad has been further remanded in
custody.
The trial date has been set from 30th
January to 10th February, next year.

State Increases Grant

Navosa farmer Aporosa Vucago with his friend Pacific Boa at the Nadi
hospital
A Navosa farmer says a snake will He saved it from being crushed by
always be a snake.
vehicles.
Thats after the snake he rescued, bit The snake is more than one meter long.
him.
I found the snake lying on the road
Aporosa Vucago, 29, of Vatubalavu, and decided to bring it with me, he
was treated at Nadi Hospital and sent said.
home.
I decided to make it a pet. I was
Luckily for him, the snake was not playing with it this morning when it bit
poisonous.
me on my hand. I could feel the pinch
The reptile, is commonly known as and the mark was clear.
the Pacific Boa or Fiji Boa (Candoia Mr Vucago has decided to lend the reptile
is a genus of non-venomous boas to Kula Eco Park on the Coral Coast.
found mostly in New Guinea and This is not the first time I have found
Melanesiacountries.) Common names a snake but this is the first time I have
include: bevel-nosed boas and keel- been bitten.
scaled boas.
He reported the matter to the Nadi
Mr Vucago was on his way to Nadi Police Station before he was went to
when he found the snake on the road. the hospital for examination.

Fijian Workers Deployed

For Seasonal Work Paid
On A Piece Rate Basis

Fijian workers deployed for seasonal

work in Australia and New Zealand are
paid on a piece rate basis and receive
weekly pay according to their level of
productivity.
This was highlighted by the Minister for
Employment, Productivity and Industrial
Relations Semi Koroilavesau during his
threeday public consultation in Rotuma.
Koroilavesau says the piece rate is
determined according to the type of
fruit picked, the number of bins filled
or pruning done by a worker.
The Minister says the first year
workers under the New Zealand
Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE)
work scheme save 5,000 to 10,000
New Zealand dollars within the seven
months contract period.
Koroilavesau adds that workers under
the Australia Seasonal Worker Program
save 5,000 to 12,000 Australian dollars
in six months.

Minister for Employment,

Productivity and Industrial Relations
Semi Koroilavesau

GOVERNMENT has increased to

$1500, the per hectare cash payment
offer made to farmers who plant cane
immediately after harvest.
The amount is an increase of $200
from the $1300 announced last week.
Cane production levels are at an alltime low and Government is offering
the incentives in a bid to inspire farmers
to plant more cane.
The announcement of an increased
payment was made by Sugar Ministry
permanent secretary Yogesh Karan
after a meeting in Rakiraki.
"The farmers spoke to us and we
listened," he said.
"This payment is for existing farms
where growers have just cut their cane
and instead of waiting around, they

want to immediately plant again.

"We encourage more farmers to take
advantage of this and produce and
plant more cane so we are able to get
back to the tonnage that we had in the
past."
Former parliamentarian and sugarcane
growers representative at the Rakiraki
meeting, George Shiu Raj, lauded the
increase in grants for existing farmers
and urged all growers to take advantage
of the cane planting scheme.
Government announced last week that
the $4.6 million set aside in the 2016
budget, and the $9m out of $11m
allocated in the 2016-2017 budget for
the sugar industry, would be utilised in
a revamped cane planting grant facility
for farmers.

FIJI'S international capacity growth on

the Southern Cross Cable is astounding
with a 27-fold increase expected, from
1GB per seconds in 2009 to a total
forecast of 27GB per second in 2018.
Fiji International Communications
Ltd (FINTEL) stated in Amalgamated
Telecom Holdings (ATH) that
broadband internet demand growth
remains strong as fixed and mobile
broadband networks continue to
upgrade and improve broadband
services as more users get connected to
use broadband internet service.
FINTEL aims to continue providing
international connectivity and access
to broadband internet at the highest
levels of speed, quality and reliability.
"Fiji's natural advantage as a regional
hub continues to increase its relevance
with the planned landing of the Tui
Samoa cable, a cable connecting Samoa
to Fiji," the company said in a report.
This, according to the company is
scheduled to be commissioned during
the second quarter of next year.
At this point, it said, there was a
potential for that cable to also include
branching unit to connect Vanua Levu
to Viti Levu.
"Negotiations are also in progress
with the Office of Post and
Telecommunications (OPT), New
Caledonia for a diversity cable system,
scheduled for 2018.

"FINTEL is currently a strong

candidate for OPT New Caledonia to
connect to."
Moreover, FINTEL ensured that Fiji
remains well connected, the Southern
Cross Cable Network is now exploring
options for ensuring the future stability
of international sub-sea capacity supply
between Australia, New Zealand, and
across the South Pacific to North America.
Given that Southern Cross Cable is
estimated to reach end of economic life
in 2013, Southern Cross Cables Ltd is
anticipating future proofing the region
with international connectivity well
beyond 2030.
Looking forward, FINTEL will
continue to strive to strengthen Fiji's
position as the hub of the South Pacific
telecommunications network and focal
point of regional business activities.
FINTEL recorded an operating profit
of $8.8 million compared with $7m
recorded in 2015.
Profit before tax, it reported, was
$9.5m and profit after tax of 7.5m was
recorded.
The total turnover for the year was $16.7m
compared with $15m recorded in 2015.
The company highlighted that the
positive growth was forecasted to
continue with the interconnection of
proposed Pacific Island cable system,
associated value added services and the
demand for international broadband.

Rise In Internet Usage

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13

Queens Road Four-Lane Upgrade Successful

In 2015, the road corridor along
Queens Road between Nasoso Road
and Votualevu Roundabout underwent
extensive road widening and utilities
infrastructure upgrade with local
residents and visitors to Nadi enjoying
a much improved travel experience on
the newly upgraded four lane road.
As part of its Nadi and Suva Road
and Infrastructure Upgrading Project
(NASRUP) Programme and in
order to ensure a sustainable natural
environment along our road corridors,
the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) will
be restoring natural beauty to the
International Gateway to Fiji in Nadi.
This will be through a multi-staged
landscaping
enhancement
that
will ultimately showcase and be
representative of the flora that can be
found on our tropical island paradise.
At the same time, the FRA will be
endeavoring to incorporate appropriate
environmental mitigation, wherever
possible, through further tree planting
without compromising collision safety
requirements and also driver and
pedestrian sightlines.
FRA NASRUP programme manager
Zaina Khan said: The landscaping
enhancement will be carried out in
three stages termed as Bronze, Silver
and Gold.
These stages represent the placing,
colour, growth, shaping and relocation
programme for the plants, flowers and
trees within the landscaped boundary
of the wider road corridor.
This landscaping exercise will
be rolled out successively, as we
hopefully enter the wet season; in early

September and October 2016, then

through to March 2017 and beyond
into the sequenced completion of the
Nadi N2 Project along Queens Road
from Votualevu Roundabout up to
Wailoaloa Road.
However, whilst precious taxpayers
funds are invested in upgrading roads
and infrastructure for the public to be
able to travel safely and smoothly and
then to enhance community amenities
and pride, it is sad to see that people
continue to damage our assets.
Our contractors, subcontractors and

suppliers work hard for improvement

and it is very disappointing to know that
people are negligently and deliberately
harming the plants and trees after such
a great effort from the workforce. Most
recently three palm trees were chopped
down overnight at the Nasoso Road
intersection.
The FRA is calling on the public to
be vigilant and report any acts of
vandalism and theft of the landscaping
to the Fiji Police Force.
We are urging the public to please be
responsible; stop theft and vandalism

and also report these crimes if you see

them happening.
Also, both pedestrians and drivers
alike, please protect our new plants
whilst they are young and fragile from
trampling by looking where you are
walking and driving.
We should remember this is the first
visitor image for tourists to our beautiful
tropical islands with its spectacular
scenery and seascape filled with soft corals
and brightly coloured fish. The end result
in Nadi, will bring Fijis Tropical Flora to
our International Gateway to Fiji.

