Take Notice that an application will be made to the High  Court of Fiji for grant of Letters of Administration of the abovenamed deceased who died on the 2nd day of January, 2012 at Home at Vunisamaloa, Ba, Fiji.

Any persons having claims as a creditor, beneficiary or otherwise is required to lodge a claim to the undersigned within 21 days from the date of publication of this notice.

DATED this 8th day of February, 2012.

REDDY AND NANDAN LAWYERS
BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS
P.O. BOX 642
TAVUA
Solicitors for the Estate

Copy of Plan and Scope of Work can be collected from Lautoka Andhra Sangam Primary School, Field 40, Lautoka. Contact : Mrs Reddy (Ph: 6661526 ) During School hours.

Quotations are to be submitted by 20 February 2012 and should be marked “Quotation – Floor” and addressed to :

The President
Lautoka Andhra Sangam Primary School
P.O.Box 443
Lautoka.

Take Notice that an application will be made to the High  Court of Fiji for grant of Probate of the abovenamed deceased who died on the 3rd day of October, 2006 at Ba Mission Hospital, Ba, Fiji.

Any persons having claims as a creditor, beneficiary or otherwise is required to lodge a claim to the undersigned within 21 days from the date of publication of this notice.

DATED this 8th day of February, 2012.

REDDY AND NANDAN LAWYERS
BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS
P.O. BOX 642
TAVUA
Solicitors for the Estate

Peter Thomson

Medical services in Fiji could receive a major boost, if a bilateral arrangement push by the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Peter Thomson, bears fruit.  Mr Thomson, who is also accredited as Fiji’s ambassador to Cuba, has been involved in talks for Cuban doctors to serve in Fiji.

He says Fiji should expect a lot of bilateral agreements between the two countries this year. The negotiation on an agreement for Cuban doctors to serve in Fiji is his top priority at the moment. “Matters on my desk at the moment relating to Fiji-Cuba bilateral agreements are the possible deployment of Cuban doctors to serve in Fiji,” Mr Thomson said.

He is expected to also ask for a further four medical scholarships for Fijian students to train in Cuba.  He said eight medical students are currently studying Bachelor of Surgery and Medicine (MBBS) in Cuba, sponsored by Havana.

Cuba is listed as one of the world’s best and most relevant medical training centres fox tropical medicine and health in the developing world.  It is helping a number of Pacific Islands countries develop doctors, including the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.

The scholarship programme covers one year learning Spanish and six years of medical studies.  It also covers tuition, lodging, meals, books, and monthly allowances.  Mr Thomson said he visited Cuba twice in three months to check on their performance.  He said there was also a need to prioritise the assistance needed from Cuba and he would pursue the possible deployment of Cuban doctors to Fiji as soon as possible.

Medicine has been identified as one area of co-operation that could be explored given the achievements in the provision of medical training by the Cuban government.  Cuba is recognised globally as a medical powerhouse, especially in fields of child maternal health and groundbreaking surgery.  Cuban medical specialists have been working in the Solomon Islands and Kiribati in recent years and have brought immediate improvements in health services and systems there.

In Kiribati there has been a great improvement in child maternal health after the arrival of the Cubans.  Mr Thomson said his work was based on the promotion of trade and investments in Cuba and the United Nations and how he could integrate his work to better the relationship between the two countries.

The Fiji Police Force is hopeful that Kadavu will be declared a drug-free zone after the chief’s meeting at Tavuki Village today.  This meeting will be hosted by the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs.

Speaking from Kadavu yesterday, Fiji Police Force spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said their main objective in carrying out their drug awareness programmes in Kadavu was to get the support of the chiefs, elders and the people to declare Kadavu a drug-free zone. “We’re have already secured the support of some district chiefs  visited,” Inspector Sokomuri said.

