Thursday - May 18, 2006
May 18, 2006, 11:47

A key election official told yesterday of how he had no time to grieve for his wife who died the day after polling began because he was committed to his job. Misieli Naivalu, the Commissioner Northern and returning officer for the Northern Division said his national duties and responsibilities were more important. He said his wife died while he was at work on Sunday evening waiting for feedbacks from polling stations on the first day of voting. Mr Naivalu said the writ to conduct the elections in the division was signed by the President, Ratu Josefa Iliolo and there was no way in which he could walk away. He paid tribute to his senior officers saying the election in the division would have collapsed had he not received their support. (FT)

Caretaker Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase will form the new government after he pays President Ratu Josefa Iloilo a visit today. Mr Qarase yesterday said he had already planned his Cabinet and would meet members of his new government this morning. This would happen after a caucus meeting tomorrow morning (today), he said. I will meet with the successful candidates including the two independents, George Konrote of the Rotuma Communal constituency and Robin Irwin of the North Eastern General, to discuss issues of the new government, he said. I have spoken to the two independent candidates and they have agreed to meet me tomorrow (today) before I visit Government House. Mr Qarase said he had confidence in the contribution of Mr Konrote and Mr Irwin. Mr Irwin said he would meet Mr Qarase today at the caucus meeting. I want a government which will bring investment to employ the unemployed especially the school leavers, he said. (FT)

Ideas on how to better deliver the Fiji School Leaving Certificate curriculum were thrashed out at a one-day course offered through the University of Fiji yesterday. The course was held at Pundit Vishnu Deo Memorial College in Saweni, Lautoka. Vice-chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra said they were delighted by the enthusiastic response of senior English teachers towards the course. It is the first in what I expect to be on-going professional development we will be offering, he said. Professor Chandra said despite advertising for 40 seats for the one-day refresher course, 46 teachers from all over Fiji attended. (FT)


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