No Longer Left Out

Naomi read out her rights in the Fijian
Constitution that was written in Braille
during Constitution day celebration at
Albert Park pavilion and grounds.
Naomi Lewakita says she feels
included by the 2013 Constitution.
The Fiji School of the Blind student
was excited and emotional after she
read a message at the first Constitution
Day celebrations at Albert Park
Pavilion and Grounds. The highlight
of the celebrations was when she and
other students read passages from the
preamble of the 2013 Constitution.
I was so emotional when I read out
the preamble of the Constitution in
Braille because this is the first time
that children like us are given the
opportunity to participate in one of
Fijis historic events, she said.
I feel so important and proud of myself
that despite being blind, I manage to
stand before people and read that part
of the Constitution, she said.
The Year 11 student thanked the
Government for introducing the Braille
version of the Constitution.
New era
I feel part of the society now. Before,

I felt that we were discriminated and

today marked a new era for people
living with disabilities.
I believe that people with disabilities
have what it takes to change the society
and today is the testimony of that.
Today will go down in history as I am
the first visually impaired student to read
the preamble of Fijis Constitution in the
first ever Constitution Day, she said.
She brought to life the real meaning of
the text she read:
A person with any disability has the
right to reasonable access to all places,
public transport and information;
to use sign language, Braille or other
appropriate means of communication;
and to reasonable access to necessary
materials, substances and devices
relating to the persons disability.
A person with any disability has the
right to reasonable adaptation of
buildings, infrastructure, vehicles,
working arrangements, rules, practices
or procedures, to enable their full
participation in society and the
effective realisation of their rights.
Her head teacher, Sofia Waqanidrola,
said the event was an opportunity for

From left: Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Naomi Lewakita, 11 and Fiji
School of the Blind headteacher Sofia Waqanidrola.
them to show their potential and make inspiring.
them feel they were part of society and He said Fiji made a special effort to
take everyone on board forward on the
not left out.
Naomi, originally from Nayavu, Ra, new journey which included people
has been visually impaired since birth. with disabilities.
Ms Waqanidrola said it was an occasion And we are determined as a nation
for her student to show their potential that, as far as possible, disability should
and made them feel part of the society be no barrier to advancement, our first
paralympian gold medalist Honorable
in a sense they arent left out.
President Major-General (Retd) Jioji Iliesa Delana is now our Assistant
Konrote said what Naomi did was Minister for Youth and Sports, he said.

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Father Dies Minutes After Dancing With Daughter At

Her Wedding
"You never know when the last time
will be the last time!"
That's the first line of the Facebook
post Jeni Buchanan wrote to let friends
know her husband passed away just
moments after dancing with their
daughter, Michele Howard, at her
wedding in Costa Rica on Saturday.
Tim Buchanan, 54, a veteran detective
with the York County Sheriff's
Department in Rock Hill, South
Carolina, had a heart attack just
minutes after his father-daughter dance
and died.
"He was the most beautiful soul I have
ever known and I will never be the
same without him," Jeni, a wedding
photographer, wrote. "I know he loved
me and our family. Over the years we
raised four amazing children, cared for
my little brothers when they needed us
the most and had even had the honor of
a beautiful grandchild."
Jeni also posted a photo of the couple
that was taken during their daughter's
wedding.
"I am so very grateful for this image of

us that our dear friends snuck during

our daughter's wedding yesterday.
Little did I know just a few hours later
we would lose him."
A friend and fellow wedding
photographer created a GoFundMe
page where people have far raised
more than $10,000 in just two days for
the grieving family.
"Jeni and Tm were so excited to
head to Costa Rica a few days ago
for their daughter's wedding. If you
know Jeni, you know how much Tim
means to her and how wonderful the
love is that they share," Jenn Lewis,
the creator of the GoFundMe page,
wrote.
Sheriff Bruce Bryant tells PEOPLE,
"All of our hearts are saddened about
the loss of this great law enforcement
officer. Tim dedicated almost 19 years
to this profession as an outstanding
Deputy, Forensics Investigator and
most recently Detective in Computer
Crimes. His talents will be sorely
missed. Our thoughts and prayers
go out to his family in this difficult

time.
The last line of Jeni's Facebook post
reads, "For now, just pray. He was

always the one to make us feel better

when things went wrong so we need all
the prayers we can get."

B.C. Government Will Not Reconsider Tax On Foreign

Homebuyers, Says Christy Clark

'The prices were going up way too fast

and if we helped slow that down, that's
good'
The plunge in real estate sales and
deceleration in price increases in the
Vancouver area last month were exactly
what the government was trying to
manoeuvre, and Premier Christy Clark
says there will be no changes to the
foreign-buyers tax.
Clark told reporters Tuesday that her
government will not reconsider the
15-per-cent tax intended to calm what
she called a "distorted market."
"The prices were going up way too fast
and if we helped slow that down, that's
good," she said.
The Real Estate Board of Greater

Vancouver announced last Friday that

August sales were down by 26 per cent
compared with last year, signaling a
return to more typical levels.
The largest drop in property sales last
month was among detached homes,
with a decrease of 44.5 per cent.
Along with the slowdown in sales,
the board said prices that were once
skyrocketing may be tapering off.
The average price of a detached home
fell to $1.47 million last month, a 16.7
per cent drop from the month before.
Dan Morrison, president of the real
estate board, said on Friday that the
region was seeing fewer sales of
the highest-priced detached homes
and fewer sales of detached homes

compared with other kinds of

housing, causing average prices to
slump.
But the real estate board prefers to
measure prices using the benchmark
price, which is a representation of a
"typical" property sold in the area.
The benchmark price for detached
properties reached $1.57 million in
August, representing a 12-month
increase of 35.8 per cent. However,
compared with July, the figure was
down 0.1 per cent.
More action coming?
Clark said it is too early to tell what the
impact of the foreign-buyers tax and a
luxury sales tax on homes priced over
$2 million has had on the market.

While the premier said changes to the

new legislation are not an option, the
government will be doing even more to
try to address housing affordability in
Metro Vancouver.
"We need to make it easier for first-time
homebuyers to get into the market, and
that's not just about price."
Housing supply is a contributing
factor to the problem, Clark said,
with
prospective
developments
"languishing" in city planning
departments for years.
Without giving away specifics, Clark
said her government will look at ways
to ensure cities are "moving some
of that inventory" and increasing
supply.

Australian parents speak over hospital

gas mix up
The parents of the baby girl who
suffered brain damage after a
western Sydney hospital mistakenly
administered a dangerous gas
shortly after her birth, say they are
devastated.
Danial and Benish Khan say baby
Amelia suffered irreversible brain
damage after being given nitrous oxide
instead of oxygen after her birth at
Bankstown- Lidcombe Hospital in
June.
"It's devastating as a parent to be
told that your precious daughter
has suffered permanent brain
damage," they said in a statement
on Tuesday.

Amelia, their first child, has constant

seizures because of the injury and
requires a high level of constant care.
"We remain full of hope for Amelia's
future but we worry for her and want to
do everything we can to make sure she
has the best life she possibly can," the
Khans said.
"She will always have to live with the
consequences of what was done to her
at the hospital."
"But we will always be by her side and
we'll do everything we can to give her
the best possible future."
Mr and Ms Khan expressed sympathy
to the Ghanem family, whose newborn
son, John, was also administered
nitrous oxide at the same hospital, and
died in July.

