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| From Fijitimes Online (29 April 2006) Air Pac buys out Sun Air AIR Pacific Limited has bought Sun Air for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is in line with Air Pacific's wish to expand and service domestic routes. From July 1, Sun Air will be changed to Fiji Airlines Limited. The takeover was subject to the transfer of Sun Air's licence and air operator's certificate to Fiji Airlines Ltd. Air Pacific chairman Gerald Barrack said Fiji Airlines would start by servicing Sun Air routes with its fleet. He said all aircraft would be refurbished and new ones bought. Negotiations were in progress with manufacturers for the acquisition of new aircraft capable of flying to all airports in Fiji. The airline has an ATR42 airplane to fly the Suva, Nadi and Labasa routes and to Rotuma when the island's runway is repaired. The 44-seater aircraft will service Tonga and Vanuatu from Nausori to supplement Air Pacific flights from Nadi. Mr Barrack said the airline would be re-branded and painted in a distinctive new colour and design. He said the company's re-entry into the domestic aviation market was triggered by the Government's request for it to examine the possibility with the aim of providing improved services. "After the examination of various options Air Pacific decided they could deliver improved comfort, reliability and more affordable travel for residents and visitors to Fiji." Mr Barrack said the rapid means of providing improved services was through acquisition of one of the two domestic airlines which was accomplished after months of negotiation with Sun Air. "We will improve connecting flights to help tourists going to Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Kadavu. "It will be a year before improvements are made but from July customers can experience improved reliability and affordability," he said.From Fijitimes Online (25 April 2006) Itu takes it easy, sort of by Amelia Vunileba Wednesday, April 26, 2006 EVEN before we reach our final year in secondary school, most of us are already contemplating what career path to take.
Over three decades ago, Fesaitu Misau sat in the principal's office at Lelean Memorial School and was asked what she wanted to become in life. Mrs Misau said she had always wanted to be a nurse and when asked by Mr R S Udy, she told him of the career path she was thinking about. "At that time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to become but I was thinking about nursing because I sort of liked their uniform," she laughed. "It was immature thinking but when asked by Mr Udy why I wanted to become a nurse, I told him I wanted to help people," said Mrs Misau. "There and then, he told me straight out that I was cut out to be a teacher and that's basically how I got into the teaching profession." She has been a primary school teacher for 32 years a career that started in 1961 and ended when she retired in 1993. Now 67-years-old, Mrs Misau tutors primary school students in Maths and English at the Kip McGrath Education Centre in Suva on a part-time basis. She does that twice a week, although she says spending time with her grandchildren is very important to her. Mrs Misau is known to many people, especially fellow teachers, relatives and friends as Itu, which is a shortened version of her first name. Although later on in life we may be able to address some of our teachers on a first name basis, that respect we have for them doesn't make that easy or right and that was the case in this interview. Now, after completing secondary school at Lelean, she went to Nasinu Teachers College and her first posting as a teacher was to Levuka Public School in 1961. "At that time, the teachers there were mainly expatriates and mostly from New Zealand and when I was told that I was going there, I felt a bit scared," she said. "I went with a Part-European girl and though we felt a bit uncomfortable at first and timid at times, we gained a lot of confidence from them and it was just a matter of getting to know them," said Mrs Misau. "I learnt a lot from there and it has helped me in my teaching," she said. From Levuka, she headed to Wesley Primary, in Toorak, Suva, then onto Annesley Primary before going to Veiuto. She headed to St Mary's Primary in Labasa after that before returning to Veiuto where she taught until eventual retirement in 1993. Of the five schools she taught at, Mrs Misau said her first posting was the best experience. "Levuka, being my first teaching posting, was one of the best times I remember because we used to have planned sports for teachers." She said there were not only a many expatriate teachers but many students as well. With a career spanning just over 30 years, Mrs Misau is one who will readily agree that a lot of changes have happened and mostly in children. "Children nowadays, I've noticed, are more quick in learning because I have to admit that teaching subjects like language then, was quite slow. "I suppose kids nowadays have the advantage of technology which has helped them in some ways," she said. "Before, we (teachers) had to go to the basics when teaching and a lot was done by teaching through sound. "Much of our teaching was done through singing, poetry and games because this helped the students grasp what we were teaching quicker," she said. "That was called Road Learning - you know, it's teaching as you go along and we used phonics a lot, it was one of