Local News in brief
Ryder home burns
THE family home of rugby star William Ryder was destroyed by fire on Wednesday as police officers saved two pre-schoolers from the blaze. According to police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri, government officials were having their sports day at a ground nearby when they saw the fire. Damage to the three-bedroom wooden home is estimated at $50,000. The two children, aged four and two, were asleep inside.
Blast injures pair
TWO refrigeration technicians are recovering at the Suva Private Hospital after an accidental explosion on a navy boat they were working on. Lincoln Refrigeration managing director Praveen Singh said Mateo Waqa and Ashneel Chand suffered 25 per cent and 10 per cent burns respectively when there was an explosion on the boat on Tueday. Compensation will be determined by their broker who is also waiting for the investigation result.
Market reopens
THE renovated Suva market will open today. Suva special administrator Vijendra Prakash said the Suva City Council has spent about $650,000 to renovate the market. The market facelift will be officially opened by the interim Minister for Local Government, Filipe Bole. Vendors had been shifted to temporary stalls in the car park during the renovation period.
Drug raid ends
A PLATOON of 10 armed soldiers and 20 officers from the Ready Action Unit pulled out of Navosa hills yesterday as drug raids came to an end. About 15,000 marijuana plants were uprooted during the fortnight-long raids in along the upper reaches of the Sigatoka River near the borders of the provinces of Ba and Navosa. Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said 20 officers from the Criminal Investigation Department of the force remained behind to interview villagers from Vatubalavu and Draiba. Three people have been charged.
Island ‘cleared'
RAIDS by teams of police officers on the Garden Island turned up nothing early this week. According to the Deputy Director Police Operations, ASP Erami Raibe, not a single plant was uprooted by the team of 12 police officers, some from the Ready Action Unit and the island's officers when they combed popular hotspots in Southern and Northern Taveuni. However Mr Raibe said even though the sought after drugs were nowhere to be found the purpose of the raids were served.
Air traffic deal
AIR Traffic Management Association of the Fiji Islands has commended the awarding of Air Traffic Management systems contract to United States-based aerospace company Adacel. The contract is part of a nation-wide project awarded to Era by Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) to provide a comprehensive, advanced ATM system for the Nadi flight information region (FIR). ATMAF general secretary Ben Kush said the installation of the new system would be beneficial to its members.
