January 2016 Llow Res

CITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKACITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKA

VOLUME 6 NO: 9 SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF FIJI WITH PASSION JANUARY 20, 2016 - FEBRUARY 20, 2016 PRICE: 50 CENTS

Sanjay Goundar

GOVERNMENT is contemplating on reducing the age criteria for enrollment of students into pre-schools and Year One. Speaking at the recent Ministry of Education organized public forum in Lautoka, Minister for Education Dr Mahendra Reddy informed that government plans to reduce the current enrollment age from five years to four years for all kindergarten students. While the enrollment age for Year 1 (Class 1) will be reduced from current six years to five years old. Dr Reddy stressed that children of this technological era are developing at a very fast pace and are well versed with todays high tech environment. Our children from a very young age before entering the school system are getting well versed with latest phone and computer gadgets.

With all this advancements the learning capacity of children is also getting enhanced at a much younger age. Therefore, we are now seriously planning to reduce the enrollment age at both preschool and Year 1 level, he informed. Minister Reddy added that despite criticisms government did not hesitate to bring back external examinations with standardized exam papers all prepared by the Ministry of Education officials. With none of the teachers involved in preparation of the external exam papers we have also significantly reduced possibilities of paper leakage. Also we will discontinue scaling of marks because we do not want to camouflage students and send them into the market. By removing scaling students have actually excelled and the raw marks clearly demonstrates the amount of work they have put into their studies, he stressed.

Soroptimist International Lautoka Club members assisting underprivileged students from around Lautoka with necessary school items. Photo: Sanjay Goundar Story: Page 6

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School age Reduction

McDonalds now inLautoka.Special Coverage onPages 10-11

[email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 www.epapergallery.com

CITY STAR - THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER FROM LAUTOKA

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THE Ministry for Health earlier this month has launched its Rheumatic Heart Diseases mobile clinic in efforts to improve diagnosis of RHD. Minister for Health & Medical Services, Jone Usamate while launching the mobile clinic at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa said that it would assist in the next phase of the RHD Control and Prevention Program for Fiji. This project provides 4 years of funding

Zareena Bi

IT is very heartening to know that the assistance being provided actually ends up in the right place and this is the case for Veleovelo Satsang Kirtan Ramayan Mandali members who helped Tanisha Raj, a year six student of Lomolomo Primary with her school essentials. The Mandali members visited the family in Lomolomo on January 16 and presented Tanisha with her school bag, stationeries and uniforms to start the new school year in high spirits. Tanishas father, Uday Raj is a diabetic patient and has lost both his feet due to amputation which has resulted in his family facing difficulties for the last three years . According to Tanishas very emotional mother Sarita Raj, she is overwhelmed with the assistance provided for her daughter as this is the first group to ever come forward to assist

Rheumatic fever is an illness commonly seen in children and young adults in Fiji that can lead to heart valve damage. RHD causes significant morbidity, disability and mortality through childhood and into early adulthood. The RHD Mobile Clinic has been custom built for undertaking echo-cardiograms of the heart. It contains a simple procedure that provides images of the heart and enables a specialist medical officer to detect cases of RHD, in some cases before there are symptoms.Minister Usamate added that the Mobile Clinic

to strengthen Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) initiatives with the aim of reducing the impact of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Fiji and builds on the initial work of the Fiji RHD control programme, established in 2005, providing a unique and new opportunity to fully integrate and establish RHD prevention and control activities at the highest level nationally, Minister Usamate said. Rheumatic Heart Disease is a common heart condition in Fiji. It follows streptococcal throat infections and rheumatic fever.

her daughter with her education needs. My daughter is a very bright student and I will always remember this day as this assistance is so unexpected. I have been very worried about how I will send Tanisha back to school as my job is not sufficient to sustain our familyso this assistance is indeed God sent. When our social situation was better we used to assist a lot of children in our family and maybe this is why our prayers have been answered. Meanwhile, the Velovelo Manadli has also assisted students in the previous years with their school essentials and they pledge to continue with this assistance. Mandali President, Sanjay Goundar informed that their members are passionate about helping needy students and apart from Tanisha they will assist other students this year.

will also be used to raise awareness on RHD. Funding for this Mobile Clinic was the direct result of a fundraising partnership between Cure Kids and Accor Hotels. Over the next four days, close to 400 children from local communities will be screened for RHD as part of an ongoing program of work assessing the feasibility of a RHD screening program.

Rheumatic heart mobile clinic launched

Minister for Health and Medical Service Jone Usamate at the launch of the Rheumatic Heart Disease mobile clinic in Nadi recently. Photo: Supplied

Velovelo Mandali helps Tanisha

Members of Velovelo Satsang Kirtan Ramayan Mandali assisting Lomolomo Public school class six student Tanisha Raj with her school needs. Photo: Zareena Bi



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Zareena Bi

AN invitation has been extended for students to attain their tertiary education at the Jamia Markaz Institute in Kerela, India. During Prophet Muhammeds (SAW) Birthday celebrations at the Maunatul Islam Associations Drasa Vitogo Mosque in Lautoka late last month, chief guest and the founder of Jamia Markaz Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed informed that places will be reserved for selected Fiji students and assistance will be provided for their education. More than 75,000 students have gone through our institute successfully attaining their qualifications in religious teaching as well as in the fields of communications technology, management, engineering and womens empowerment. Currently 25,000 students are studying at the Institute which is a safe haven for the poor and downtrodden and for orphans, as well as a centre for scholars. The Sheikh is a great visionary, scholar, educational reformer, social engineer and charismatic leader of Indian Muslims and he believes that value-based education, combining modern and religious aspects, is the present need of the Indian Muslims as crime daily increases.

He follows in the path of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his companions, by strict denunciation of Islamic radicals and his visit to Fiji during the Prophets birthday celebrations has been hailed as a spiritual blessing for the followers of Islam in the country. During the function he advocated the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (SAW) to the large crowd that gathered to listen and catch a glimpse of him. The Sheikh stressed that the followers of Islam should all have the love of the Prophet in their hearts and continue to recite his deeds and teachings so their daily lives are fulfilling and more enriched. Meanwhile, Jamia Markaz is the sole Islamic university in India enjoying equal status with Al-Azhar in Egypt, which has a legacy of 1,000 years of educational development in the Islamic world. Jamia Markaz is a vivid example of an effective implementation of a dream about the future and the Sheikhs leadership reflects the courage to dream big and create a grand vision, building trust in people by his initiatives. In essence, any history of the educational and social advancement of Kerala Muslims would be incomplete without mention of Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed.

Female Muslim devotees during the Prophet Mohammeds birthday celebration at the Drasa Vitogo Mosque

National Speaker of Maunatul Islam Association of Fiji Faizal Koya (left) with the visit-ing delegation from the Jamia Markaz of Kerala, India. Photos: Maika Kasami.

