- Imported vegies up by 32% (may annoy Tourism industry as they have particular standards which the local agro-industry is not on par with at the mo')
- New concessions for wedding couples who wish to bring their own wedding gear for local weddings.
- Imported sweet bickies, waffles and snack products up by 15% wef Friday (Punjas & Co will be happy).
- Import VAT up to 15% (from 12.5%) wef 1st January 2011.
- INTELLIGENT RESISTANCE -
Free. Fair. Fearless. Intelligentsiya is made up of Fiji Islanders who are libertarians in their own way and who cherish the free flow of news, ideas and information and will peacefully resist any attempts by the country's military rulers to stifle free speech. intelligentsiya will also bear witness, report and discuss human rights abuses by the authorities.
November 26, 2010
Budget Tidbits...
PNG vs Fiji
Economically speaking the gloves are on.
Not only is PNG's economy is outperforming ours, they're slowly sliding towards a position of influence over key banking, tourism, aviation and infrastructure sectors in Fiji.
Forget Australia and NZ, Bainimarama & Co -- your problems are closer to home.
Budget D-Day
Despite all the fanfare from the regime's fan-club, the much glitzed up inconvenience to the tax-payers in addition to Bainimarama's unavailability to deliver the budget address amidst the rumours of his ill-health, his crumbling alliance and chilled relations with Fiji Water (despite Sharon John's fluff)--- the budget will only confirm what we already know. Fiji is broke.
The proof of course will be in the pudding. But the signs cannot be any clearer. Lashing out at one of the country's main exporters at this critical time is a sign that they're floundering.
Presumptiously asserting that Australia will change their tune on Fiji just because Hilary Clinton wants better access to PNG's LNG endowment is a shallow uptake that only Bainimarama excels in. The reality is more global in nature.
But by 11am Fiji time today we'll know for sure what's going down in all things fiscal.
One thing that cannot be disputed is that We The People will have to continue bear the burden of carrying this illegal and treasonous regime.
August 12, 2010
PINA gets a beat down
New Pacific media body PacMA formed at Samoa meeting
The Pacific Media Association (PacMA) was formed in Apia, Samoa, today at a meeting of media representatives from around the Pacific region.
In attendance were media operators from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Hawai‘i. Representatives from Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were unable to attend but contributed via virtual communications.
PACIFIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION LAUNCHED
6970 APIA (PacMA/Pacific Media Watch): The Pacific Media Association (PacMA) was formed in Apia, Samoa, today at a meeting of media representatives from around the Pacific region.
In attendance were media operators from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Hawai‘i. Representatives from Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were unable to attend but contributed via virtual communications.
Savea Sano Malifa (editor-in-chief of the Samoa Observer) was elected chair of the new organisation, and Kalafi Moala (publisher and CEO of Tonga’s Taimi Media Network) was named vice chair. John Woods (managing editor of Cook Islands News) will serve as secretary-treasurer.
These media practitioners will lead the new board, which is comprised of Pacific regional media owners, operators and principals.
The new organisation’s stated goals are to promote and defend the values of media freedom, ethics, good governance, and to provide training for all media in the Pacific region.
“It’s a great honour for me to lead this new organisation,” said Savea, “and I know that I and all of the members will do everything in our power to advocate our core values.”
Statement on Fiji
One of the key outcomes of PacMA’s first meeting was a statement of the members’ position on the current media restrictions in Fiji.
The statement said: “The association finds censorship of the media to be unacceptable and we view the situation in Fiji to be of utmost concern. We extend our sympathy to our colleagues in Fiji, and because of our media freedom stance, and due to continuing state control of media, PacMA does not support or endorse media training courses held in Fiji.
“However, we would be grateful if Commodore Bainimarama would accept a meeting in Fiji with a delegation from our new association to discuss with him, in the Pacific Way, how we can arrive at solutions that may be of benefit to all parties.
“PacMa believes that a free media can be a powerful tool for positive nation-building.”
Membership in PacMA will include three categories: full, associate and individual members. Full voting members are media companies and regional and national media organizations that share PacMA’s general objectives, while associate members consist of academic institutions, news service suppliers and aligned NGOs and international organisations. Individual members include information officers, individual practitioners, freelance journalists, and other interested parties.
In the coming weeks, PacMA will develop a workplan that will reflect its core values and its organisational objectives.
“This is a historic day for Pacific media,” said Moala. “We are laying the foundation for a media organisation that will re-define and shape a new media approach that is deeply grounded in Pacific values and presents to the world a new way of looking at media, content, and stories – and the Pacific itself.”
PacMA website: www.pacific-media.org
Media contact:
Savea Sano Malifa
email: sanomalifa@yahoo.com
(685) 770-2250
The Pacific Media Association (PacMA) was formed in Apia, Samoa, today at a meeting of media representatives from around the Pacific region.
In attendance were media operators from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Hawai‘i. Representatives from Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were unable to attend but contributed via virtual communications.
PACIFIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION LAUNCHED
6970 APIA (PacMA/Pacific Media Watch): The Pacific Media Association (PacMA) was formed in Apia, Samoa, today at a meeting of media representatives from around the Pacific region.
In attendance were media operators from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Hawai‘i. Representatives from Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were unable to attend but contributed via virtual communications.
Savea Sano Malifa (editor-in-chief of the Samoa Observer) was elected chair of the new organisation, and Kalafi Moala (publisher and CEO of Tonga’s Taimi Media Network) was named vice chair. John Woods (managing editor of Cook Islands News) will serve as secretary-treasurer.
These media practitioners will lead the new board, which is comprised of Pacific regional media owners, operators and principals.
The new organisation’s stated goals are to promote and defend the values of media freedom, ethics, good governance, and to provide training for all media in the Pacific region.
“It’s a great honour for me to lead this new organisation,” said Savea, “and I know that I and all of the members will do everything in our power to advocate our core values.”
Statement on Fiji
One of the key outcomes of PacMA’s first meeting was a statement of the members’ position on the current media restrictions in Fiji.
The statement said: “The association finds censorship of the media to be unacceptable and we view the situation in Fiji to be of utmost concern. We extend our sympathy to our colleagues in Fiji, and because of our media freedom stance, and due to continuing state control of media, PacMA does not support or endorse media training courses held in Fiji.
“However, we would be grateful if Commodore Bainimarama would accept a meeting in Fiji with a delegation from our new association to discuss with him, in the Pacific Way, how we can arrive at solutions that may be of benefit to all parties.
“PacMa believes that a free media can be a powerful tool for positive nation-building.”
Membership in PacMA will include three categories: full, associate and individual members. Full voting members are media companies and regional and national media organizations that share PacMA’s general objectives, while associate members consist of academic institutions, news service suppliers and aligned NGOs and international organisations. Individual members include information officers, individual practitioners, freelance journalists, and other interested parties.
In the coming weeks, PacMA will develop a workplan that will reflect its core values and its organisational objectives.
“This is a historic day for Pacific media,” said Moala. “We are laying the foundation for a media organisation that will re-define and shape a new media approach that is deeply grounded in Pacific values and presents to the world a new way of looking at media, content, and stories – and the Pacific itself.”
PacMA website: www.pacific-media.org
Media contact:
Savea Sano Malifa
email: sanomalifa@yahoo.com
(685) 770-2250
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