"We can only imagine the intense pain

this family is going through and our
hearts go out to them."
A report found "a series of
tragic errors" including incorrect
installations of gas pipelines, flawed
testings and significant clinical and
management failures caused the
deadly error.
Libby Brookes from law firm Maurice
Blackburn is representing Mr and
Mrs Khan and said Amelia's injury
sustained at the hospital has had a
"shattering impact on her parents and
extended family".
"Like all parents, they were simply
looking forward to welcoming their
child safely into the world.
Now their lives have been turned

completely upside down," Ms Brookes

said.
She is pursuing a claim for
compensation on behalf of Amelia and
her parents.
NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner
has faced torrid questioning over her
handling of the gas scandal since it
emerged in July.
Premier Mike Baird says compensation
is being fast-tracked.
Mr Baird said the government is doing
everything possible to support the
couple.
"We will expedite anything we can and
certainly that's what we are doing at the
moment ... we (want to) take as much
stress off as we can," Mr Baird told
reporters on Tuesday.

Baby Mistakenly Given Dangerous Gas

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15

Man Sentenced Over 'Terrorist Material' Challenges

Jail Term

An Auckland man who distributed

extremist videos, featuring footage
of people being shot, beheaded and
burned alive is challenging his jail
term.
Imran Patel, 27, was imprisoned
for three years nine months before
Auckland District Court in June.
"Tell John Key to stop being a slave
to America and get out of Iraq. Allahu
Akbar," he shouted after sentence was
passed, while being restrained by court
security.
Patel was the first person in the country
to be sentenced over so-called terrorist
material after being found with 137
videos and the Crown said he had an
"utter lack of insight and remorse".
The case came before the High Court
at Auckland this morning with defence
counsel Adam Holland arguing for a
reduction in sentence.
He said Judge Russell Collins compared
Patel's offending to the gravest forms
of child pornography possession - the
usual offending caught by the act.
But the judge failed to provide
"rigorous analysis" of why that was the
case, Holland said.
"There is an argument to be made
that child pornography should be
treated more seriously than other
types of objectionable material. Until
parliament deems it fit to change that,

that's the way the legislation should be

interpreted," the lawyer said.
"No one denies the material we're
dealing with is deeply concerning and
objectionable . . . but there has been,
in my submission, a little bit of an
emotive description of that material
that's dominated some of the sentencing
process."
Holland told Justice Graham Lang
today the final sentence should end
up less than two years imprisonment,
which could open the door to a sentence
of home detention for his client.
Prosecutor Henry Steele was adamant
the material in question was at the most
extreme level.

Questions from Justice Robin Camp

about her failure to fend off a rape
suspect left a woman uncomfortable
and confused, a hearing into whether
the judge should be dismissed heard
Tuesday.
The now 24-year-old woman, who is at
the centre of a controversy surrounding
Camp after four University of Calgary
law professors complained about
his conduct, said his actions left her
devastated.
He made me hate myself and he
made me feel that I should have done
something, the woman, who cant
be identified, told a Canadian Judicial
Council inquiry into Camps conduct.
I was so confused during the trial,
she said.
He made comments about why didnt
I close my legs or my ankles, or put my
ass in the sink, she said.
What did he expect me to say to
something like that?
A five-member committee is presiding
over the inquiry into Camps conduct.
The committee, consisting of three high
court judges and two lawyers, will be asked
to decide whether they will recommend to
the judicial council that Camp should be
relieved of his judicial duties.
The Canadian Judicial Council, minus
the three-judge members presiding over
the inquiry, would then decide whether

to recommend Camps removal to the

minister of justice.
Camp, who has since been appointed to
the federal court, was sitting in Calgary
provincial court when he presided over
the trial of Alexander Wagar.
Camp acquitted Wagar, but the Alberta
Court of Appeal ordered a new trial
saying it had doubt whether Camp
fully understood the law as it pertained
to sexual assault cases.
We are satisfied that the trial judges
comments throughout the proceedings
and in his reasons gave rise to doubts
about the trial judges understanding of
the law governing sexual assaults, the
appeal judges said.
In her opening comments, presenting
counsel Marjorie Hickey said the role
of the committee will be to determine if
Camps conduct damaged the publics
confidence in the judiciary as a whole.
This inquiry must not only examine
the individual comments Justice
Camp made in the Wagar decision
but the impact of those comments on
the public interest in the judiciary as a
whole, Hickey said.
Camps lawyer, Frank Addario, said
that while his client wasnt a perfect
judge, he shouldnt lose his job over
conduct in one case.
Justice Camp, immediately after the
complaint was lodged, apologized and

"It's simply the execution of defenceless

people," he told the court.
At sentencing, Judge Collins was quick
to stress Patel was not being prosecuted
over terrorist acts; only on the charges
of possessing, making and distributing
objectionable material.
He described the defendant as "an
intelligent man" but said the violence
depicted in the videos he shared was
"grotesque".
In October, the Mt Roskill man
sent text messages to 52 associates
with a link to an Isis-made video,
with accompanying words about
revenge.

Imran Patel during sentencing on charges of possessing and distributing

objectionable material.
The montage showed 14 prisoners raided his home and found a laptop,
lined up before two men shot them in DVD, an iPod and three USB drives
the head one by one.
on which were dozens of publications
"Each slumps to the ground after being showing extreme violence and torture.
shot", the summary of facts said.
Patel told police he wanted to show a
Patel received a warning from his "true picture" of how ISIS was fighting
cell provider the following day about the Syrian regime and helping people
the content of the message but went and that he believed it was a freedomon to text a similar link 24 hours late of-expression issue.
before he was eventually cut off by the Justice Lang said it was the first time
company.
the High Court had considered such a
Less than two months later, police case and reserved his decision.

'Knees Together' Judge 'Made Me Hate Myself' Sex

Assault Complainant Tells Committee

Diwesh Sharma

took steps to interrogate his beliefs and

to challenge his assumptions, Addario
said.
The evidence will show that he is
reformed in his thinking and sorry for
his failing, he said.
Hes an ethical and empathetic judge.
The evidence will show he is not the
caricature he has been made out to be,
Addario told the inquiry committee.
The evidence will show he did not
refuse to apply the law a common
allegation made against him and
repeated numerous times in the media

articles to which presenting counsel

has made reference today.
On the other hand, the evidence
will show that he did not understand
the degree to which pervasive myths
contributed to his thinking, Addario
said.
He did not deliberately choose, as
some have alleged, to rely on rape
myths as animus toward women, he
said.
He was under-educated about a
complex area of the law.
The hearing is set for seven days

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Newest Miss Japan Priyanka Yoshikawa Is Half-Indian

Elephant Trainer

A half-Indian beauty queen with an

elephant trainer's licence has been
crowned Miss Japan, striking a fresh
blow for racial equality.
Priyanka Yoshikawa's tearful victory
comes a year after Ariana Miyamoto
faced an ugly backlash for becoming
the first black woman to represent
Japan.
Social media lit up after Ms
Miyamoto's trail-blazing triumph as
critics complained that Miss Universe

Japan should instead have been won by

a "pure" Japanese rather than a "haafu"
the Japanese for "half", a word used
to describe mixed race.
"Before Ariana, haafu girls couldn't
represent Japan," Ms Yoshikawa said.
"That's what I thought too. I didn't doubt
it or challenge it until this day. Ariana
encouraged me a lot by showing me
and showing all mixed girls the way."
Ms Yoshikawa, born in Tokyo to an
Indian father and a Japanese mother,