Maunatul Islam Association of Fijis National President Yusuf Manu with founder of Jamia Markaz Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed of Kerala during the Prophet Mohammed

birthday celebration in Lautoka

Fiji students invited to study at Indias Islamic Institute

LAUTOKA CITY COUNCIL [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 www.epapergallery.com


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2016 RATE LEVY

In compliance with section 72 of the Local Government ACT, Cap. 125 notice is hereby given that the council in pursuance to Part IX of the said Act has struck the following rates (V.A.T exclusive) for the year 2016 and will be levied on the unimproved capital value (UCV) of all rateable land within the Lautoka City Council Municipal boundary:

General Rates 0.8592 cents in the dollar Special Rates 0.6669 cents in the dollar Agricultural Rates 0.185 cents in the dollar

Please note that the above rate levies are subject to 9% Value Added Tax (V.A.T) DISCOUNT RATE

A 5% discount is offered only for full payment of 2016 rates from 1st January 2016 to 31st January 2016. CASHIERS OPENING HOURS (Jan 1st Jan 31st 2016 Monday to Friday 8.00am to 5.00pm Saturdays 8.00am to 1.00pm

Dated at Lautoka this 29th Day of December, 2015

JONE NAKAUVADRA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Maika Kasami

ATTORNEY General and Minster for Finance Aiyaz Sayed-Kaiyum says the $23million investment made by the P. Meghji Group of Companies to build a luxurious hotel at Shirley Park is very timely and historic for Lautoka City. The ground breaking ceremony for the state of the art seven storey hotel was recently done in the presence of the P.Meghji family, invited guests, dignitaries and the chief guest, Mr. Kaiyum. Mr Kaiyum said with the hotel built plus other major developments taking place in Lautoka, it will certainly change the image of the Sugar City. This is of-course a very historic occasion. Lautoka as you know for a number of years if I am to be corrected may be a couple of decades have not seen a new hotel. The room inventory in this city has been very low. The ability of this city to host international events, to host even national events is also very limited. And as it has been highlighted by the special administrator of Lautoka that a number of projects are on foot at the moment that will actually culminate in positioning Lautoka in a much better place to be able to say to the rest of Fiji and of-course to the outside world that it has the capacity to hold a number of events.Mr. Kaiyum believes the building of the new hotel will generate and create competition within the market. Obviously, competition will be created and generated because of this new hotel, so people themselves are going to compete to try and maintain a position within the market. And this is what we are here to do to provide that level playing field and to have that level of competition in the market that ultimately benefits businesses and also benefits the consumers. It benefits ordinary Fijians, it benefits people who want to come to Fiji and have a range of choices. P.Meghji director Mr. Romit Meghji said

Nakauvadra thanked the directors of P.Meghji for this milestone achievement as it will no doubt change the economic and physical landscape of Lautoka. The project will be a hallmark in Lautoka and is an indication of the confidence of the company for both local government and central government.

the Shelly Park Hotel project will add a new and colorful dimension to the changing shoreline in the Sugar City. He said despite the hurdles of oppositions and the deliberate go slow tactics, they were glad that things have fallen into place for the project to actually get off the ground.Lautoka City Special Administrator Mr. Jone

We are confident that this project will encourage other hoteliers and businesses to come on board and work with the council for the betterment of our city particularly in the promotion of Lautoka as an ideal tourist destination, Mr. Nakauvadra said.

P. Meghji Hotel timely for Lautoka

Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum (middle), Minister for Local Government Praveen Bala (left), LCC CEO Jone Nakauvadra (2nd from right) with P Meghji Group directors during the ground breaking ceremony of the new multi-million dollar resort in Lautoka.

Photo: Sanjay Goundar

LAUTOKA CITY COUNCIL [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 www.epapergallery.com


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Sanjay Goundar

THE Lautoka City Council has achieved a major milestone after being rewarded the best municipality in the Clean and Green Towns Competition for the fourth consecutive year. This annual event organized by the Ministry of Local Government was held at Suvas Civic Centre on December 22 last year. LCC won in the large municipalities category competing against eastern municipal giants Suva City Council, Nausori Town Council and Nasinu Town Council. Council chief executive officer Jone Nakauvadra informed that to win four years in a row is not easy as competition is getting tougher. He revealed that the whole idea of the competition is for councils to improve the general hygiene of towns and cities. Mr Nakauvadra pointing out that winning four years in a row is a testimony of the collective effort of all Lautoka people including ratepayers, business owners, citizens and the council employees. This winning trophy is for the people of Lautoka and the council remains indebted for this collective support. The council also won the 3R Composting competition organized by JICA few weeks before this competition. These awards really consolidates that Lautoka is truly a city of champions and 2015 overall was a marvelous year for our city in various ways. I would like to thank the citizens of Lautoka for keeping Lautoka clean and green and look forward to their continuous support in 2016, Nakauvadra emphasized.

Sanjay Goundar

THE City of Lautoka bid farewell to 2015 in a very spectacular fashion. Hundreds of citizens gathered at Narara Parade to be part of the street party organized by the Lautoka City Council on December 31 last year. A range of musical and dancing performances kept people on their toes as they danced in jubilation to welcome 2016. According to Lautoka City Council chief executive officer Jone Nakauvadra lots of preparation was done for this street party which turned out to be one of the best since the inception of the street jam in Lautoka. Mr Nakauvadra revealed that apart from the top Bollywood and Hollywood music, live performances by the Via ni Tebara band, DJ Pranil and the Wow Dance group were the main highlight of the night. Actually we provided a very balanced entertainment for all the music lovers of Lautoka who turned up for the street party. Not at a single point was our program boring and the presence of people in large numbers beyond midnight was a testimony of the success of this street party. The council is very thankful to all our live performers for putting up a brilliant show for our citizens. We also assure our citizens that come December 31, 2016 the city of Lautoka will be enthralled with another magnificent street jam, he informed.

Four Year in a Row

Lautoka farewell 2015 in style

LCC CEO Jone Nakauvadra with council employees responsible for keeping the streets of Lautoka clean after winning the Best Municipality award in the Clean & Green Towns Competition. Photo: Sanjay Goundar

People of Lautoka enjoying themselves during the New Years street party organized by Lautoka City Council on December 31, 2015.

Photo: Sanjay Goundar

DENGUE FEVER- BE WISE ACT NOW !!

Please take preventative measures to prevent any outbreak of Dengue fever:

Clean environment by destroying any articles or containers likely to retain water and breed mosquitoes such as tyres, drums, tins etc.