the tools we used for teaching." An incident that she remembers quite clearly, is when the father of a class two student in her class at Veiuto, asked her how she taught his son to read because at seven years of age, he was already reading The Fiji Times. "That parent was very impressed and that encouraged me because it was teaching through phonics that had really helped most of my students to read," she said. Mrs Misau said an important factor in teaching students to read was to teach words phonetically, which basically means to break down the sounds in any particular word. While teaching at Wesley Primary, she got married to Fatiaki Misau, who is today an Electoral Commissioner. The couple have two sons and two grandsons, one of whom she looks after at home. "The elder grandson, Richard, is in Class Four at Veiuto and the younger one, Etika, is three years old and still at home," she said. She now enjoys staying home with Etika, when she isn't tutoring and has been helping out at Veiuto ever since Richard entered Class One. "Though I'm not teaching full-time, I still want to involve myself in my grandsons' schools because I believe that is very important in helping to nurture them." Apart from that, she was president of the Rotuman Women's Association and Chief Commissioner with the Fiji Girl Guides Association. Her involvement with the Rotuman Women's Association saw her organising activities to coincide with that of the Ministry of Women and the National Council of Women. "We used to do craft work, mat weaving and had education and health programs that looked at family health as well." While Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides, she travelled to international meetings of the global association and most of what she learnt was passed on to local members. I remember while in Veiuto that we used to have the Brownies, which is a part of the Girl Guides, but that has since ceased although Mrs Misau says it's still active in some schools. Mrs Misau now plays more of one of her favourite sports lawn bowls and she says it not only gives her a chance to exercise but to socialise as well. "I think it's important for women or anyone who retires from active employment to keep doing things to keep them busy," she said. Because she was a teacher most of her life and still continues although on a part-time basis, Mrs Misau had some sound advice for aspiring teachers. "I think it's important to be honest with your work because child psychology is very important and teachers should get to know the likes and dislikes of their children. "For parents, it is important to pamper your child/children so that he or she will be eager to learn — you know, make sure that they don't cry in the morning when they are getting ready for school since the day is defeated if they start the day by crying. "Parents should make sure they have a good breakfast and a healthy lunch and just spend as much time with children when at home and listen to them that is very important," said Mrs Misau. Coming from a teacher who has had an illustrious career this is advice people shouldn't hesitate to take. From Fijilive (21 April 2006) Take a bow, Fred Susau by Amelia Vunileba Time to go ... Fred Mua Susau has been a civil servant all his life and its is time to take a break SELF discipline, perseverance and sacrifice are values all working people should have to succeed in life.
That is the belief of 59-year-old Fred Mua Susau who says they helped him in his 38 years of working for the civil service. Fred is due to officially retire from the Ministry of Provincial Development in August, when he turns 60. But he has a lot of leave owed to him and decided to go on pre-retirement leave two weeks ago. He has to be the longest serving Rotuman in the service, literally and practically because he was born at the Ahau government station on the island of Rotuma in 1946 to Etika and Tausia Susau. He is the second eldest of seven brothers and one sister. "My father was a police constable. "We grew up in a government compound and I started my education at Motusa Primary School," he said. "In 1958, my father got sick and we moved back to Lopta and I continued at Malhaha Primary School. "From there I went on to Rotuma High School. "When I finished high school, I went to Navuso Agricultural School where I studied for three years and attained a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture and Animal Husbandry," he said. The following year, Fred entered his first year of employment in the civil service when he became a supervisor with the Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Co-operative. "My first posting was to Labasa in May 1968 and that is where I met my wife Emma (nee Lestro). "We were married on December 23 of that year," he said. "It was an eventful year for me because I got my first job and got a wife as well," he laughed. The couple have four daughters and a son. Two were born in Labasa and three in Savusavu. Fred says when he started working for the Co-operative department, it was thriving because it had just started in 1946 and people were really into it. "It was mainly consumer marketing. "What happened then was that people would sell their produce to the Co-op and since I started in the Northern Division, most of the villagers were involved." He said some of the people he worked with included Sakeasi Butadroka, Ratu Joji Bukarau, Sakenasa Rokotunidau and Tikoti Rodan. "These people