High freight costs threaten regional trade

[File Photo] Freight costs are strangling Fiji’s trade with Vanuatu despite a new partnership. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka admitted this in Parliament while responding to an oral question. Thus, he states that high port charges, commercial...

Placing priority on diversification

An economy is a continuum. One finance minister who manages an economy for ten continuous years hands either a jewel or a disaster to his replacement. What has former finance minister Colm Imbert handed his successor Davendranath Tancoo? Jewel or...

South African 7s star Rosko Specman named official Ambassador for 2026 McDonald’s Coral Coast 7s

South African 7s star Rosko Specman named official Ambassador for 2026 McDonald’s Coral Coast 7s South African 7s star Rosko Specman will be the McDonald’s Coral Coast 7s ambassador for the 2026 tournament in Sigatoka. Tournament Communications...

EFL to transport power transformers from Suva Port to the Kinoya Power Station from 9pm to midnight

EFL to transport power transformers from Suva Port to the Kinoya Power Station from 9pm to midnight Energy Fiji Limited contractors will be transporting two 15 MVA power transformers from Kings Wharf to the Kinoya project site from 9 pm to...

Eyes on new export markets for kava, coffee and cocoa

file photo Fiji is working to expand its international markets and strengthen its commercial agriculture sector, focusing on crops such as turmeric, ginger, cassava, cocoa, coffee, kava, and pineapple. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade,...

Letters to the Editor | September 30, 2025

Media freedom, neutrality and perceptions There was a perception, albeit misplaced, some years ago that The Fiji Times was biased against Government in its reporting. A few editorial oversights back then did land the paper in court, but the paper...

FCCC Act review to reintroduce on-the-spot fines

The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Act is being reviewed where one of the key areas that is under review is the reintroduction of on-the-spot fines. This has been confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa...

Battle for the Heart and Soul of Cane Farmers: Charan Jeath SINGH vs Mahendra Chaudhry. Singh and Chaudhry locked in a bitter war of words over allegations of arson at mill, negligence, and political responsibility

Battle for the Heart and Soul of Fiji’s Cane Farmers: Charan Jeath Singh vs Mahendra Chaudhry ​The simmering tensions within Fiji’s sugar industry have exploded into public view, with Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh and National Farmers Union...

BACK IN HISTORY | Ratu off to India

On July 12, 1998, The Fiji Times wrote about a young student who was awarded a scholarship to study at Pune in India. Evelina Ratu, a sixth former at Sigatoka Methodist, was awarded an Indian Government scholarship by the Fiji Girmit Council....

Arson attacks on cane farms strain mill, says Singh

There have been numerous arson incidents on sugar cane farms in the West, putting pressure on the Lautoka mill to process burnt cane as quickly as possible, says Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh. He assured...

Afghanistan’s cellphone, internet services down after Taliban ordered cut

[Source: Reuters] The Taliban have ordered internet and mobile phone data services to be cut across Afghanistan, diplomatic and industry sources said. As residents and monitoring services reported no connectivity and disruption to flights and...

Sink or swim: Can island states survive the climate crisis?

Small island nations across the world are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, and their problems have been accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely affected their economies, and their capacity to protect themselves from...

Real estate heavyweights back Villaraigosa’s 2026 bid for governor

It was the personal touch that won over Jay Luchs when Antonio Villaraigosa — a Democrat making his second run for California governor — called to talk about real estate. “I respect him for picking up the phone and calling me to talk business...

Nations openly violating global norms: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday stressed that India is standing ‘strong” in upholding international rules based order and flagged that some nations are “openly violating” the international rules, while many others are wanting to create...

Social media claims won’t dictate aviation policy: DPM Gavoka

The Government has expressed confidence in the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF), dismissing recent social media commentary as unfounded and potentially damaging to public trust in the aviation regulator. In a statement issued yesterday,...

Domestic Agrifood Systems review meeting underway

The 2nd Annual Review and Planning Meeting (ARPM) of the Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems (STODAS) project is underway in Honiara this week. Minister for Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Franklyn Derek Wasi, officially opened...

Cane growers to receive full final payment after waiver of deductions

Cane farmers will receive their full final payment for the 2024 season today following the Government’s decision to waive all statutory deductions and loan repayments, a move welcomed by the Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC) as a major relief for...

Drug testing for police officers

Compulsory drug testing for Fiji’s police force is on the table as Government cracks down on police involvement – while balancing officers’ human rights. “That’s a good question, and it’s a relevant question, and it’s something that we have been...

PNG represented on global stage at IAPH World Ports Conference in Japan

PNG Ports’ CCO Deborah Onga with other presenters from around the world at the 2025 World Ports Conference, Japan. Credit: PNG Ports PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) proudly announces the participation of its Chief Commercial Officer, Ms....

Kelly Slater Heartbroken as Surfing Community Lost Popular Resort Owner

Jamie Isbell, the pioneer who gave vision to the surfing destination of Tavarua Island Resort, and helped surfers to explore the surf breaks like the ‘Cloudbreak’ and ‘Restaurants’ passed away in her sleep on October 13. She helped build a surf...