Change water in flower vases and pot plants on regular basis. Cover all water storage containers. Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of councils user pay service of refuse

collection by paying nominal fees. Keep compounds free from overgrowth of grass and bush weeds that is likely to harbor

mosquitoes. Guard against mosquito bites. Sleep under mosquito net, apply insect repellants and use

anti mosquito coils.

Remember that the last dengue outbreak early this year resulted in more than 20,000 dengue fever cases and claimed 13 lives in Fiji.

Residents are advised that breeding mosquitoes is an offence and in contravention of Section 109 of the Public Health Act Cap 111. Offenders will be liable for legal proceedings without any further warning.

NOTE: Anti-mosquito spraying is only one of the preventative measures to kill adult mosquitoes but to eradicate the spread of Dengue Fever- REDUCTION AT SOURCE by

destroying breeding grounds is the best solution.

ITS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KILL MOSQUITOES BEFORE THEY KILL YOU !!!

LETS JOIN HANDS IN KEEPING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND LAUTOKA CITY CLEAN, HEALTHY AND DENGUE FREE !!!



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PUBLISHER : SANJAY GOUNDAR : PH: 9960 129/ 8493 057 T/A : WESTERN MEDIA ENTERPRISES EDITOR : MAIKA KASAMI : PH: 9189 779 EMAILS: [email protected] / [email protected] MANAGER: ZAREENA Bi : PH: 9322 621 WEB : www.epapergallery.com/citystar OFFICE : 15 TUKANI STREET, LAUTOKA Follow us on facebook with daily updates : CitySTAR-NewspaperPOSTAL ADDRESS : PO Box 4230, Lautoka Printed by: Universal Print

EDITORIAL - January tough for parents IF parents had not been saving up for the start of the new school year then they would certainly feel the pinch whilst doing their Back to School shopping. Reports have revealed that the month of January is usually very challenging for parents or for any parent or guardian for that matter as they have to dig deep into their pockets to cater for the school needs of their children. This is due to the fact that weve have just turned our backs on the festive period namely Diwali, Christmas and New Year where as a norm the expenditure level is very high living

us with very limited or sometimes no cash in hand at all. Those that may have one child attending school will be somewhat lucky provided the parents are earning enough. However, those having more than one child in a household will certainly suffer if their parents are not earning reasonably to be able to cater for their children. Consumer Council of Fijis Premila Devi whilst praising the government of the days move to reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on certain items from 15percent to 9percent said in a television interview that the onus was on

the parents to battle all odds and deliver for the sake of their childrens future. With January being the toughest month, she said parents will need to spend wisely on their childrens need as notably there are fixed commitments for any household to pay for other expenses such as water bill, electricity bill etc. On the other hand the current government should be applauded for their foresight in introducing the free bus fares and free school fees initiative as from 2015 after winning the general election in 2014. This has greatly reduced the burden on parents and they now dont have to worry about

sending their children to school for education. Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy during the recent consultations around the country revealed that toddlers as young as 4-years old will be granted permission to attend kindergarten. Reddy and his ministry have also urged parents to refrain from holding their children back at home but to urge them to attend school in an effort to build a knowledgeable society.We wish all the children Happy Schooling.

Maika KasamiEditorial.

Zareena Bi

IT is time once again for thousands of students in the country to either start fresh at their schools or to resume their studies after the holidays and parents have the mammoth task of fulfilling the requirements of school essentials

for their children. This is also the point in time when various non-governmental organizations swing into action to try and assist the needy children in their school needs bringing a sense of relief for parents. Soroptimist International Lautoka Club organized their largest assistance to students this year as compared to other years by assisting fifteen students from various schools

around Lautoka. Students were assisted with books, stationeries and uniforms. During the presentation to the students on January 16 at Marine Drive in the presence of SI members, parents and well wishers, the reigning Miss Sugar Queen, Neha Narayan encouraged the students to study hard at school.Ms Narayan who has joined SI Lautoka club as a member this year reminded the students to always remember the assistance that they have received through the club. Always remember this day as today you have received a very important aid and also make a pledge to yourselves today that you will return this favor to someone else later in your lives. I also wish to remind parents to provide the necessary support and guidance to your children so they can achieve their goals. Meanwhile, for SI out of the seven program areas, education is the area which is given a lot of prominence and Lautoka Club conducts projects and programs throughout the year to advocate the importance of education. Also, the club works closely with the Ministry of Education to align their projects and programs to be effective and beneficial for

the students.

Avenues for education for the needy

SI Lautoka members presenting school essentials to one of the 15 recipients

SheenalSwasti, year five student of Gurukul Primary.

Photo; Sanjay Goundar

SI Lautoka Treasurer Ranjini Sanjay presenting school stationary items to

MaciuNacama, year 11 student of Lautoka Muslim College.



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Sanjay Goundar

A Lautoka based religious organization has adopted a unique concept of rewarding its members for enhancing their knowledge towards religion. For the first time ever the Bhakti Marag Ramayan Kirtan Sanatan Mandali organized an annual awards night where members were rewarded in different categories on January 10. According to Mandali Secretary Kailash Pillay in the past 12 years of the organisations existence numerous members have contributed immensely towards its growth. Mr Pillay informed that the Mandali

therefore decided that it is now appropriate to initiate an annual awards program to recognize members for their tireless efforts. This awards night is also to encourage fellow members to improve their singing, discipline, attendance, leadership qualities, playing musical instruments and overall promoting unity and togetherness in them. It is also to encourage the young children to take keen interest in religious activities and help improve their human values with pride and dignity, he informed. Master Pillay revealed that out of the 20 members a number of them were rewarded with certificates, gold medals, religious books

and trophies. He added that the inaugural awards night was very successful with 100 percent attendance from the members. We are planning to organize a much better and bigger awards ceremony with more variety of awards next year. Apart from this our Mandali is also involved in sponsoring needy students, helping medical patients, providing meals at the Golden Age Home annually along with spreading the gospel of Ramayana and Shri Bhagwatam. One of the best qualities of our group is that our Mandali is the only one in the west which has no association to kava drinking

during any of our sittings or functions and we encourage other Mandalis to do the same, he stressed. Meanwhile, all awards were sponsored by the following people:Certificates - LICI Agent Mr. Rajesh KumarMedals - Master Kailashs Kirtan GroupBooks - Yaadein Vision GroupRefreshments & Dinner was sponsored by Mr. Arvind Kumar of Lautoka Auto Mechanical Services

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY SIVAM & COMPANY LIMITED

Bhakti Marag Ramayan Kirtan Mandali members with their spoils after their inaugural awards night.

Most outstanding young talent of the Bhakti Marag Ramayan Mandali, Kartik Pillay

receiving his awards from Chief Guest Pundit Davendra Naidu.

