A TEAM from the UN Office on drugs and crime is here to assess Fiji's compliance with the UN Convention against Corruption.
The five-member team includes two Serbian officials, one from France and two from the UNCAC secretariat in Vienna.
The Ministry of Information said the team was here to assess the implementation of the convention under the pillars of criminalisation, prevention, international co-operation, asset recovery and implementation mechanisms.
The delegation will consult with the judiciary and Public Service Commission during its three-day visit.
MORE BRIEFS:
Mums are 'first teachers'
MOTHERS are the first educators in a child's life, says Ba Provincial Council women's wing co-ordinator Balavu Tora. She said the women's wing placed a lot of emphasis on ensuring that village women knew the basics and concept of parenting. She said Ba Soqosoqo Vakamarama felt that women from all the 171 villages of the 21 tikina should be in the program.
"Parents, especially mothers, are the very first educators and we need to re-introduce this to women in our tikina. Strengthening the role is important."
Youths visit prison
A YOUTH With A Mission Christian group from Canada visited the Suva Prison on Wednesday. Group member Reverend Steve Witmer said this was their third year in helping people in need. The group brought preserved soup packs to make 40 litres of soup and feed 3200 people, and school packs for 500 students. In prison they were given a tour of the Tagimoucia Art Gallery which exhibits art work by prisoners under the Yellow Ribbon Project. Mr Witmer said the visit gave them the opportunity to see how those on the other side of the law were treated. He said the Yellow Ribbon Project changed their perspective of prisoners.
In-house library for inmates
THE Suva Women's Prison plans to develop their in-house library to encourage the 24 inmates to read and write, says officer-in-charge Ana Wilikibau. She told a 12-member Youth With A Mission Christian group visiting from Canada that 18 of the inmates were convicted while four were awaiting sentencing. She said there were projects in place to train the women with skills to help them earn a living upon their release. "We are also looking at improving our library collection and have been given two computers that are being used by one inmate who is doing extension studies at USP," she said. Ms Wilikibau said the Yellow Ribbon Project was a great help and an eye opener for them.
Air services
call
THE people of
Rotuma are looking forward to see another local airline company, Pacific Sun,
service the island because it's one of the most important services for the
island.
This is after
AirFijiceased its operations to outer islands such as Rotuma.
Rotuma Island Council
chairman, Tarterani Rigamoto said air and sea services for Rotuma were
important and sometime they felt these services did not meet the demand of the
people.
"We hope
that we will have at least two flights to Rotuma in a week," he said.