Global recognition

Favourite bottled water brand

FIJI Water is resoundingly Americans’ favourite bottled water brand, new data released by international survey and research firm, Morning Consult has announced. Based on net favorability rating, Poland Spring was the number one bottled water brand for consumers in the Northeast, while Ice Mountain tied Fiji Water for first in the Midwest, per Morning Consult...

Council records 119 complaints

The Consumer Council of Fiji (CCoF) has issued an alert for consumers against engaging with an electronics dealer that has amassed 119 complaints so far. While the complaints were against three separate businesses, Quantum Electronics, Computer Hub, and Vision Cyber Tech, are reportedly managed by the same individual. According to the council, the individual in...

Portable ECG devices

PROVIDING Fijians with the option to monitor their heart health from the comfort of their homes, the Spandan portable ECG device is now available in Fiji through Life Safe Investments. The pocket-sized 12-lead ECG machine can reportedly detect over 39 heart diseases and claims a 99.7 per cent accuracy rate to the traditional ECG machines...

Supermarket chain joins the fight against cancer

SHOWING their support in the fight against cancer, Extra Supermarket yesterday handed over a transperineal ultrasound machine to the Urology Clinic at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva. The P25 Diagnostic Color Doppler ultrasound system machine worth $170,000, will help early detection of prostate cancer in a process which is much faster and safer....

Focus on use of social media platforms by MSMEs

MICRO, small and medium enterprises in Fiji need to understand how to improve their presence online via various social media platforms. This was made known to 20 registered small micro and small business owners in an e-commerce training organised by Business Assistance Fiji general manager Ramesh Chand in Nadi yesterday. Mr Chand said social media...

Resort phases out single use plastics

Joining the tourism industry’s environmentally conscious move, Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa is slowly phasing out the use of plastic within the resort property. The sustainability program launched by resort this year aims to remove the use of single use plastic bottles from resort’s guest rooms and public areas. According to the resort, since...

Sustainable tourism

Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa are strengthening their sustainability initiatives to mark World Environment Day celebrations this week. The programs were designed for holidaymakers getting a chance to participate in the preservation of the resort’s environment. According to the hotel, the programs include the Coral Reef Restoration program, on-site herb garden at the Spa...

Minam elected as first vice chairman of ADFIAP

Fiji Development Bank’s chief executive officer Saud Minam has been elected as one of the three vice chairman of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP). The decision was made during the 46th Annual Meeting of ADFIAP held in Kazakhstan, from May 15 to 17. “The appointment of these three...

Service expansion

Asco Motors expects to have its new financial services division operational by early 2024. According to Asco Motors chief executive officer Ronald Kumar, the local Toyota dealership’s recently announced service expansion should be ready for customers by the first quarter of next year. Having a captive finance business would allow customers to procure financing for...

Support for young girls’ and women’s education

A team from Westpac has visited more than a hundred schools and universities across Fiji to promote the Westpac Women and Girls Education Grant program. The popular grant program is still open for applications for 2023 with a total of 30 grants being offered this year to help women and girls continue their studies or...

$3.3b money transfers

Digital financial services are increasingly being used across Fiji’s financial system, particularly in the market for digital payments. This is stated in the Financial Inclusion Annual Report for 2022 released by the Reserve Bank of Fiji. From January to December 2022, a total of $3.3 billion was transferred over 5.7 million transactions through internet banking,...

Peer-to-peer learning | Shaping a future focused on collaborative education

The inaugural Peer-to-Peer Learning Programme focusing on climate finance and resilience concluded with great success and a positive outcome, leaving participants inspired and motivated to continue their efforts in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The program brought together around twenty representatives from Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon...

Mobile money users

More women are registered as mobile money users than men in the country, reveals data in the Financial Inclusion Annual Report for 2022 released by the Reserve Bank of Fiji. The report states 84 per cent of Fijians had a bank account out of which 89.7 were males and 78.1 were females. According to the...

Platform to connect with the Fijian diaspora

A talanoa session that included deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Fiji’s diaspora in Aldershot, United Kingdom, served as a platform for him to connect with and update them on the achievement and plans of the Fiji Government. A statement from the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs, and Communications said a traditional welcome was accorded...

Overnight experience on popular floating property

Fiji’s newest tourist attraction, Seventh Heaven, has officially opened its exclusive overnight experience, the first of its kind for the world, located in the heart of the Mamanuca Group. A year after successfully attracting hundreds of international visitors to its $4 million floating property, guests now have an exclusive chance to spend a night, gaze...