were basically pioneers of the Co-operative department and it was good to have worked with such people," he said. However, Fred says that while the Co-operative started out with a bang it was sad to see that most Co-op shops around the country gradually lost business and became defunct. Several factors led to the Co-op's demise which are still being rued today. "Looking back at its history, in Labasa, I can say that when development was happening, most of the villagers took their produce directly to the big outlets such as Punjas." He said when that happened, the Co-operative department's supply of cash dropped and made it quite difficult to buy produce. For the 20 years he spent with the department, 16 years was spent on Vanua Levu and it started in Labasa, Taveuni, Savusavu, back to Labasa and Taveuni before he left for Nadroga in 1987. "I like Savusavu and Taveuni because they are beautiful places and things are different and my wife's family live there," he said. "Nadroga was different and the Co-op went inland and the thrift and credit Co-operative was started," said Fred. "There was a lot of grazing there because there was a lot of idle land. "So what the Co-operative did was to buy freehold land through a loan, subdivide it and sell it to the members. "The agreement was that if the members paid their loan in full, they would own the land. "I started the Bilo Levu Co-operative and it was through the project that most of the people from Bilolevu were able to buy and own their piece of land," he said. Fred finished from the Co-operative department in 1989 because the Public Service Commission was looking for a Rotuman to be the District Officer in Rotuma. "While I was the DO, I presided over the magistrate's court in Rotuma for minor cases. "I was a Class Two magistrate," he said. "In 1992, I was posted to Levuka where I became the District Officer for Lau and Lomaiviti provinces. "I became a Class Three magistrate which required me to sign court documents but not necessarily preside over court cases," he said. "I spent eight years in Levuka and in January 2000, I was posted to the Eastern Division headquarters in Suva as a divisional planning officer. "I held the post of acting Commissioner Eastern from 2002 to 2004." When Fred finished from the Co-operative department, he was the District Officer under the Ministry of Regional Development, which is now the Ministry of Provincial Develop-ment. "When I reached 55 years, I was still very much active but as I approached the 60-year mark, I just knew that I was slowing down a bit," he said. Fred and his wife live in their family home at Delainavesi. Their five children are married and live their own lives with their children. "We have three grandchildren, two granddaughters and one grandson," he said with a gleam in the eye that only a grandad or mum does when they talk about their charges. Fred plans to take a year of rest before he looks around for something to do to keep him moving on in life, albeit at retirement pace. After 38 years of working for the government Fred has done his bit as a civil servant. His contribution to progress through trying times is a measure of his diligence as a worker. Such quality in a man warrants nothing less than a medal in recognition of his service to the people, his country and God. From Fijilive (17 April 2006) SUVA dominated the 9th Fiji Games Blitz Chess Championships that started at Hoodless House in Suva on Friday. There was stiff competition as contestants from the eight participating districts Suva, Nasinu, Rewa, Lami, Navua, Lautoka, Rotuma and Labasa polished their thinking caps for top spots in the four open categories . . . National rep Frentina Antrea (Rotuma) won the Female Open category in a convincing fashion going through the tournament undefeated. From Fijilive (15 April 2006) Venesa Koy, Grace Varea and Tiva Palako won the silver medal for Rotuma in the women's team table tennis competition at the Fiji Games. From Fijilive (14 April 2006) Errol Somaru, who recently returned from the Commonwealth Games, won the Gold medal for Suva District in the Fiji Games Shooting competition yesterday. Somaru scored 76 to finish on top while Glen Kable representing Nadi District had to settle for the silver. Kable shot 75 while Richard Fiu from Rotuma took out the Bronze. From Fijitimes Online (10 April 2006) Dredge team for Rotuma The Ministry of Works and Energy will send a dredging team to Rotuma to make the waters at the Oinafa Village jetty deep so that vessels could berth alongside. The jetty was completed in 2002 but it was not deep enough, Public Works Department divisional engineer Raphael Smith said. His comments come after Gagaj Voi Muaror of Oinafa Village said construction of the jetty was still incomplete and causing erosion of the shore line. Mr Smith said the long-term plan of the PWD was to relocate the jetty. Meanwhile, government remains firmly committed towards the ongoing development of Rotuma and will continue to provide aid for its economic development and welfare of people.From Fijitimes Online (7 April 2006) Jetty blamed for erosion THE construction of the jetty at Oinafa Village in Rotuma is still incomplete and the works have been blamed for the erosion of the shore line. Speaking from Oinafa Village in Rotuma, Gagaj Voi Muaror said the Public Works Department had put rocks on the foreshore in front of his home to stop sand from washing away but this was of no use.