Canadian diplomats will be pushing

for the adoption of border legislation as
the current U.S. Congress convenes for
its final few months of business.
The embassy in Washington wants U.S.
lawmakers to deal with border reforms
before a new president and Congress
are sworn in next January.
At issue are pilot projects announced
by President Barack Obama and Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau, where travellers
would clear customs in-land in order to
lighten traffic at the actual border.
Implementing legislation needs to be
passed in both countries to begin the
experiment, which will seek to replicate
for land travel the preclearance system
that already exists for travellers to the
U.S. in major Canadian airports.
Ambassador David MacNaughton said
this is the kind of issue with bipartisan
support that could get through Congress
in the midst of a heated campaign
season. But that's only if lawmakers
remember it the issue isn't exactly
top of mind in the current U.S. political
debate.
Funding for Zika research, the
appointment of a Supreme Court justice,
and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade
deal are some of the high-profile issues
facing U.S. lawmakers, who returned
from the summer break Tuesday.
"We will be working with the
proponents in Congress and in the
administration ... to get (preclearance)

done," MacNaughton said in a recent

interview.
"Because if you don't bring it up it could
just inadvertently not get passed."
He said there's no actual opposition
to the idea in Congress. The biggest
challenge is finding the right place
and time to get it passed. In the spring,
an attempt to stick the item into an
unrelated omnibus bill collapsed when
the parties began arguing over other
add-ons and, in order to save the core
bill, they stripped out all the additions
including the part on the Canada-U.S.
border.
"The problem is how do you introduce
it; where does it go; does it get attached
to another bill," MacNaughton said.
"We're hoping and expecting that they
will pass the legislation by the end of
the year."
The overall plan is to extend the earlycustoms system that has existed for
years at large Canadian airports
applying it not only to new airports in
downtown Toronto and Quebec City
but also to land travel for the first time,
starting with the Montreal train station
and the Rocky Mountaineer west-coast
rail line. It's part of the long-term goal
of achieving faster border-crossing
for different types of passenger and
commercial transport.
First the countries must pass legislation
that would spell out the rights and
responsibilities of customs officers

vowed to continue the fight against

racial prejudice in homogenous Japan,
where multiracial children make up
just 2 per cent of births each year.
"I think it means we have to let it in,"
the 22-year-old said when asked what
it signified for her and Ms Miyamoto to
break down cultural barriers.
"We are Japanese. Yes, I'm half Indian
and people are asking me about my
'purity' yes, my dad is Indian and
I'm proud of it, I'm proud that I have
Indian in me," she said.
"But that does not mean I'm not
Japanese."
'Everyone thought I was a germ'
because of skin colour
Ms Yoshikawa, like Ms Miyamoto, was
bullied because of her skin colour after
returning to Japan aged 10 following
three years in the US and a further year
in India.
"I know a lot of people who are haafu
and suffer," Ms Yoshikawa said.
"We have problems, we've been
struggling and it hurts. When I came
back to Japan, everyone thought I was
a germ," she added.
"Like if they touched me they would
be touching something bad. But I'm
thankful because that made me really
strong."
Ms Yoshikawa is an avid kick-boxer
whose politician great-grandfather once
welcomed independence campaigner

Mahatma Gandhi for a two-week stay

at their home in Kolkata. She earned
her elephant trainer's licence to add
spice to her resume.
Fluent in Japanese and English and
towering over her rivals at 1.76 metres,
she will contest the Miss World crown
in Washington this December.
"When I'm abroad, people never ask
me what mix I am," Ms Yoshikawa
said.
"As Miss Japan, hopefully I can help
change perceptions so that it can be the
same here too.
"The number of people with mixed
race is only going to increase, so people
have to accept it."
Reaction to Yoshikawa's victory failed
initially to trigger any real outrage,
although predictably some were unhappy.
"What's the point of holding a
pageant like this now? Zero national
characteristics," one Twitter user
wrote, while another complained: "It's
like we're saying a pure Japanese face
can't be a winner".
As the Japanese Government continues
to push its "Cool Japan" brand overseas
to entice foreign tourists for the 2020
Tokyo Olympics, Ms Yoshikawa
promised to win over any doubters.
"There was a time as a kid when I was
confused about my identity," she said.
"But I've lived in Japan so long now I
feel Japanese."

operating on their soil.

In Canada, a bill recently passed first
reading in Parliament.
Bill C-23 lets U.S. officers bring their
guns into Canada for work purposes;
sets conditions for questioning and
strip-searches; lets people leave a
customs line unless they've been
detained; allows civil claims against
the U.S. government but not against
individual officers; and sets rules for
the extradition of officers in the case of
criminal misconduct.
An analyst of Canada-U.S. relations
said these bills are a required step
toward the next generation of border
reforms.
"Airport preclearance has existed for

many years but the original setup did

not envision land, rail and marine
entry nor the complexities of a post
9-11 world," said Laura Dawson of the
Canada Institute at the Wilson Center
in Washington, D.C.
"The new legislation is essential for
establishing a clear legal framework."
As for its prospects in the U.S.
Congress, Dawson said the biggest
threat to the legislation is neglect and
delay: "It's not likely that there will be
opponents... but with so many things
competing for attention, it's not certain
that there will be many champions
either," she said.
"I am concerned that an important
initiative will fall through the cracks."

Canada Pushes For Border Bill In The U.S.

Man Discovers The Hard Way His

Neighbour's A Rotten Egg
A man accused of pelting his former
neighbour's Ohio home with eggs more
than 100 times over a year has been
sentenced to 18 months of probation
and fined US$1000.
A six-month jail sentence was suspended
for 31-year-old Jason Kozan.
He was sentenced less than a week
after pleading guilty to a charge of
inducing panic.
Vandalism and menacing charges were
dropped.

Defence lawyer Anthony Bondra said

there's a great deal of evidence that
would lead to a reasonable doubt that
Kozan participated in egging the home
of Albert Clemens in the Cleveland
suburb of Euclid.
Clemens has said the egg attacks
damaged his home and kept his family
on edge.
Authorities haven't said what motivated
the attacks, which largely stopped after
Kozan moved.

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17

Deadliest Year In Two Decades: Chicago Records 500

Homicides In Nine Months

Chicago, the third largest city in the

United States, recorded its 500th
homicide of the year over the Labor
Day weekend, making 2016 already
the city's deadliest year in two decades.
A total of 13 people were killed over
the course of the long weekend and
at least 52 others were wounded in
shootings across Chicago, according to
police, making the Labor Day weekend
the deadliest of the three US holiday
weekends this summer.
This year's Memorial Day weekend
saw 69 shot, six of them fatally, and
the Fourth of July weekend recorded
66 shot, five of them fatal.
Among those shot over the weekend
was a woman who was nine months
pregnant.
Crystal Myers, 23, was wounded in
the stomach on the same block where
someone had been killed less than 20
hours earlier, the Chicago Tribune

reports. Ms Myers gave birth Tuesday

morning, both she and her baby are in
a stable condition.
The latest fatal shooting occurred about
10.45pm on Monday when someone in
a mini-van opened fire on a group of
teens and young men, police said.
Two 22-year-old men were killed in
the incident. Three others, aged 16,
17, and 20, were seriously wounded.
Authorities said one of the men killed
was a documented gang member.
The city's grim toll comes after police
recorded 92 murders in August, the
deadliest month for Chicago since June
1996.
"It's not a police issue, it's a society
issue," Chicago police Superintendent
Eddie Johnson told reporters outside
police headquarters on Tuesday, saying
his department is doing everything it
can to control the violence.
"Impoverished
neighbourhoods,

people without hope do these kinds of

things.
"You show me a man that doesn't have
hope, I'll show you one that's willing to
pick up a gun and do anything with it.
"Those are the issues that's driving this
violence. CPD is doing its job."
After the weekend's bloodshed,
homicides now stand at 512 for the
year, according to data collected and
analysed by the Tribune. There were
491 homicides in total last year, with
more than 2930 people shot this year in
Chicago already.
"There are 500 more people that were
in the city that are no longer here
because of useless violence ... people
don't have regard for life anymore,"
resident Stephanie Armas said.
Homicides and shootings in Chicago
continue to far outpace those in New
York and Los Angeles, despite being
bigger cities, and the Chicago Police
Department (CPD) recovers more
illegal handguns than both major US
cities combined, CNN reports.
Addressing the increase in gun arrests
this year over past year, (more than
6000 illegal gun recoveries so far in
2016), Mr Johnson acknowledged the
intense national scrutiny following last
year's release of the Laquan McDonald
video.
Dash-cam video footage showing the
killing of the black teenager by a white
police officer was released to the public
in November 2015, sparking a wave
of protests in the streets of Chicago.
Mr Johnson said the fallout from the
horrific video has amplified distrust

