Latest news with #FijiGovernment
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fiji Police investigating Commission of Inquiry report into appointment of sacked anti-corruption commissioner Barbara Malimali
Barbara Malimali says she wants to be able to protect Fiji from corrupt public officials. (X: Fiji Women) Photo: X/Fiji Women Fiji Police have commenced investigations into a Commission of Inquiry report on the appointment of the country's now sacked head of the anti-corruption office. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stood down Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) commissioner Barbara Malimali last month after a months-long inquiry was completed. Malimali was appointed as FICAC chief in September last year despite being under investigation by the anti-corruption office. Opposition figures at the time slammed it as "unbelievable" but the government backed her appointment. The 648-page inquiry report, prepared by the Commissioner of Inquiry and Supreme Court Judge David Ashton-Lewis, has rocked Rabuka's coalition government in recent weeks, with one political expert calling it a "full-blown crisis" . The report, which has now been leaked online, includes allegations not only against Malimali, but senior government officials and lawyers, including the nation's highest judicial officer and the head of the Law Society. Local media are reporting that the inquiry found a "systematic failure of integrity" across Fiji's governance and justice systems. They report that the inquiry states the appointment process for Malimali was "legally invalid" and "ethically reprehensible". Read more: Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu confirmed via a statement on Wednesday that investigations into the Commission of Inquiry Report findings commenced after the police received a formal letter of referral from President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalau. "A formal letter of referral was sent to the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, to investigate the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry and persons of interests, and where warranted, prosecution," he said. Tudravu said he has met with the FICAC acting Commissioner Lavi Rokoika, alongside senior Fiji Police officers "to discuss the specific areas of investigation to be undertaken by our respective institutions, to avoid duplication, and ensure efficiency of the investigation process". He has given his assurance for a thorough independent investigation by the team of senior investigators from the Criminal Investigations Department. "A Commission of Inquiry report into the appointment of Barbara Malimali as head of the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption has cost the country's Attorney-General Graham Leung his job, embroiled Fiji's Law Society in an acrimonious feud and exacerbated tensions in the governing coalition," Victoria University of Wellington's political science professor John Fraenkel wrote for the DevpolicyBlog on Tuesday. "The country's Chief Justice Salesi Temo is allegedly among those accused by the COI (though, at the time of writing, the report has not been publicly released). "Worryingly, given Fiji's history of coups in 1987, 2000 and 2006, military chief Jone Kalouniwai has visited the Prime Minister's office reminding the nation of his constitutionally-bequeathed responsibility for the 'wellbeing of Fiji and its people'." According to Fraenkel, the inquiry controversy comes at a critical juncture, with the Supreme Court due to rule on the legal status of the country's 2013 Constitution in August and with Fiji drawing closer to the next election, scheduled for 2026 or, at the very latest, February 2027.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Fiji DPM responds to concern over teacher shortages
Fiji's deputy prime minister says Fiji is losing teachers to Australia and New Zealand and can't afford to match pay to bring them back.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Officials issue warning over travel to popular tourist destination due to deadly disease: 'About half the world's population is now at risk'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways As travel enthusiasts continue to make plans for the summer, the United States Centers for Disease Control has placed the popular destination Fiji on advisory for dengue fever. What's happening? Updates from the World Health Organization pointed toward a recent surge in dengue cases in the Western Pacific, as of early April. Dengue fever, a sometimes-lethal virus carried by mosquitoes, is on the rise in a variety of countries, including Mexico, Canada, the United States, and much of the Caribbean, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, according to Travel and Tour World. The CDC has recommended wariness for all tourists in at-risk areas, and while travel remains officially unrestricted, the increase in dengue cases could take its toll on the tourism industry. In Fiji, the government has identified several outbreaks in the Western and Central Divisions, some of which have proven deadly. The Central Division alone has recorded over 1,000 dengue cases between January and late March, wrote the Fiji Government, and the latest March uptick "is above the expected [dengue] levels for the same period last year." "About half the world's population is now at risk for dengue with an expected 100-400 million infections occurring each year," the WHO added. Why is dengue fever important? Dengue can lead to flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pains, and nausea, and can prove fatal in severe cases. There is no cure for dengue, although in non-severe cases, acetaminophen and other over-the-counter pain medications can help. Since the 20th century, dengue outbreaks have only increased. The World Mosquito Program described 2024 as the "worst year for dengue on record." Based on historical patterns, dengue cases tend to rise after high rainfall and flooding, noted the Fiji Government. As our planet overheats under the duress of the changing climate, erratic weather patterns and extreme drought-flood cycles become more and more common. If we continue to release planet-warming gases into our atmosphere through industrial pollution, landfills, and other forms of pollution, dengue and other vector-borne illnesses will only thrive. What's being done about dengue fever? In order to avoid contracting dengue, the CDC has advised travelers to limit mosquito exposure in these at-risk regions of the world. Researchers are continuing to explore the link between the changing climate and dengue. One study established that unregulated trash accumulation and pollution made dengue cases more likely, as waste-filled shallow water makes for an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. By repurposing our waste to keep it out of landfills — and by avoiding overconsumption in the first place — we can mitigate dengue fever while making more eco-conscious choices. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