Photos: Sanjay Goundar

Mandali rewards members

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Brass Peacock Diya with ring (Available in assorted sizes)



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Zareena Bi

CHRISTMAS is that magical time of the year that brings about a lot of excitement and anticipation for everyone but it is usually children who await the celebrations most eagerly and look forward for gifts and goodies. Unfortunately, during this season some children end up in the hospital due to health issues and spend their Christmas in hospital beds. Keeping this fact in mind staff of Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) in the West collectively organized Christmas presents for the children at the Lautoka Hospital childrens ward and visited the ward on Christmas Eve to present the gifts. The visit was led by the Human Resources Team and team members from the other division also joined in to sing Christmas Carols for the Children while presenting the gifts. The children were delighted to receive

the presents and the parents who were present thanked the FEA employees for taking out their time for their children. A few children who had come to the hospital for their reviews also received their gifts with delight. According to the sister-in charge of the Childrens ward Setaita Bulai the gesture by the FEA staff made the parents and children forget their problems for a short while. We are thankful to the team for creating a very lively atmosphere for the children and parents. Lautoka Hospital is the Hub for the western division and we get referrals from all the other hospitals in the west so most of these patients are quite a distance away from their homes. Time is the most valuable gift that you can give on such a busy day like Christmas Eve and the FEA team has done that to show that they care.

Sanjay Goundar

THE owners of Lautoka based renowned bookshop, Universal Office Supplies have embarked on a humanitarian venture of assisting the less fortunate members of our society. In the past the company has assisted a number of school students with their educational needs plus has provided timely donations to Christian and Hindu religious bodies. However, recently the company organized one of their biggest fundraising events to assist a disabled resident of the Koroipita Model Home in Lautoka. Satish Chand for the last number of years has been moving around in a wheelchair and to earn a living for himself was begging on the streets of the city until the Social Welfare Department stopped him from begging. According to the Director of Universal Office Supplies Ronald Ritesh they came to the rescue of Chand as he was left with no source of income. The company organized a major Bhajannite in Lautoka where two prominent singers Anmol Chand and Ajesh Chand performed. Minister for Education Doctor Mahendra Reddy who was the chief guest at this fundraising event commended the efforts put in place by the company to assist an unfortunate member of the society. Dr Reddy stressed that it is very important that people who can afford a decent standard of living also generously assist the less unfortunate ones. Mr Ritesh informed that the Bhajannite was very successful and majority of the money raised was handed over to Mr Chand. He stressed that they hope the money will provide some sort of relief to Chand with his medical and household needs.

Happy Diwali & aProsperous New Yearto all

Spent and get a GiftCollins 2016 Diary also on Sale

Universal assists disabled

Minister for Education Dr Mahendra Reddy (left) officiates at the BhajanNite with Mr Ronald Ritesh and Ajesh Chand

Unaisi Vakaciriwaqa and Bhavna Chand of FEA HR Lautoka presenting gifts to one of the patients at the Lautoka Hospital Childrens ward on Christmas Eve.

Photo: Zareena Bi

Koroipita resident Satish Chand who has been assisted from the funds raised from the BhajannNite.


FEA Staff spread Christmas cheers

BACK TO SCHOOL [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 www.epapergallery.com


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ITS that time of the year once again when parents explore all possible avenues to adequately equip their children for the new school year. It normally becomes a major hassle for consumers to look for cheaper and quality school items from different shopping outlets. However, one of the countries leading departmental stores Meenoos is the one stop shop for your entire school items. Whether it isschool uniforms, bags, shoes and general stationery item including books you will find it all at any of the nine Meenoos outlets Fiji wide.

This fact was cemented with jam pack customers at all Meenoos shops prior to the beginning of the 2016 school year. According to a number of customers interviewed the main reason for shopping at Meenoos was the availability of all school items under one roof with very affordable prices. Customers also commended about the high quality of school uniforms, bags and shoes sold at their outlets in Lautoka, Ba, Tavua, Nadi, Sigatoka, Rakiraki and Labasa. Company Operations Head MonilParmar informed that the beginning of the 2016 school

year has been an extremely busy one for them.Mr Parmar revealed that they anticipated customer turnout in huge numbers at all their outlets because of their massive back to school specials. As expected we had parents and students coming in large numbers to buy school items from our stores and we ensured that adequate supply was available to meet the demand. This year we also had numerous non-governmental organisations buying school items from us to assist underprivileged school children. We are very thankful to majority parents

and good Samaritans who chose Meenoos as their ideal choice for their back to school shopping and we have done our utmost best to provide them good quality products at a very affordable price range, he added. Meanwhile, the parent company of MeenoosHansraj& Company Limited recently invested $1.5million on their departmental store in Nadi called the Next Gen Shop. The first floor of the shop in main street Nadi was recently opened to the members of the public.

Meenoos draws back to school crowd

Customers buying top quality school uniforms from Meenoos Lautoka shop. Book and other stationery items at a very reasonable price at all Meenoos branches Fiji wide was a delight for parents. Photos: Sanjay Goundar

Congratulations to McDonalds on opening of their State of Art Restaurant in Lautoka

We are Proud to be the Main Contractors of the State of Art new McDonalds Lautoka Restaurant



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McDonalds Lautoka Opening [email protected] JANUARY 20, 2016 www.epapergallery.com


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We are Proud to be associated with McDonalds Fiji as their Electrical Services Contractor Fijiwide

Zareena Bi

THE opening of McDonalds state of art restaurant in Lautoka late last month is a hallmark of things to come for our countrys second largest city. Speaking at the opening ceremony chief guest, Prime Minister Rear Admiral Voreqe Bainimarama stressed that the decision to open this restaurant was made because Lautokas growth has been recognized as sustainable and continuing. My Government is also keen that Fijis second largest city has the right infrastructure and amenities. McDonalds currently operates three other restaurants in Fiji one in downtown Suva, one in Laucala Bay and one in Nadi. So it is only fitting that a location in Lautoka be opened, as this city is also home to over 50,000 Fijians. If you want to host national events, you need to ensure that you have enough places of entertainment, shopping and eatery facilities. That is why the opening of McDonalds is very timely and fits into the current modernization

of Lautoka City. The Prime Minister also spoke about the multiple benefits of the restaurants benefit to Lautokas economy and especially providing employment to the youths. Upon its opening, 70 new staff will be employed, many of whom are young adults and first time employees. These Fijians will not only receive full and part-time employment, they will also undergo intensive training and learn valuable skills in the service industry. Fostering engagement and productivity among our young people is a major priority for my Government. McDonalds currently employs more than 250 people throughout Fiji. Meanwhile, for the people of Lautoka McDonalds modern technological features with free Wi-Fi and electrical outlets to charge laptops and smart phones, combined with childrens play area has the potential to become an important gathering place for the community.