A family moving into a stately home

nearly 300 years after the last residents
left said their new house is so big they
will have to put GPS on their children
to keep track of them.
Lord and Lady Edward Manners and
their two-year-old twin sons will be
the first family to live in Haddon Hall,
which has not been inhabited since the
reign of Queen Anne.
The property in Bakewell, Derbyshire,
has been owned by the Manners Dukes
of Rutland for centuries.
It is described as one of the most
romantic sites in the UK and has
featured in several films including Jane
Eyre, Elizabeth and the 2005 version
of Pride and Prejudice.
Lady Edward, founder of lingerie
company Beau Bra, said: "We've worked
out where we want to go in the house,
how we want to use it and live in it.
We would hope to be in it by next year.
"There's an awful lot to do to bring it
up to 20th century comfortable living."
She said hide and seek with her sons,
Alfred and Vesey, would now be "out
of control" in the enormous house.

Lady Edward said: "I'm worried that

I might lose them behind a tapestry or
down a tunnel - I'm going to put GPS
on them."
She added: "I spent three years
hoovering and a year of that tidying
up. The windows have been cleaned
for the first time in 28 years."
The family are currently living in a

house on the Haddon estate and are

gradually moving their possessions
into the hall.
Lady Edward said: "Breathing new life
into Haddon comes from us living at
Haddon permanently. There is a new
energy - for years it's been quietly
resting.
"The family left in Queen Anne's reign

between police and the community.

"Of course, they're human. They're
people," he said. "So of course, nobody
wants to be the next viral video. These
officers have families to take care of
too."
The staggering increase in homicides
throughout the city has been propelled
into the spotlight in recent weeks
following the shooting death of Nykea
Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four
who was fatally shot as she pushed her
newborn baby in a stroller.
Ms Aldridge, who was a cousin of
Chicago Bulls star Dwyane Wade,
was struck by stray bullets and not the
intended target as she walked near her
home on August 26.
Two brothers have been charged
in her murder, both men are gang
members who were on parole for gun
convictions, the police superintendent
said.
"The historical cycle of violence we
have seen in some communities must
come to an end," Mr Johnson said in a
statement earlier this month.
"Repeat gun offenders who drive the
violence on our streets should not be
there in the first place, and it is time to
change the laws to ensure these violent
offenders are held accountable for their
crimes."
A funeral for Ms Aldridge was held
Saturday at a church in Chicago's
Washington Park neighbourhood.
NBA player Wade, who has been an
outspoken critic of gun violence, took
to Twitter to mourn his cousin's death
after hearing the devastating news.

and we're the first family back in it."

The couple are keen to attract visitors
to the historic house and Lady Edwards
said: "We want more families to come
to Haddon as it is living history."
The big attractions at Haddon this year
will include the unveiling of tapestries
which haven't been seen for nearly 100
years.

Haddon Hall's New Residents Say House Is So Big They

Will Need GPS To Find Their Children

18

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Health

778 278 4088

Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer

Flaxseed
You can get flax either as whole seed,
ground or Flaxseed oil. The omega3s, lignans and fibre found in flaxseed
are found to form a protective shield
against cancer cells responsible for
causing breast cancer. Include flax to
yogurt or a smoothie to create a richer
and nutty flavour. You can add flaxseed
oil to salad dressings too or integrate
them into baked goods, such as cookies
or muffins.
Brazil nuts
Uniquely rich in selenium, fibre,
and phytochemicals, Brazil nuts can
help fight inflammation, improve the
immune system and prevent tumour
growth. And you do not need many
of thema palmful can do the trick.
Enjoy them as any other nut either with
fruits or asparagus (contains the anticancer component, chlorophyll).
Garlic
Rich source of cancer-fighting
compound called allium, Garlic and
its relatives (onion, leeks, scallions,
and chives) are shown to slow tumour
growth and prevent breast cancer risk
among other forms of cancer such as
colorectal and prostate cancers. Garlic
and onions are found in a variety
of foods including Italian, Spanish,
Indian, Thai and Chinese dishes. Crush
or swallow a piece of garlic every
morning and that's all it takes to live a
cancer-free life!
Pomegranate
This is highly recommended for
preventing breast cancer. It contains
polyphenol- an ellagic acid with antioxidant properties that prevent cancer

growth. Include this delicious fruit in

your diet and discover effective health
benefits.
Dark-green leafy vegetables
From kale, collards to spinach and Swiss
chard, dark-green leafy vegetables
probably are considered a "one stop
shop" for all the best nutrients your
body needs to fend off cancerous cells,
i.e. fibre, vitamin B, phytochemicals,
chlorophyll and more. It's time to add
some greens to your diet.
Salmon
A great source of omega-3s and
vitamins B12 and D, salmon can
provide your body with the nutrients
it needs to regulate cell growth and
prevent cancer. In fact, certain types
of Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) are
proven effective in cancer treatment.
Steam it, bake it, grill it or saute it. This
fish is a great option and pairs well with
many foods like garlic, dark-green
leafy vegetables, turmeric, peppers and
broccoli.
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts
As a cruciferous (belonging to the plant
family Cruciferae) vegetable along
with cauliflower, brussels sprouts,
cabbage and kale; broccoli is rich
in sulforophane and indoles, which
are shown to regulate cell growth in
multiple ways and help fight a range
of cancers, including breast, bladder,
lymphoma, prostate and lung cancer.
Green tea
Consumption on a regular basis has
been linked to lower incidence of
breast cancer. The phyto-chemicals in
green tea can well take the credit for
its health benefits. One to two cups

Grape-Orange Combo Can

Beat Obesity, Diabetes,
Heart Disease
You can keep obesity , diabetes and
heart disease at bay by consuming a
mixture of red grapes and oranges ,
suggests a new study.
The University of Warwick researchers
found that a combination of two
compounds found in red grapes and
oranges could be used to improve
the health of people with diabetes,
and reduce cases of obesity and heart
disease.
Paul Thornalley, who led the research,
said that this is an incredibly exciting
development and could have a massive
impact on their ability to treat these
diseases. As well as helping to treat
diabetes and heart disease it could
defuse the obesity time bomb.
The team studied two compounds found
in fruits but not usually found together.
The compounds are trans-resveratrol
(tRES), found in red grapes, and
hesperetin (HESP), found in oranges.

