Saturday - Tuesday May 4, 2004
May 4, 2004, 15:20

Ro Lady Lala Mara wept as the vessel carrying her late husband Ratu Sir Kamisese sailed out of Suva for his home island of Lakeba. The army band struck up the popular Fijians tunes Biu ko Suva nikua (a song about a final journey out of the Capital City Harbour) and Ko Lakeba (a song about the island of Lakeba) as the RV Tovuto sailed past the hundreds of people lining the Suva seawall to farewell the high chief. She lifted her hand and waved goodbye as soldiers fired a 21-gun salute. (FT)

A foreigner classed yesterday’s state funeral as one of the best he has ever witnessed. Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Ramsden, a defence adviser with the New Zealand High Commission, said the vent was significant because it had a mixture of state protocol, traditional protocol and military protocol. “And the people lining up the streets – I have never seen so many people out at one time – and most of them are wearing black which shows their respect for Ratu Sir Kamisese,” he said. (FT)

More than 3000 people crammed into Albert Park yesterday to attend and witness the State funeral services of the late Tui Nayau, Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara. People had been at the ground from as early as 7am to find a place to sit before the service began. By 10am, the park was filled with people from all walks of life and all races, young and old – a testimony to the message of the late Tui Nayau who fought throughout his life to unite his country and his people, to make them love one another and make Fiji the way the world should be. (FS)

Sunday - May 2, 2004

The President Ratu Josefa Iloilo will fly to Tubou, Lakeba, tomorrow morning to attend the funeral of the late Tui Nayau Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Ratu Iloilo arrived in the country on Friday night after a routine month-long medical check-up in Sydney, Australia. Sources said Ratu Iloilo was well and feeling downhearted at the passing away of Ratu Sir Kamisese. “He will fly to Lakeba on Monday morning and return in the afternoon,” he said. (FT)

Boatloads of people are still arriving at Tubou Village as the late Tui Nayau Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara arrived home for the last time yesterday. These include all Lauans in Suva who were part of the funeral procession of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese. People of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata as well as the Kubuna people all arrived yesterday. This included the Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Lady Lala Mara who flew in yesterday. (FT)

Government officials are working within their budget of $1.14million for the state funeral of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Home Affairs Minister Joketani Cokanasiga, who chairs the Cabinet sub-committee charged with organizing the funeral, yesterday said the committee had not busted its budget. (FT)

Brumbies Fijian lock Radike Samo has delivered a blow to Fiji and the combined Pacific Islanders rugby sides by declaring his allegiance to the Wallabies. Samo, who can play in the second row, back row or even on the wing told BBC sports yesterday. “I just want to keep playing well and see what happens. But I’d really like to play for the Wallabies.” He’s playing here for five years and he obviously wants to play for Australia,” Wallabies’ coach Eddie Jones said. (FT)

Women from the different mataqali in Lakeba on Friday collected their garlands called the Sisi ni Lakeba. Mata ki Cicia representatives Aralai Qirikapa said this was done because the garland would be used as a fragrance in the building where the casket of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara will be placed. “We do not do wreaths and we also do not use perfumes,” she said. (DP)

The Christian community in Fiji suffers a loss after the sudden passing away of the Assemblies of God Fiji General Superintendent Reverend Filimoni Kama Waqa who died after short illness, at the Lautoka Hospital on Thursday morning. The late Rev Waqa was re-elected as the fourth General Superintendent after serving from 1987-1996, taking over from the late Rev Alipate Mateyawa Cakau who served from 1966-1987. (FS)

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara will be accorded a full military funeral at his home village of Tubou on the chiefly island of Lakeba today. Fiji Military Forces band leader Captain Neumi Leweni said a full guard of honour of 360 soldiers would accompany the funeral cortege. “The last post played will be different. It would be called the Presidential last post and accompanied by a hymn called Finlandia,” Captain Leweni said. (FT)

Opposition leader Mick Beddoes praised the organizers of the State funeral service for the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara sa it proved to be a fitting farewell for a beloved leader. He said that what made the service moving was the way the priests offered communion breaking the boundaries maintained by the state and traditional warriors allowing the crowd to participate in the communion with the fallen leader. (FT)

There has been a significant increase by 28 per cent in visitor arrivals in the month of March alone compared to the same period last year. The figure, released by the Bureau of Statistics, showed a total of 37,497 visitors for the month of March. According to the statistics, Australia arrivals increased by 55.2 per cent, which topped the arrivals list with a record of 13,139 visitors. (FT)

Students in areas affected during the recent floods will only return to normal classes after the Ministry of Education carries out an assessment and approves the operation of their school. “Once our assessment teams carry out their work and approve the opening of the nine schools in the affected areas in Navua, Ra and Tailevu, the students would be asked to return and this will only happen if the institutions are fit for learning depending on the report,” said Education Ministry’s chief executive officer Alumita Taganesia. (FT)

Two Fijian guards were killed while two were wounded in a bomb blast in Iraq early Sunday morning. This brings the Fijian guard death toll in Iraq to four since they were contracted by the Global Risk Strategies to serve in war-torn Iraq a year ago. (DP)

Tuesday - May 4, 2004

More than 4000 people braved the scorching sun at Tubou in Lakeba yesterday to farewell paramount chief and statesman Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. To the sound of the military drums and conch shells the Late Tui Nayau was finally laid to rest at the Sautabu (chiefly burial ground) in Tubou. Villagers and guests remained seated while the national anthem was played by the Fiji Military Forces band as a sign of respect while the body of the late chief was taken from his home, Vatuwaqa Levu, to the Tubou Methodist Church, which was fully decorated with masi and colourful mats chosen by the women who decorated the church. (FT)

A high chief admonished his peers yesterday, saying greed and self-centeredness had driven a wedge within the Fijian chiefly leadership. Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, the Roko Tui Bau who also has blood ties to Lau, said chiefs had failed to uphold the virtues that Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Mara stood for. Delivering the first eulogy on behalf of the Kubuna confederacy at the church service in Tubou for the late Ratu Sir Kamisese, Ratu Joni said chiefs had become too self-centred and selfish because of the money that came with the title. (FT)

Given the chance, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara would be smiling from his resting place to see that even in his death he had united all peoples of Fiji, a visiting dignitary told Tubou yesterday. Close associate of the late Tui Nayau, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Sir Michael Somare, paid his, his family’s and his nation’s tribute to Ratu Mara. Last minute arrangements had to be made to accommodate Sir Michael’s eulogy, as he was not on the list of people identified to speak at the church service. (FS)

The country wept with the widow of the former President as the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was finally laid to rest in home ground yesterday. Across the country, hearts broke and people reached out to Ro Lady Lala Mara as many witnessed the tears that glistened on her face as her husband’s body was placed in its eternal home. (FS)

In an emotional traditional presentation at Tubou yesterday, the people of the Confederacy of Burebasaga asked the people of Lau for the return of the high chief, the Marama Na Roko Tui Dreketi and Radini Nayau, Ro Lady Lala Mara. Before the traditional presentation was made, elders from Burebasaga made a traditional presentation to the Marama Roko Tui Dreketi at Vatuwaqa Levu to join her people who were waiting at the village green (rara) where a special seat was made for her by her own people. (FS)

The Fiji Muslim League deferred its celebrations of the Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday yesterday as they joined hands with the rest of the country to pay their last tribute to Fiji’s longest serving Prime Minister and President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara. For the first time ever, the Muslim community postponed this very important occasion which marks the birth of their last messenger sent by God, to respect the country’s greatest leaders ever. (FS)

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