Thursday, Aug 12, 1976
PM says No to NFP call for dialogue about land
the Prime minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has turned down an offer by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Siddiq Koya for consultation on land and constitutional issues.
Ratu Sir Kamisese's refusal was stated in reply to a letter from Mr Koya seeking dialogue between Government and the National Federation Partyon proposed amendments to the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (ALTO) and on the report of the Royal Commission which looked into the country's electoral system. The Fiji Times learnt yesterday that the Prime Minister's letter was shown to some senior members of the NFP at a Working Committee meeting of the party at Nausori last weekend. Mr Koya expressed disappointment at the Prime Minister's reply.
Fever 'no danger to Fiji'
People in the South Pacific had absolutely no cause for alarm about a killer fever originating in Africa, World Health Organisation representative Dr John Hirshman said in Suva yesterday. The disease known as lassa fever is caught from rats and human contact. It has a high death rate. It was extremely confined and had not spread from Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr Hirshman said.
PM cuts costs on his official car
What difference would a Prime Minister see between a car costing $10,850 and one costing $4400?
Answer: A saving of $6450 on the cheaper car.
This was the saving that would result from the Prime Minister's decision to replace his current official car with a $4400 diesel-engined vehicle instead of a $10,850 saloon, the House of Representatives learned yesterday.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Charles Stinson told the House, the Prime Minister was entitled to a bigger petrol-engined vehicle. But he elected to go along with a decision to adopt diesel-engined cars as the standard ministerial vehicle, and he would take one of these
The Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara told the House that his standard official car (G 201) had been bought before independence in 1970 and was now spending more time in the garage for repairs than time available to transport him.
Students hit at report
Fiji education degree course students at the University of the South Pacific have rejected a Civil Service occupation classification and salary report as "insulting" to teachers.
A spokesman for the student group said yesterday that under the proposed salary scales in the report, the entry salary level for graduates with teacher training would drop more than seven per cent. But entry salaries for other types of graduates would rise. The students strongly criticised the report's attitude to the teaching profession and totally rejected it.
$56,000 profit made by FDB
The Fiji Development Bank's operating profit increased 44 per cent to $156,936 in the past trading year. But there would be no dividend for the Fiji Government which owned all the shares, a statement from the FDB said yesterday. Total revenue exceeded $1 million for the first time. It rose 40 per cent to $1,1000,000.
Sir John attacks Law Society
The Fiji Law Society came under fire from the Attorney-General, Sir John Falvey yesterday, for failing to discipline erring lawyers with the powers delegated to it for this purpose. Sir John tod the House of Representatives that the society's use of its disciplinary powers had been "most disappointing". And in answer to two opposition lawyers he replied that the society had never replied to a 1972 letter from him on a "very serious matter".
The Attorney-General's criticism came when the Government rejected Senate proposals for amendments to the Pharmacy and Poisons act that would membership of the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society compulsary for registered pharmacists and require wholesale pharmaceutical companies to employ qualified pharmacists in certain circumstances.
NLDC make take over two Fijian cane farm areas
Management of the Koronubu and Vesaru cane growing areas might be taken over by the Native Land Development Corporation, the Minister for Fijian Affairs and Rural Development, Ratu William Toganivalu said in the House of Representatives yesterday. The proposal was to operate through a company to be formed by Fijians who occupied farms in the area, he said.
A detailed proposal would go to the Native Land Trust Board for its approval about the middle of this month and the Fiji Development Bank had been asked to furnish finance.
Parul for junior quest
Parul Verma, 10, of Suva is one of the entrants in this year's inaugural Miss Hibiscus Junior quest , to be held as part of the Hibiscus Festival. Parul is sponsored by the Nehru Memorial Primary School. The Miss Hibiscus Junior quest will be part of the Youth rally on Thursday, September 2 in Albert Park and will be judged by Miss Hibiscus contestants. Youth Rally organiser Mr John Sami said yesterday that ten schools and youth organisations had sponsored entrants and that there was no limit to the number of girls who could take part. "The winner of the contest will be Queen for a Day," he said.