McDonalds comes to Lautoka



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PEEKAYSWHERE FASHION IS CREATED

Back to School for TeachersLatest Arrival of Formal Skirts, Tops & Dresses for Teachers

Shop 1: 25 Naviti Street, Lautoka Shop 2: 7 Yasawa Street, Lautoka Phone: 6666 292 Phone: 6663 464

Also Stockist of all Back to School Items



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Prashneel R. Goundar

LecturerSchool of Communication, Language & LiteratureCollege of Humanities and EducationFiji National University

THE beauty of the world is its enhancement each moment by intellectual thinkers in various fields. The thinking ability of these individuals has led to the construction of such monuments that are credited as the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The objective of this article is to examine the Modern wonders at a glance. First on the list is the Empire State Building which is located in New York City, United States of America. According to the website Unmuseum (2011), the total cost of construction was $40, 948, 900 and it was completed in 1931. Furthermore, it states that it has a total of 102 floors with a height of 1,454ft. This vibrant building has stayed on as the Worlds tallest building for 42 years. In 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers chose it as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. One of the first movies to feature the building was the 1933 movie King Kong. The world all over recognizes its flood lights display in the evening, as a sight worth seeing. Next on the list is the Panama Canal located in Panama, Central America. Unmuseum (2011), states that the canal opened on 15thAugust 1914. The total cost of this was USD$375 million and its total length is of 48 miles or 77 kilometres. The first attempt to build the canal was not American but actually the French in 1880. Hindrance to their construction work was caused by jungle diseases such as malaria and dengue fever which led the French to give up their attempt with a total of 22, 000 lives lost in the process up till 1889 (Unmuseum, 2011). When the Americans took over they have found solution to the mosquito borne diseases and they changed the architectural design to have the inclusion of locks. A total of 56,307 people were employed during the American period and the total number of causalities due to the accidents stood at 5,609. Moreover, it was in 1994 that the American Society of Civil Engineers named it as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It still remains as one of the most amazing engineering feats of the 20th century (Unmuseum, 2011). The third wonder to be highlighted is The Channel Tunnel which links Folkestone and Britain,to Calais and France. It is 31.35 miles (50.45km) in length and after eight years of construction it was finished on 6th May 1994 at a cost of $21 billion. A tunnel boring machine was used to cut a round passage through the earth by using a disc-like head with tungsten teeth that rotated to break up the rock (Unmuseum, 2011).The project used eleven boring machines, each of which were the length of two football fields with a capacity of chewing through 250 feet of rock a day. The Channel Tunnel remains one of the largest construction works in the history of mankind and in 1996 it was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. To continue, fourth on the list is The CNN Tower which is located in Toronto, Canada that stands tall at a height of 1,815.4ft (553.33m) at the antenna. The cost of construction was $63 million and it opened its doors on 26 June 1976. The Unmuseum website (2011) states

worth noting that the Golden Gate Bridge is the longest Suspension Bridge in the world (Unmuseum, 2011). Also, the two towers are the highest ever to be built for a suspension bridge. The second last on the list to be discussed is The Itaipu located at Parana River between Brazil and Paraguay that opened on 5 May 1984. It is made up of concrete and steel on the main side with earth and rock on side of the dams. Its length is of 4.8 miles (7.2km) and stands tall at a height of 738 ft (225m) which cost $18 billion. More than 40,000 workers were required to build the dam and most of them were recruited from Brazil but sadly 149 of them lost their lives during the construction (Unmuseum, 2011). It is further stated that in 2008, the Itaipu dam generated a total of 94,684 megawatts which is the largest amount of power ever produced by a single dam. According to Unmuseum website (2011), this electricity supplies Paraguay with almost 90 percent of its power and Brazil with around 25

that the emergency staircase up the interior of the tower is the longest in the world with 2,579 steps that go to the top of the sky pod area. It further elaborates that the stair case is closed to the public however, twice a year it is used for charity stair-climbing events. To add on, as of 2011, it remains as the highest tower in the western hemisphere (Unmuseum, 2011). In addition, close to 2 million visitors visit the tower annually and in 1995, it was declared as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The fifth of the wonders to be discussed is the Golden Gate Bridge which in 1994, the American Society of Civil Engineers named as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. The Bridge has a length of 8,981 feet (2,737m) and cost $35 million to be built. It is located at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, California which was finished on 27 May 1937. On the opening day, close to 200,000 people walked, ran or rollerskated over the bridge. It is also

percent. Finally, to conclude the article, the last wonder is the Zuiderzee Works and the Delta Works located in Netherlands, Europe. The Zuiderzee was completed in 1967 $710 million) and after 30 years the Delta works ($7 billion) was completed in 1997. The Unmuseum (2011), states that due to the rising water levels caused by global warming, it will continue to need construction to protect the area. According to Softschools website (2015), the concrete used to build the Delta Works has a guarantee of 200 years and also has 16,000km of dams.This article has provided a brief look at the Seven Wonders of the Modern world and further readings by individuals will lead to the appreciation of each of these wonders.

(DISCLAIMER: These are the views of the author and not that of this newspaper.)

A Glance at the Seven Wonders of the Modern World



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T O W A R D S E X C E L L E N C E I N L E A R N I N G A N D K N O W L E D G E C R E A T I O N

LAUTOKA CAMPUS

CAREGIVING FUNDAMENTALSThe USP Lautoka Campus is pleased to announce its first offering of the training course, Caregiving Fundamentals for 2016.

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Successful students will be awarded a Certificate of Completion from USP and First Aid/CPR Certificate from Fiji Red Cross Society.

Day Cluster

1 February 2016 18 March 2016 Duration: 7 weeks Time: 9am to 2pm Venue: USP Lautoka Campus

Evening Cluster

1 February 2016 1 April 2016 Duration: 9 weeks Time: 5pm 8pm Venue: USP Lautoka Campus

Fees: $900 (Cash, installments, Cheque or can be assisted by FNPF)

Minimum admission requirements: Must be 18 years and over; FJC pass in English or has good command of spoken and written English. Submit the application with a copy of birth certificate and two (2) passport photos.

We only have 20 places per class to apply early to secure your place.

To obtain the enrolment form and for further information, contact Rajendra Singh, tel: 6666800; fax: 6667133 or email: [email protected] or Babita Sharma, email: [email protected] or enquire at the USP Lautoka Campus, Western House,

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27/9/16 2/12/16 10

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To obtain enrolment form and for further information, contact: Rajendra Singh, tel: 6666800; fax: 6667133 or email: [email protected] or Babita Sharma, email: [email protected] or enquire at the USP Lautoka Campus,

Western House, corner of Vidilo Street, Lautoka



15

chats, I find they all seem to echo the same

thing: that the player must excel in managing their own self. It sounds pretty easy doesnt it? In everyday life we make simple decisions that will affect our life, eating, drinking, sleeping etc. You have a decision to make, either do it or dont, each with its own positive and negative consequence. Its the same with rugby. Players have the choice on how good they can be. Each decision they make having a positive or negative consequence. And I am not just talking about the decisions they make during trainings or games, but also the decisions they make off the field too.