Plea for a change | Bus company pleads for increase in school bus fare

A Nadi bus company owner is pleading for a change in the school bus fare system. In his National Budget submissions, Westbus (Nadi) Ltd managing director Ajay Kumar said Government should consider increasing bus fares. “In Fiji, the bus industry is privately owned and operated,” Mr Kumar said. “Overseas, the bus industry is operated by...

Technical mission focuses on two key areas

Fiji and Australia share a strong and enduring bilateral relationship underpinned by the Fiji Australia Vuvale partnership. The strength of this relationship was evident during a recent visit from the Australian Taxation office (ATO) to Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS). ATO director of international relations, capacity building and transparency Gabbrielle Jackson and assistant director...

Bank’s assistance gives a significant boost to school

Nuku District School has received a significant boost to its facilities thanks to a community project by Bank South Pacific (BSP). The project, conducted by BSP’s Nausori branch, involved the construction of roofing over the walkway areas from the classrooms to the washrooms and school canteen, repairs and maintenance of the washrooms and upgrade of...

Regional stakeholder consultation

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) will host a Regional Stakeholder Consultation at the Tokatoka Resort in Nadi next week from June 13-16. As the regional body mandated to promote and develop tourism in the Pacific, SPTO in partnership with the New Zealand Government will host a series of Regional Stakeholder Consultations to advance regional collaboration....

New strategic plan for Fiji’s tax administrator

The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) has unveiled its new strategic plan outlining the Service’s strategic priorities and roadmap for the 2023 to 2025 period. FRCS chief executive officer Mark Dixon said the new plan was designed to provide clear direction to all clients, customers and partners, and to highlight the service’s future actions...

An evening of history for council members

The Fiji New Zealand Business Council (FNZBC) hosted its members to a networking event last week to commemorate both Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna day and Girmit day. The cocktail event was held on June 2 at the Fiji Museum in Suva, allowing attendees the opportunity to absorb the historic knowledge held within the museum’s walls....

Vehicle dealer goes cashless

Fiji’s leading vehicle dealer Asco Motors has gone cashless in its effort to tap into the more-advanced mode of payments in a modern economy. Its chief executive Ronald Kumar says customers are adapting well to the system since the company started implementing the cashless payment system last week. “If you look at more advanced economies,...

Top recognition for resort

Turtle Island Resort, the all-inclusive private island located in Yasawa, has again been recognised for its exceptional hospitality service by scooping the prestigious 2023 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards. These awards placed the luxury five-star property among the best hotels worldwide and rank the resort as one of the top luxury and...

Women in agriculture: Only 11.2 per cent have savings account

Only 11.2 per cent of women involved in Fiji’s agriculture have savings account. While speaking at the launch of the Building Capacity for a Fair and Inclusive Organic Movement by the Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) in Nadi, Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Sashi Kiran said this indicated women’s contribution...

Prasad shares celebrations budgets

Approximately $155,000 was used on the National Economic Summit out of a budget of $360,000, says Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Biman Prasad. He made the comments while speaking at a budget consultation at Tavua College last week. “We are informing the public of what we are doing and where we are in...

Ex-NBCUniversal executive Joe Benarroch to join Twitter

(Reuters) -Former NBCUniversal executive Joe Benarroch will join Twitter on Monday, in a role focusing on business operations, he told Reuters. Benarroch said in an email that he was looking forward to working with the company’s team to “build Twitter 2.0 together.” “Welcome to the flock, @benarroch_joe! From one bird to the next,” tweeted incoming...

Return of Fiji Airways to ASPA ‘important’

The return of Fiji Airways as a member of the Association of South Pacific Airlines marks an important part of the regional body’s efforts to develop the aviation industry in the Pacific. ASPA general secretary David Tohi said Fiji Airways provided valuable insight into the industry that many of the regional airlines could learn from....

Vision for Leadership Fiji

Vision Investments Ltd has forged a new partnership with Leadership Fiji, an organisation aimed at assisting emerging leaders. The partnership was formally signed on June 2, 2023. Leadership Fiji chief executive officer Sharyne Fong said, “witnessing the progress that our country has made, we are finding a lot of our alumni are making a difference,...

650 aircraft orders made

About 650 orders of Boeing aircraft have been made by airlines in the Asia Pacific region, says Boeing Commercial Marketing managing director Asia Pacific Dave Schulte. “Our forecast shows across the region, about 650 new deliveries of airplanes and the majority of those will be for replacement of the older aircrafts,” he said. “If we...

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