"Before we could walk about 200 yards before we reach the water's edge but now, we can only walk about 10 yards," said Gagaj Muaror. "Even water at the wharf (jetty) is quite shallow because sand is being washed away and when its low tide, large ships can't come close to shore," he said. "The water near the jetty used to be deep but that has changed." On the condition of roads on the island, Gagaj Muaror said it was worse than what it was four years ago. He said there was about 18 miles of road all round Rotuma and villagers had been asked to help in the completion of road works. He said all the present government had done for the island in its five years of power was construct the jetty. "That's about the only thing they've done in five years. They made promises to us but that hasn't eventuated," said Gagaj Muaror. United Peoples Party president Mick Beddoes visited the island last week and raised the erosion problem which was faced due to the jetty construction. PWD Divisional Engineer Raphael Smith confirmed that the jetty was completed in 2002 and that the area around it needed to be dredged to make it deep enough for vessels to anchor. They hoped to send a dredging team in a fortnight's time. He added that the long term plan was to relocate the jetty. Meanwhile, a war of words has begun between Mr Beddoes and the island's representative in Parliament, caretaker Minister Marieta Rigamoto. She described Mr Beddoes criticism of her "neglect" of Rotuma as indulgence in "irresponsible politics". Mrs Rigamoto said the Government had been involved in various projects for the island, which involved the rural electrification projects from 2001 to 2005. From Alan & Jan in Honolulu (5 April 2006) Announcing a new feature on the Rotuma Website: an open forum that permits visitors (after registering) to post messages and to respond to prior postings. There are currently three forums, one on Biodiversity & Bioprospecting, moderated by Monifa Fiu of LäjeRotuma, another on the Parliamentary elections of May 2006, which Alan Howard will moderate, and a third on Preserving the Rotuman Language, moderated by Marit Vamarasi. Please note that we expect all postings to follow the rules of civility and will not tolerate obscenities or abusive language. The URL for the forum is: http://www.rotuma.net/phpBB If you wish to make a posting make sure to register and read the FAQs that are linked to the page. From Fijitimes Online (4 April 2006) Airline service to island 'pathetic' A POLITICIAN on the campaign trail yesterday lashed out at the telecommunication and airline services on Rotuma upon returning from the island. United Peoples' Party president Mick Beddoes said despite paying one of the highest domestic airfares in Fiji, Rotumans and visitors to the island were subjected to the most pathetic and unprofessional service he had ever experienced. He said some of the experiences relayed to him by the people in the last week were unbelievable and his own experience over the three days he spent in Rotuma made it obvious that the airline was going through some serious problems or lacked the required expertise to allocate aircraft to service their routes in a reasonable and professional manner. Air Fiji services the Rotuma route. The airline's spokesperson Shaenaz Voss said they were not undergoing any mechanical repair of planes but their company policy was to have only one flight to Rotuma per week. Ms Voss said this happened because there were not enough passengers always and they could not afford to fly empty planes to the satisfaction of some of the customers. She said they had supplementary flights in the weekends if the number of passengers was economical. Mr Beddoes said in the space of three days in Rotuma, flights were cancelled, reinstated many times over and people could have even missed their booked flights with a $730 fare. From Alan & Jan in Honolulu (3 April 2006) We have initiated a special section of the news covering the parliamentary elections in May, that contains news articles of relevance to the Rotuman community as well as information submitted by the candidates. |
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