If you train hard and stick to your goals surely this means you will be a successful player. I am sure most people would agree that it is the small things that you do right which will make a huge difference. For example; eating right, stretching, turning up on time, asking questions and being focused at training are some of the small things you need to do right to develop the edge. It all seems so easy, but it is not. Players should think of and apply this quote: No one in the world prepares and trains as well as I do. If they can think this, and follow through with conviction, then they are on the right road to developing the edge. So why do players find

this difficult? Quite simply- our players have

never really been coached to do this at a young age. What is managing own self? (I got this from the New Zealand Curriculum and re-worded it to adapt to a rugby environment) It is associated with self-motivation, a can-do attitude, and

Osea Umuumulovo

(Former Fiji Rugby Union senior rugby development officer, video analyst and rugby consultant)

The opponent in your head is more daunting than the one the other side of the

net. Wouldnt it be great if all the players felt 100% physically and mentally before game? I could not imagine too many coaches have the luxury of this. The players need to feel they can make on impact on the game and be ready all cylinders firing. I am going to give you my

thoughts on how to develop the edge in players and how we as coaches can influence that and

need to develop the edge too. From people I have been in contact with through conferences, courses and one on one

with players willing to be learners. Players who manage themselves are enterprising, reliable, and resilient. They establish personal goals, make plans, self-assess and set high standards. They have strategies for challenges. They know when to lead, when to follow, and when and how to act independently.

How do we as coaches develop this in our players?As you can imagine it is quite a challenging task, however, what you can do is make them aware of it and give them the stepping-stones to become good at it.Again, these are my thoughts on developing the edge in players and you may not necessarily agree, but this is how I believe it can be achieved.

Firstly ask, what is your dream? What is your ultimate goal?At first you will find players that will not

know. It is a classic situation that either they do not want to tell you their dream, as it could be something they are embarrassed about sharing. Also, they do not really believe they can achieve it or they have never really thought about (which is a lie). Once we can get this out of them we need to value his/her dream and do as much as possible to help them achieve this and start to build their self-confidence.

It is very important that we create the right environment for the players to achieve their dream or goal. Here are some of my thoughts: Give the athletes the opportunity to

experience their limits Encourage the right choices

Take each athlete out of their comfort

zones

Decision Making under pressure and

fatigue Basic Core skills

Strive for excellence in each individual

Help, congratulate, and listen.

Be prepared to stand back and trust

players ability and let them do their job. Talk to them about things outside of

rugby. You do not need to be their best

friend but you should know who they are, where they come from and what makes them who they are. As a coach you need the players to buy in to managing their own selves and be committed to it. A survey was done on Olympic athletes and these are the four qualities they wanted their coaches to have: Integrity

Fairness

Honesty

Moral Courage

You would have to agree that an athlete will really only listen to a coach that they respect, they may not necessarily agree with them all the time, but they respect their expertise and demeanor. Coaches must gain this respect from their players. I know I have a couple of coaches that I never really listened to because they never had those four qualities, if any. The ones that did though, I sat back and tried to hang onto their every word. *This is Part 1 of the authors contribution. We will have Part 2 in our February issue.*(DISCLAIMER: These are the views of the author and not that of this newspaper.)

DEVELOPING THE EDGE IN PLAYERS AND COACHES

Vodafone Fiji 7s coach Ben Ryan talks to his players during the Gold Coast 7s. Photo: Supplied.



16

Source: WorldRugby

FANS of Japans Brave Blossoms can now look forward to watching the Asian countrys sevens team in action during the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in April, with Japan officially named as the wild

card team in the 16-nation tournament. The reigning Asian Games champions, who secured an automatic berth for the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning the Asia Rugby Sevens Qualifier in Hong Kong in November, joins the

15 core teams - Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa and Wales on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit which stops over in Singapore on 16/17 April.

The Sevens World Series is the worlds top tournament for sevens sides in terms of speed, power, skill, tactics and

game management, said head coach Tomohiro Segawa in Tokyo.

At the Singapore Sevens, as Asias representative in an Asian country, we want to beat the top teams. Argentina was the runner-

Source: WorldRugby

VETERAN sevens specialist Tim Mikkelson will captain the All Blacks Sevens for the remaining eight rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Mikkelson replaces Scott Curry who suffered a season ending shoulder injuring at the Dubai Sevensin December. Tims a top player with many seasons of experience and has some great leadership qualities, said head coach Gordon Tietjens. He knows the game inside out so Im confident he has what it takes to lead the team over the rest of the season. Tims got huge respect from all the players and I know there will be plenty of support for him. It was a real blow to lose Scott in Dubai, but its great we have someone as experienced as Tim to step in. Mikkelson (29) has been a standout performer in the side since making his debut at the South Africa Sevens in 2007. The veteran of 56 World Series tournaments has scored more tries than any other New Zealand sevens player and is currently seventh highest try scorer in

up at last months Cape Town Sevens and Kenya finished among the top four, so we want

to qualify for the Cup and our target is a top four finish in Singapore.

Already, the first two legs of the World

Rugby Sevens series have seen a few upsets and rugby fans will be hoping that the Japanese sevens squad can spring a surprise or two in Singapore. In the opening Dubai Sevens last month, the United States clinched a monumental first

series win over New Zealand in the group stage and progressed to the quarter-finals where they

dumped defending Dubai Sevens champions South Africa out of the tournament. USA then stunned New Zealand Sevens 31-12 in the bronze play-off in Dubai. More upsets were recorded a week later at the Cape Town Sevens as Argentina beat 12-time World Rugby Sevens Series champions New Zealand 22-19 in the quarter-finals and

edged out Kenya 24-22 in a thrilling semi-final

to qualify for their first series final.

Rugby and sports fans will no doubt remember Japans exploits at last years Rugby World Cup in England where they lighted up the tournament with three sensational wins including the heart-stopping last-minute 34-32 upset of South Africa.

World Series history. His outstanding form in 2013 saw him named the World Rugby (then IRB) Sevens Player of the Year. Its an honour to be given the responsibility to lead the team for the rest of the World Series, said Mikkelson. Ive got big shoes to fill, but weve got a great pool of experienced players who will all be helping out. Its a really exciting year ahead for sevens and were looking forward to playing in Wellington as its the only time we play in front of our home fans. Were really hoping theres a big turnout as its a huge year for us and we love the support we get in the capital. Were certainly working hard after the challenging start to the season and hope to turn things around with a great performance in Wellington. The All Blacks Sevens are currently seventh in the World Series. The Wellington Sevens kicks off on 30 January and the All Blacks Sevens play Scotland, South Africa and Russia in pool play.