When given jointly at pharmaceutical

doses the compounds acted in tandem
to decrease blood glucose, improve
the action of insulin and improve the
health of arteries.
The compounds act by increasing a
protein called glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) in
the body which neutralises a damaging
sugar-derived
compound
called
methylglyoxal (MG).
Thirty-two overweight and obese
people within the 18-80 age range,
who had a BMI between 25 - 40, took
part in the trial.
He noted, "As exciting as our
breakthrough is it is important to
stress that physical activity, diet, other
lifestyle factors and current treatments
should be adhered to."
Thornalley and his team are now
hoping manufacturers will want to
explore the use of the compound as
pharmaceutical products.

of green tea daily can help you keep

cancer at bay.
Peppers
Pick a pepper, any pepper! Most
have some phytochemical or nutrient
that will help fight cancer. Chilli and
jalapeno peppers have capsaicin (an
active component of chilli peppers)
that fight the growth rate of cancer
cells. Green peppers are rich in
chlorophyll which can bind cancercausing carcinogens found in the gut.
Red peppers have both capsaicin and
antioxidant carotenoids. Put them in
a vegetable stir-fry or eat them with
hummus.
Turmeric
A spice commonly found in our
country cancer-fighting compound
called curcumin can inhibit many
types of cancer cells, including breast,
gastrointestinal, lung, and skin cancer.
A pinch of turmeric fights toughest of
cancer-causing cells.
Other breast-cancer-fighting-foods are
Walnuts
Abundant in omega-3-fatty acids,
natural phytosterols and antioxidants,
walnuts make for an ideal anti-breast
cancer food.
Berries
All berries are rich sources of
antioxidants and phytochemicals
which play a role in reducing oxidation
and cancer cell formation in the body.
Add some blueberries to your morning
cereal, put a few raspberries in plain
yogurt for a snack, or enjoy strawberries
with a piece of dark chocolate for an
evening snack.
Whole grains

Rich in fibre, essential vitamins and

minerals; choose whole grains such
as quinoa, barley, oats, amaranth,
brown rice, and whole wheat over their
refined, white counterparts. Heat them
in the morning with some milk and
cinnamon and have it as a warm cereal,
or make a side dish out of it by boiling
and simmering it for half an hour for
dinner.
Legumes
Lentils and beans contain folate (folic
acid), fibre and a host of nutrients that
prevent cancer risk.
Age-group(s) at the highest risk of
breast cancer
Tina Sapra explains that breast cancer
is less common at a young age (30s),
but younger women tend to have more
aggressive breast cancers than older
women. This may explain why survival
rates are lower among younger women.
According to the American Cancer
Society, 95 per cent of new cases and
97 per cent of breast cancer deaths
occurred in women aged 40 years or
above.
Say no to
Alcohol (even moderate intake can up
cancer risk)
Refined carbohydrates (comprise flour
and added sugar)
Low-fat and low carb snacks (candies,
cakes, chips, soda)
Red meat (beef, pork, mutton), grilled
meat creates compounds called
heterocyclic amines linked to breast
cancer risk.
Avoid foods that contain saturated and
trans-fats (most likely to be found in
fried foods)

Now that summer is just around the

corner, we begin to notice our unwanted
holiday weight. A few basic tips from
nutritionists, sleep therapists, doctors,
fitness professionals and dieticians,
could rehash your unruly schedule
and also help you deal with the extra
weight you might have put on.
Eat
One of the basic tips that has been
reiterated often by nutritionists is that
one should eat only when hungry.
Include proteins in your diet to abate hunger
for long. Fill up your plate with vegetables.
Choose only healthy organic snacks
that are a protein source and have
healthy omega 3s. Avoid packed items
that claim to be zero fat because most
of them are full of empty calories.
Choose a small plate to serve yourself
your meals, this will make your brain feel
full faster because the quantity of food it
will see on the plate will seem more.
Munch on fresh fruits and vegetables
this adds fibre and roughage to your
system and also makes you feel full
without piling on calories.
Exercise
Brisk walk every single day and you
will see your inches melt away, say
experts. Of course you need to follow a

basic healthy diet along with exercising

to see lasting results.
Walking can distract you from the
unwanted foody temptations.
When out on your morning walk use a
resistance band to get some Exercise,
recommend trainers. Freehand exercises
done outdoors can revitalise you.
Drink
Make sure you drink enough water
(around three litres) every day. This
detoxifies your system and also makes
you feel full.
Avoid alcohol because then you do
not realise how much you end up
overeating. You could have a glass of
wine once in a while, say doctors.
In between meals you could have a cup
of green tea or decaf black coffee.
Sleep
This is a must, if you want to lose
weight. Sleep for at least seven hours
every night and maintain the same
sleep time daily, state sleep therapists.
Do not pour over your phone, TV or
other electronic gadgets before your
bedtime as it may hamper sleep.
Read a book, take a warm bath, or have
a mug of warm milk before you hit the
sack experts say that this can help
you sleep better.

Lose That Holiday Flab Quickly

Recipe

info@gobizz.ca

Honey Mustard Lamb

Rack

Ingredients
4 large yellow potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 Spanish onion
1 whole bulb of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil for the
vegetables
Salt and pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon olive oil for the lamb
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 /2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preparation
Heat oven to 350F.
Cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into
1-inch-thick pieces. Cut the onion in
half and remove the outer layer of skin.
Place 2 tablespoons olive oil into a

baking tray. Place the vegetables,

including the whole unpeeled garlic
bulb, in the tray and coat them in the
oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake
the vegetables on the bottom oven rack
for 45 minutes.
When the vegetables have been baking
for 15 minutes, mix together in a bowl
the 5 cloves chopped garlic, bread
crumbs, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt,
rosemary, honey and mustard Stir well
until it forms a paste.
Spread the paste evenly over the lamb
rack. When the vegetables have been
cooking for 25 minutes, place lamb in
the oven directly over the vegetables.
This will allow for the drippings to
collect with the vegetables..
Roast the vegetables and lamb for 20
more minutes for rare meat or 30 more
minutes for well-done

778 278 4088

19

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
breast - cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in
2 tablespoons water
1 ounce hot chillie paste
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
4 ounces chopped peanuts
Directions
To Make Marinade: Combine 1
tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy
sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon

cornstarch/water mixture and mix

together. Place chicken pieces in a
glass dish or bowl and add marinade.
Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in
refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine
1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy
sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon
cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste,
vinegar and sugar. Mix together and
add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts
and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat
sauce slowly until aromatic.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from
marinade and saute in a large skillet
until meat is white and juices run clear.
When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed
chicken to it and let simmer together
until sauce thickens

Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

Chinese Almond Cookies
Chinese Almond Cookies are a popular
treat in Chinese bakeries yet simple
enough to be made at home.
Ingredients
You will need:
1 1/3 cup almond flour
1 cup butter, unsalted and cubed
1 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup flour, all purpose
2 eggs
1 cup and 2 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
Almonds, thinly sliced
Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, combine
almond flour and butter. Stir until
mixture is chunky.
Reserve one egg. Add one egg and
almond extract to batter. Mix until
combined well.
Add in flour, baking soda, and sugar.
Mix until combined.
Push and roll dough into a flattened
disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap,
letting chill for 2 hours.
After dough has chilled, form 1/2 inch

wide balls and place on cookie sheet.

Push down slightly to flatten.
On top of each cookie, place an almond
and push lightly to put into place.
Lightly brush top of each cookie with
the reserved beaten egg. Bake at 325 F
for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin
to brown.
Let cool on cookie sheet and serve.
Season your Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
and make ordinary vegetables mouthwatering delicious!
Ingredients
You will need:
1 pound broccoli florets
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 teaspoons cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons untoasted sesame seed
Preparation
In small bowl, combine cold water and
cornstarch, stirring until cornstarch

dissolves. Set aside.

Bring large pot of water to rolling boil.
Drop broccoli in and let sit for 2 to 3
minutes. Remove while still crisp and
place in cold water to shock broccoli
and stop cooking process. Drain and
set aside.
In small saucepan, combine chicken
stock, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and
oyster sauce. Bring to boil.
Add water and cornstarch mixture.
Heat for a few minutes, until sauce
begins to thicken.
Remove sauce from heat. Pour over
broccoli.
Top with sesame seeds and serve.