He said the arrival of Inspector-General, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Isikeli Vuniwaqa, who is a Tavuki native, has really boosted their campaign.  Inspector Sokomuri said they were working in partnership with the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs to fight drugs in rural areas. This partnership he said had been strengthened with the signing of a memorandum of understanding MOU) with the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs in October last year.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding he said allowed for co-operation between the parties to stop marijuana cultivation in villages. He said police had been fighting this battle alone for the past few years and with the signing of the MOU it would enable village elders to work with police in stopping the cultivation of drugs in villages nationwide.

At the MOU signing the Permanent Secretary for i-Taukei Affairs Savenaca Kaunisela said the concerns regarding continuous cultivation of marijuana in Fiji had been raised at provincial council meetings.  Provincial leaders, he said, had time and again asked for assistance in eradicating the drug culture. The meeting at Tavuki today will be attended by all district chiefs of Kadavu and Inspector-General ACP Vuniwaqa will address the meeting.

Fiji’s Ambassador to Cuba, Peter Thomson, will pursue the possibility of a reciprocal visa agreement with the Caribbean nation. The tourism industry is expected to be boosted if his plans go well.
Mr Thomson said at the same time he sees the opportunities for mutually-beneficial cooperation in the tourism service sector.

He said his duty was to recognise potential investments that Cuba could help boost Fiji’s economy.
Early this month a visa-free pact was agreed between Fiji and Russia when the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited the country.

This will make Cuba the second country to provide similar services. It will make it easier for Fiji to attract some of the growing number of Russian tourists. Meanwhile, Mr Thomson said the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) are playing a leading role at the United Nations in bringing a sense of urgency to international climate change negotiations.

“This is so because our region will be amongst the first to suffer the consequences of sea level rise and we will be greatly affected if projections of ocean acidification and coral reef die-off are realised,” Mr Thomson said. He said these dire developments were largely attributable to anthropogenic carbon dioxide levels continuing to rise in spite of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process.
He said Fiji must reverse this trend if the projections are to be averted.

“It is thus that we are very active in climate change matters in the international arena and are working towards sustainable development for the planet,” Mr Thomson said.

Police officers at the Police Leadership Symposium at Nasova, Suva. Photo: RONALD KUMAR

Technology can be an enabler that brings efficiency and productivity to police work, says Vodafone Fiji managing director Aslam Khan. Mr Khan made the comment while addressing police officers during the Police Leadership Symposium in Nasova yesterday.

He said the use of mobile phones to co-ordinate operations and the use of Blackberry phones for effective written communication via emails has become the norm. Mr Khan also raised the importance of using of PXT [picture messaging] to send vital information via mobile phones.

He said such phone applications would help in investigations or communications. “Communication is vital and you (police) need to have these technologies,” Mr Khan said. However, he said, Police officers needed to have the right mindset.

He said the key to the success of policing was having the right people leading and managing the Police Force. Mr Khan urged the officers to become agents of change and to bring about continuous improvement that led to a smarter police force.

He said they needed to build a stable enclave of key influencers. Mr Khan addressed the middle-ranked police officers, saying they were leaders of tomorrow and must lead by example, provide clear direction, create and foster supportive environment and build organisational alignment.

Fiji Police Force director training Senior Superintendent Itendra Nair said they were looking at new equipment to enhance their interview techniques.

Military officers are playing an important role in guiding civil servants in their leadership role, says the Permanent Secretary for Works and Transport Commander Francis Kean.

Speaking to police officers during the Police Leadership symposium in Nasova, Commander Kean said Fiji’s military were responsible for educating civil servants to be good leaders.

Commander Kean said it was important to empower leadership for police officers because they played an important role in the wellbeing, not only of the people of Fiji, but for visitors as well.
He urged the police officers to lead from the front and serve the community well.

Commander Kean described good leadership as bringing the team together regardless of differences and working towards a common goal.
He said their role was simply to make the Police force stronger.

“Our duty is to educate and mould civil servants and other disciplined forces on their leadership role,” he said.
“As leaders they should live up to the expectations of the Government.”

Commander Kean said there was a great need for leaders who have the ability to influence and empower people, especially in the Fiji Police Force.