Japan 7s in wild card entry Mickkelson to captain NZ 7s team

The Japan 7s team will be a wild card entry during the Singapore 7s. Photos: Supplied

DJ Forbes (middle) and Sonny Bill Williams (right) train with the New Zealand 7s team in readiness for the Wellington and Sydney 7s.



17

CONTACT : Sanjay Goundar or Maika Kasami I Phone: 996 0129/ 918 9779 I Emails: [email protected], [email protected]

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Maika Kasami

THE Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast 7s tournament continues to grow in stature as one of the most looked forward events and one of the toughest competitions on earth. With the lucrative $40,000 on offer for both the mens and womens divisions, it is no wonder that the organizers only accommodate the top local clubs from around the country in the tournament. The idea of including teams from abroad is a bonus as they bring variations in their style of play. This year Tonga, Germany, the Aussie Thunderbolts and the Serevi Select from the United States were part of the three-day tournament at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. Also the initiative to have international sevens ambassadors is another contributing factor to the success of the tournament. Players like Karl Tenana, the late Jonah Lomu, David Campese, Waisale Serevi and the latest inclusion to the Walk of Fame Lote Tuqiri have attracted extensive coverage in the dailys through their star prowess. Their presence attracts teams and spectators to come out in numbers to witness champagne

Maika Kasami

FIJI Football Association is leaving no stones unturned in their preparation towards its maiden representation at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August. The Fiji U23 side qualified to the Olympics after claiming victory at the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea last year. And it is a dream come true for the 25-member team as they are in Spain, the home of the 2010 FIFA World Cup champions.Coach Frank Farina has selected the cream of the Fiji U20 players that represented the country to the FIFA World Cup in New Zealand

which was the fifth ranked team in the La Liga competition. A match against Valencia CF on Wednesday 27 and the final match will be against Shanfi Shenua from Chinese Super League. Rewa goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, Ba defender Alvin Singh, Ba utility Abbu Zaid, Lautoka defender Samuela Kautoga and Nadi midfielder Munit Krishna are some of the senior players in the squad.

Team: Ba: Misiwane Nairube, Samuela Nabenia, Abbu Zahid Saheed (senior), Avinesh Waran Swamy (senior), Alvin Singh (senior),

sevens rugby first hand. Serevi who has been frequenting the tournament since its inception in 2010 believes the tourney is getting tougher every year with the winner very hard to predict. He said the level of competition and the commitment of the players towards the abbreviate code is of high standard. The former Fiji sevens coach/player said this can be attributed to the hard work of the coaches behind the scene. Some of the top local coaches include Lote Rasiga (Red Rock), Sailosi Naiteqe (Uprsing), Epeli Lagiloa (Westfield Dragons) and Etonia Naba (Police). The local players have played exceptionally well at the tournament and have shown the ability to represent the country. Ive seen a lot of great teams and the level of competition amongst teams is getting tougher every year. In this trend, the tournament has the potential to reach greater heights in future, said the sevens maestro Serevi. Meanwhile as the norm every year, the tournament unearths many raw talents who

later go on to become household names in sevens rugby. This years Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast 7s player of the tournament award went to Police 7s forward Sevanaia Nadruku.

It was history in the making for TFL Fijiana Makosoi rep Lavenia Tinai who became the first female to walk-away with the Jonah Lomu Top Try scorer award. This award has only won by males since the debut tournament six-years ago. For the males, Red Rocks William Ryder was the top try scorer with five tries to his name.

last year. Six- senior players are with the team with three players to play at one time as per tournament rules at the Olympics. The matches against some of the top clubs in Spain will provide the right pathway in readiness for the much anticipated world sporting event. According to Fijifootball.com, the Fiji U23 side played Lavante United on Tuesday 19 and on 20 against Elche CF which both are the second divisions in the Spanish football league from Segunda Division. The side played CF Cracks on Thursday 21 and on 26 January faces Villareal Club,

Lautoka- Kolinio Vakarauvanua Sivoki, Samuela Kautoga (senior);Nadi- Napolioni Qasevakatini, Munit Krishna (senior);Nadroga- Anish Khem;Suva- Jale Dreloa, Antonio Tuivuna, Rusiate Matarerega, Filipe Baravilala, Sakaraia Naisua, Nickel Chand, Tevita Kalisito Cakau Koroi;Rewa- Setariki Waqanitoga Hughes, Iosefo Verevou, Ratu Tevita Waranaivalu, Garish Henry Prasad, Ratu Savenaca Robosenawainibuka Nakalevu, SimioneTamanisau (senior); Labasa- Manasa Levaci, Christopher Frances Wasasala.

Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast 7s grows

Fiji U23 in historic Spain tour

Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi play for Real Madrid FC and Barcelona FC respectively in the La-Liga in Spain. Photo: Supplied

The Fiji under 23 side preparing for the Rio Olympics in Spain. Photo: Fiji FA Media- Avikash Chand

Tournament ambassador Waisale Serevi with the Cup winners Police 7s team.Photo: Courtesy of Fiji Sun - Waisea Nasokia



18

Maika Kasami

A new Pillay Garments Champion versus Champion winner will be crowned in 2016 as the series will kick-off the new soccer season.Nadi and Suva will feature in the home and away matches which will be played in early February a week before the start of the 2016 National Football League.

Both teams have featured before in the CvC but have been unsuccessful so far. They now get the opportunity to carve their name on the CvC trophy for the very first time.

Suva qualifies for the series after winning the

2014 Courts Inter District Championship while Nadi makes it through after winning the 2015 Galaxy National Football League. After Suva disputed on the initial date

(January 31) set by Fiji Football Association in regards to the unavailability of several of its players, the parent body has set the new date as February 5 for the first leg which is a Friday

night kick-off (7pm) at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.The second leg will be played at Prince Charles Park a day later on a Sunday at 2pm (February 7) at Prince Charles Park.

This means both teams will have most of their key players at their disposal and will have no excuse come game time. Suva has seven while Nadi has two players in the tour to Spain with the Fiji Under 23 side.Ba, who has won the CvC title for the most number of times, has qualified to feature in the

2017 CvC following its Courts IDC 2015 win at Govind Park.

2014 CVC Ba soccer captain Jone Vesikula (right) and Marika Madigi with the CvC trophy and cheque. Looking on are Fiji FA president Rajesh Patel and the sponsor Narendra Pillay.


Osea Vakatalesau (left) and Nadi defender Eliki Ravosai eye the ball during the CVC in 2014.