20

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info@gobizz.ca

Mahima Chaudhary To Formalise Divorce Only When

She Finds New Love
After a decade-long sabbatical, Mahima
Chaudhary returned to the big screen
with the recently released Bengali
thriller, Dark Chocolate, loosely based
on the Sheena Bora murder mystery.
The actress, who made her debut
opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 1997
hit, Pardes, went low in 2006 since she
was bored of her routine.
Says Mahima, I remember wrapping
up the shoot for Hope And A Little
Sugar and going straight to a salon to
cut my hair very short. Later, I went
to the US where I met my husband,
Bobby Mukherji (an architect) and we
decided to settle down. After marriage,
I was only concerned about raising my
daughter, Ariana. I didnt want to miss
her even for a second. I thought thats
the best phase of my life, and I was
enjoying it, far more than films.
But things didnt go the way she had
planned. She separated from Mukherji
in 2013. I was a single mother and
had to earn money. With a child, it was
difficult to take up films, as it would
have consumed a lot of time. I started

judging a few television shows, making

appearances at functions or cutting
ribbons because it was convenient for
me. It also gave me quick and good
money. Now, when I look back, I feel
those assignments ruined me as an
actress, she sighs.
Mahima says she hasnt considered
a divorce yet. I dont have the time
(laughs). On a serious note, we havent
really given it a thought as it isnt
bothering us. I will go in for a divorce
if I plan to get married again.
Before getting hitched, Mahima was
in a long relationship with tennis ace,
Leander Paes, but it ended on a bitter
note. She doesnt mince words while
talking about the sports star. He may
be a good tennis player, but he didnt
play fair with me. It wasnt really
shocking for me when I came to know
that he was going around with someone
else. His exit had no impact on my
life. In fact, I became more mature as
a person, she says, adding, I feel he
did the same thing with Rhea (Pillai)
as well.

Six Months Since Release From Jail, Sanjay Dutt Is Still

Out Of Work

Sanjay Dutt walked free from prison on

February 25 this year and Bollywood
was eagerly awaiting his comeback.
But, six months down the line, the
actor hasnt shot a single frame for any
of his comeback films.
With nothing in hand currently, Dutt
has instead been logging airmiles,
Poland being the latest destination on
his itinerary.
Even before his release from Punes
Yerwada jail, there was talk about
several filmmakers being in queue to
sign Dutt and speculation over which
one he would greenlight first. He
chose Siddharth Anands action flick,
but later did a rethink and opted out.
The actor then decided to turn his
focus to his next project, Marco Bhau,
directorial debut of filmmaker Vidhu
Vinod Chopras sister, Shelly. This
project, too, is taking a while to take
off. Initially, it was slated to go on the
floor by the end of the year. But, if the
grapevine is to be believed, things will
not roll before February 2017.
Says a source, There was great
excitement in the fraternity when
Dutt walked free. But sadly this has
not translated into film offers for
the star. Currently, except for Marco
Bhau, whose story and screenplay is
still being worked on, he has nothing
in hand except for the long-in- the-

planning Munnabhai 3. But with

Rajkumar Hirani busy with the biopic
of Dutt starring Ranbir Kapoor, part
three of Munnabhai will take time.
As reported, Why did Sanjay Dutt let
go his comeback film? (hitlist, July 4),
Dutt was unhappy after going through
the final draft of Anands film. The plot
reminded him of several Hollywood
flicks; he felt it was a mish-mash of
Captain Phillips (2013), The Jackal
(1997) and Under Siege (1992). He did
not want his comeback to be labelled
a rehash of Hollywood films. Not
wanting to take any chances, he moved
on to Chopras production, Marco
Bhau. Dutt, however, at that time, had
maintained that Siddharths film was
not shelved and he needed more time
to prep for action-intensive scenes.
He had even undergone martial arts
training for the film under the guidance
of Shifu Kanishka Sharma, who
specialises in commando close quarter
combat. The star had been training at
the gym of his Pali Hill home. But as
soon as he opted out, he stopped his
training programme as well. Dutts
spokesperson says, He is in no rush
to sign films. He is keen to spend time
with family and travel. And Marco
Bhau was always slated to take off
after December.
The only time Sanjay Dutt faced the

camera since his release was for a

brand endorsement in May. The shoot
was held at Madh Island. He posed
with each and every unit member,

from the lightman and spotboys to

camerapersons. The actor also bonded
with the children who were part of the
banian brand shoot.

OBizz.com

778 278 4088

info@gobizz.ca

21

Horoscope
Aries
Errors made in haste, speaking too
forcefully, sharp words spoken on
impulse, or accidents occurring due
to restlessness and impatience are
all possible at this time. You feel that
you have to fight for what you want
or believe in, and you are very clear,
decisive, and convincing right now,
but you also tend to stir up more
controversy or competitive feelings
than is really necessary.
Taurus
Your feelings for friends and your
emotional responses to life in general
are deeper and more intense. The need
to share, to give and receive love, and
to be accepted and wanted is very
strong. You have an opportunity now to
see what keeps you from being really
close to others - perhaps a forgotten
hurt or hidden resentment - and to rid
yourself of it by bringing it out in the
open or simply releasing it
Gemini
You still create time for hobbies, new
activities and time out with friends, new
fields of study and even research into
subjects that interest you. The efforts
you make to try new techniques will

be rewarding. A day of true inspiration,

and huge intellectual gains
Cancer
You are inclined to be aggressive and
hot-tempered now, particularly when
your will is blocked. Your pushiness or
competitive attitude is likely to create
antagonism, hostility, and further
resistance to your efforts. It is best to
work alone rather than try to cooperate
or coordinate your efforts with anyone
at this time.
Leo
Acting on your spontaneous impulses
and following through on some of your
more unusual or "crazy" desires will
yield surprises. Also, you are impatient
and tend to behave in an impulsive,
irritable way which makes you more
prone to accidents during this period.
Virgo
You speak very clearly, convincingly,
and forcefully now, so that there
is no mistaking what your views
and opinions are. You can argue a
good case, make a very persuasive
presentation, or successfully challenge
someone whose ideas do not agree with
your own. Your mind is sharp and your
responses quick. This is a very good

time to take a test or to do any kind of

intellectual or mental work.
Libra
Physical thrills and excitement have
a strong appeal for you now, and you
want to do something new and out of
the ordinary. You also have a lot of
energy and quick reflexes. A vigorous
game of racquetball or tennis, or some
other fast-moving competitive sport
would be a good outlet for you now.
Scorpio
You feel less competitive and ambitious
about practical and mundane matters.
The world of imagination, fantasy, art,
music, or mysticism is very appealing
to you now, and if you have talent in
any of these areas, this can be a creative
and fruitful time for you. However, the
negative possibilities for you now are
being undisciplined, slack, indefinite,
and wasting time and energy.
Sagittarius
There is a friendly, cooperative,
harmonious tone to the interactions
you have now. It is a good time for
social activities and for getting in
touch with friends. You avoid heavy
discussions and do not want to focus
on dry, practical matters. Reading light

fiction, going out to see a romantic

comedy or simply sharing a pleasant
time with someone you like is more in
tune with your feelings now.
Capricorn
Vision, optimism, the will to implement
your ideas, all gets a phenomenal fill
up. You might have a really powerful
and important encounter with a special
person which puts stars in your eyes and
which transforms your relationship.
Aquarius
Pay particular attention to your
friendships , because the more you
put into them the more you'll get out
of them. Sort out the financial aspects
of your proposals, perhaps by asking
for some estimates or talking to your
friends.
Pisces
It is impossible for you to be content
with superficial answers now, and you
are impatient with people who avoid
looking candidly and honestly at root
causes and hidden reasons for any
problem or situation. You tend to force
your views on other people now. Also,
you can become obsessed with an idea
or problem until you have figured it
out.

Deepika Was Paid More For Amitabh Bachchan And

Piku- Amitabh Bachchan Aamir Khan To Share The
Screen For The First Time

Just as we were bemoaning how

unfavourably Deepika Padukone's
Forbes ranking compares to her male
counterparts, actor Amitabh Bachchan
has revealed that he was paid less than
she was in their 2015 film Piku.
Mr Bachchan, who won the Best Actor
National Award for Piku, told the
reporter: "In Piku, Deepika Padukone
was paid more than me. That says two
things - one that she is obviously more
important than me and two I have lost
my price scale because I have been
working for so long and maybe I am
not that important now to get that kind
of money."

Piku director Shoojit Sircar corroborated

this with a nod and added: "But what's
the harm? If the woman's character
is that then it's okay. For example,
everybody asked me if Piku is a womancentric film. I said, 'Why? Because a
woman has a stronger character, that's
why it's a woman centric film?' There
are many films with only heroes but
that is not a man-centric film. So don't
see a film like that. Because there is
a woman's picture on the poster, it's a
woman-centric film? It's a cinema, it's a
film, it's a story. Maybe, she is the hero
of the film and that's how you should
see it."

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan and

Aamir Khan are all set to come
together for Yash Raj Films' "Thugs of
Hindostan".
Bachchan, 73, and Aamir will share
the screen space for the first time in the
movie, to be directed by "Dhoom 3"
helmer Vijay Krishna Acharya (Victor).
The 51-year-old actor said he is excited
to work with his icon, whom he has
admired all his life.
"Finally the moment I have been
waiting for has come... To work with

my icon, Mr Bachchan! Thanks Adi,

Victor, for 'Thugs of Hindostan'. I'm
too thirlled to be working with the
actor I have admired all my life,"
Aamir posted on Twitter.
The actor, who is geared up for the release
of biopic "Dangal" which features him in
the lead role of Mahavir Singh Phogat,
will start shooting for the YRF project
early next year. The leading lady of the
film is yet to be announced soon.
"Thugs of Hindostan" is slated to
release on Diwali 2018.

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TS Times Sports

Lautoka Wins B.O.G Title After 31 Years

Lautoka has won the INKK Mobile

Battle of the Giants title after a lapse
of 30 years.
A goal each from Mohammed Shazeel
and Cyrus Singh in extra time sealed
the victory against Labasa.
An elated Lautoka football president
Abdul Kadir said the players would
share the $15,000 prize money plus
a double up from the sponsors after
ending the 30 years drought.
The prize money will be shared among
the players and even the sponsors also
said if we win the tournament then they
will double it up.
The players he said would receive
a lot of incentives which they had
promised them and they would honour
them once they reached Lautoka.
He said they would meet the executives
to discuss the celebrations.
We will discuss the celebration plan
in our executive meeting since we
also have Inter-District Championship
coming up in Suva. We will talk on the
celebrations.
The last BOG victory the Sugar City
celebrated was in 1985 when they
defeated Rewa 3-0 in the final at then
known National Stadium in Suva.
Kadir added that there was a lot of
preparation that needed to be done

before the tournament and they did

their part and the players rewarded
them the win.
Some of our boys did not play as
Peni Finau was red-carded in the semifinal, IlaitiaTuilau was injured, Edward
Justin got injured while warming up.
We had a setback but still we went all
out to win.
He saluted the boys for a job well
done.
Lautoka heroes Ali and Singh couldnt
hold back their emotions as they
registered their first title with the blues.
He said his father called him earlier
today and demanded a goal as his
Fathers Day gift. This was my first
win. I am very happy and very excited.
I wanted to dedicate this win to all
the fathers in Lautoka, especially
my father. He called me early in the
morning and told me that it will be his
biggest Fathers Day gift if I scored a
goal today.
Singh thanked his family members
for the support. It is all for the fans
of Lautoka. For my mom and dad at
home and my sister who has always
supported me.
Coach Anjinesh Prasad who led the
team to his first tournament said the
message to the players was clear from

day one. Just stick to the game plan.

He told the players that they should
know what they were doing, supported
each other, keeps the communication
going and the result would be on their
side.
Labasa captain Taniela Waqa said they
lost to a better team.
We knew it was going to be a tough
final with all due respect to Lautoka.
We deserved to be here and we gave a
good showdown in the final. We could
not capitalize on our opportunities
and thats football. Congratulations to

Lautoka for the win, he said.

The Blues received $15,000 for the
win while Labasa walked away with
$6,000.
The player of the tournament went to
Lautokas ZibrazSaheb with Shazeel
taking out the player of the final award.
Top goal scorers were Gabrieli
Mataisuva and Ravinesh Karan Singh
with five goals each.
The golden glove award went to
Labasas Akuila Mataisuva with team
mate Ratu Anare scooping the new find
of the tournament reward.

Serevi Reveals How He Went To US

For the first time sevens maestro
Waisale Serevi talked about the most
trying time in his life after his rugby
career came to an end.
I was really low then, Serevi said
while speaking as guest speaker at the
University of the South Pacific School
of Social Sciences special seminar.
It was 2010 and at the end of my rugby
career. For me it was lie down and
quit or to move on to the next level. I
thought about those that had supported
me- my wife and children.
People who knew me and my relations
were reaching out to me but they could
not touch me. Even rugby was reaching
out and yet they could not touch me.
But Gods hand was able to reach me
and lift me up.
Serevi said this made him leave the
country and head to Canada to look for
opportunities.
Im grateful to Pastor Netani (Gucake)
who is here tonight with his daughter.
They housed me for a couple of months
in Canada as I went on searching.
It was there, he says, Seattle Rugby
heard that he was in Canada and
wanted to go over.
I probably was the first Fijian that
walked from Canada to USA. As I was
walking two officials approached me
and asked where I was going and I told
them to the border.
As I walked I was carrying my plastic

bags. One plastic bag had my boots and

runners, the other plastic bag had my
toiletries and one had my clothes.
At the border I produced my passport
and they saw that I was a rugby player
but by then an Indian man came by
and he knew me so he explained to the
officials and that made it easier for me
to cross over. For that to happen it was
only from God.
Serevi said at the moment he did not
know that he was actually walking into
a gold mine.
The head of Seattle Rugby became
my business partner and asked me
what else I needed and I told him that
I needed my family to be with me.
He pressed a few buttons and within
minutes their airline tickets were in
front of me as they were to leave Fiji
the very next day.
My family was always there
supporting my rugby career and it was
time for me to give something back to
them. For me it was education for my
children even though I was no-school,
Serevi said with laughter.
Today, he says, eldest daughter Unaisi
has joined the US Air Force while
Asinate has been named in the USA
womens rugby team for next years
World Cup.
She couldnt make it to the Rio
Olympics as she still has her Fijian
passport.

BEN RYAN
Serevi said we should always support
whoever the Fiji Rugby Union has
appointed to take over from national
rugby sevens coach Ben Ryan.
Whether he is a local or an overseas
coach we must always support him so
he can achieve what he has been set to
do, he said.
Every good coach will always select
the players he wants. And we should be
grateful to what Ben Ryan has achieved
for us at the Olympics.
Serevi said Ryan was a great coach and
for now he is set to go out and take on
new challenges.
I will tell you two things why I say
Ryan is a great coach. First when he
came to Fiji for three months he was
not paid. What would have happened if
he had gone back home? He stayed and
we should thank him for that.
Secondly when they arrived at Nadi
after the Olympics, Ryan was asked
on whether he was leaving and he said
yes but this is not about me. Its about
them- the players. That is a mark of a
great coach.
JONAH LOMU
The maestro paid tribute to the late All
Blacks winger Jonah Lomu indicating
he was his most toughest opponent in
the rugby field.
At the 1994 Hong Kong 7s, Luke
Erenavula who was playing for New

Zealand bought a young Jonah to my

room. We were introduced and we had
tea together with those FMF biscuits
and had a good time as we talked about
rugby. As we parted that night, Jonah
took all the bean packets so I tapped
him on the shoulder and urged him to
make the most of it.
Probably that was my biggest mistake
ever.
Serevi said Lomu was a humble player
off the field but a different person
altogether when he comes running
down at you.

Former Fijian rugby player and

rugby 7's legend Waisale Serevi
returns home as special guest
speaker during the University of the
South Pacific Rugby Seminar