Nadi, Suva gun for first CvC title



19

NATIONAL soccer rep Osea Vakatalesau is set to return to competitive football in March.The lanky striker is steadily recovering from injury and has revealed big plans for the new soccer season. Vakatalesau who has had stints with Hekari United FC of Papua New Guinea and recently Vanuatus Amicale FC is yet to declare which district he will play for in 2016. But the New Year and the staging of the Olympics in Rio, Brazil in August has seen the top marksman eager as ever to return to the local scene and prove him-self. Im really looking forward to getting back on the field. My goal this year is to make the Fiji team to the Olympics. It will be tough for me as Im still recovering from my injury but its not impossible. Ive been out of action for four-months.

THE Fiji Lautoka Masters will be fielding two teams at the New Zealand veterans soccer tournament scheduled to be held in Auckland, New Zealand at the end of January. Fiji Lautoka Masters secretary Irinale Nabalarua confirmed they will be fielding a team in the 35plus category and also in the 40plus category. The 35plus team will be battling for the Late JD Maharaj Memorial trophy whilst the Late Leone Rakoroi trophy will be up for grabs for the 40plus. The official pool draws have been done with the Fiji Lautoka Masters 35plus team in Pool B alongside NZ Nadi, Auckland Ba and UBN Sydney. For the 40plus category, the side has been drawn in Pool B with the likes of NZ Levuka, NZ Rewa and Lautoka Veterans.

FIJI under 23 team captain Alvin Singh says the final results against the top club teams in Spain should not be an issue but instead they will be focusing on the positives they can get out of the tour. The national side is on a two-week tour abroad in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games that is scheduled to be held in August.Singh said being named captain of the team is an honour for him and has promised to carry out his role diligently. The coach has bestowed his trust on me and its a huge responsibility. I will do my outmost best to do the job, the Ba defender said. He said they will be up against top Spanish clubs like Lavante FC and Valencia in their same age group and has urged his teammates to give in their best performance in bid to impress the coaches.

Reports : Maika Kasami

THE Vodafone Fiji 7s team will be out to break a five-year jinx when they run onto the field at Westpac Trust Stadium for the Wellington 7s. The last time the national side had won at the NZ capital was during the 2009/2010 season. The side defeated Samoa 19-14 in the final. Fiji were coached by now Telecom Fijiana coach Iliesa Tanivula and the team had players like Jiuta Lutumailagi, Jerry Burotu, Pio Tuwai, Emosi Vucago, current sevens captain Osea Kolinisau, Setefano Cakau and William Ryder.The Ben Ryan coached side will need to maintain a top finish in Wellington and Sydney to maintain its number one spot in the 2015/2016 HSBC World Sevens Series

Its the same old knee injury. My doctor advised me to rest for five-months. Ive got one more month to go before I get back on the field. He said he is yet to decide on which local team to play for this year. Ive yet to decide which local district Ill play for. In-fact no one has approached me so far so Ill wait and see for the right time, said Vakatalesau who last played for Ba during the 2013 Courts Inter-District Championship. Vakatalesau was part of the six Fiji players who represented Hekari at the historic Club World Cup appearance in 2010 in Abu Dhabi. The others were Pita Bolaitoga, Tuimasi Manuca, Malakai Tiwa, Alvin Singh and Simione Tamanisau.

Nabalarua revealed the Fiji Lautoka Masters 35plus team has the services of players like Samuela Turaganivalu, Ratu Jerry Masi and Viliame Seru whilst Inosi Kacavou, Tevita Rasolo and Tevita Waqabaca will be leading the charge for the 40plus. He said the two teams are looking forward to give their best at the tournament. We have been training for approximately two-months and the daily attendance has been good. We will be taking a total of 22-players for the tournament and we are hoping for the best. We are aware of the stiff competition we will face in New Zealand and we have trained accordingly, said Nabalarua who was also part of the City United FC side who featured in the Rooster Chicken National Club Championship final against eventual winners 4R Electrical Ba.

Results are not an issue but we will try to do our best by playing as a team. We will give in our best effort and try to convince the coach for the selection for the final team to Rio. The boys are pretty excited to be here in Spain. You can see the players putting up pictures on facebook daily so we are enjoying our tour but at the same time know the importance of the task at hand, added Singh.The senior players in the side in Simione Tamanisau, Singh, Avinesh Waran Suwamy, Munit Krishna and Samuela Kautoga have been given the responsibility to lead the other players. The final match on tour for the side is against Shanfi Shenua from Chinese Super League. The team is scheduled to arrive back on February 2.

standings. With the Olympics in mind, Ryan has a lot on his plate in a bid to steer the national sevens team to its first ever Olympic gold medal. Fiji is pooled with Argentina, Wales and Japan at the Cake Tin. The draws for the Sydney 7s will be done before the Wellington 7s final. Meanwhile, Australia Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver is thrilled to see the Australian leg of the HSBC World Sevens series shifted to Sydney. We are thrilled to be able to bring Rugby Sevens to Sydney, Pulver said. We truly believe that Sydney has the potential to match the excitement surrounding tournaments like Hong Kong, Twickenham and Wellington in terms of event experience and crowd numbers.

Vakatalesau wants Olympic spot Osea Vakatalesau while repre-senting the national side.

Fiji 7s out to break five year-jinx

Lautoka Masters expects tough tourney

Results not a matter: Fiji U23 captain Singh

Th Fiji Sevens team winners in Gold Coast in 2014.



20

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Maika Kasami

AMIDST the dark days of the sport of boxing in Fiji, there comes a time when things begin to turn for the better; probably the beginning for better things to follow. The news that a local promoter has been given the green light to hold a program in New Zealand is like a breath of fresh air. And that is great news and an achievement

our local boxers exposure and much needed overseas experience, an elated Dass said. The Lautoka based promoter said his NZ program is scheduled to be held on Saturday 19 March at the ABA Stadium a venue which has hosted many boxing events over the years. President of the New Zealand National Boxing Federation (NZNBF) David Craig and board member Faiyaz Khan were involved in making it possible for the first ever Fijian

for a dedicated promoter who is only two- programs old in the country. Praneel Dass of Westwood Boxing Promotions has had his boxing program staged in Nadi and Labasa in a space of three months last year and has promised close to three more events this year notably one in Suva. I am very excited at being given this opportunity to stage a boxing event in NZ. This is a big step for Fiji boxing and will also give

promoter to stage a promotion abroad. NZBNF oversees over 25-30 boxing programs a year and most of the professional boxing in these programs are inter gym and overseas title fights. Westwood Boxing Promotions is currently in advanced negotiations with NZ boxers and their managers who will be fighting in the program.

portsSThe Fiji Lautoka Masters pictured before one of their training runs at Churchill Park ground 2. The Sugar City side will be participating at a veterans soccer tournament in New Zealand.

Story on Page 19. Photo: Maika Kasami.

Ray of light for Fiji Boxing

January 2016 Llow Res

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Transcript of January 2016 Llow Res