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FIJI

March 13 2015

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FEBRUARY 13, 2015

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News

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Fiji News

Essential National Industries Decree

Reviewed

Government has launched a review of

the Essential National Industries Decree
which was introduced four years ago to
protect industries vital to the national
interest from industrial disruption.
Employer and employee groups that fall
under the provisions of the Decree held
talks with the Attorney General, Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum and the Employment

Vegetable
Shortage
A Suva market vendor had no choice
but to import produce to cater for the
growing demand of fruits and vegetables
in Suva.
Bobby Chand imports capsicums, purple
cabbage, apples, grapes, pears, oranges,
celery and purple onions to substitute for
off-season fruits and vegetables in the
country.
"I'm importing fruits and vegetables due
to shortage in the market in the Sigatoka
and Suva area," Mr Chand said.
He said the shortage was inevitable
which left him no choice but to import
from Australia and New Zealand.
"The situation in the market is that
according to the farmers they cannot
produce vegetables to cater for the
people of Suva.
"The reason for this is dry and hot
weather and in this type of weather
vegetables do not grow well in.
"We cannot produce vegetables which
forced us to import it from Australia and
New Zealand."
With 40 years of experience at the
market, Mr Chand said he sold locally
produced vegetables and fruits when
they were in season.
"We go for the locally produced
vegetables because they were far cheaper
compared to the imported ones but due
to the weather we have to import due to
the demand."
Mr Chand also supplies vegetables and
fruits to resorts, hotels and hospitals in
a daily basis.
Suva Market Vendors Association
general secretary Krishna Kumar said
the shortage would go on for more than
two months until vegetables were in
season again.

604.909.4088

Minister, Jioji Konrote in Suva.

The parties shared their experiences
under the Law and agreed to meet again
in three weeks time but in the meantime,
they would prepare formal submissions
that the Government would consider
during the review process.
Sayed Khaiyum said that any
changes to the Decree would take

place within the context of ensuring

sustainability of employment, job
creation and the economic wellbeing of all Fijians.
When the current review is completed,
any proposed amendments to the
law will be submitted to Cabinet
for consideration and eventually be
introduced in Parliament.

Fiji Ranks Fourth Highest

FIJI ranked fourth highest on a 2005
report of teenage pregnancies in selected
Pacific Island countries.
This was noted in a presentation prepared
by the Lautoka Hospital and Fiji National
University's obstetrics and gynecology
associate professor, Dr Swaran Naidu at
the Viseisei Sai Health Centre.
Her presentation noted that Fiji trailed
behind the Marshall Islands, Solomon
Islands and Kiribati for selected countries
with teenage mothers aged 15 to 19.
"In Fiji, one in 10 deliveries is to a teen
mother," it said.
Noting bleak prospects, it emphasized
that teen mothers were more likely to drop
out of school, have low qualifications,
live in poor housing conditions, suffer
depression, live on welfare, have more

children than her peers, be unemployed

or lowly-paid and become victims of
violence.
It added that for teenage pregnancies,
girls aged 12 to 14 years were more likely
to have unplanned sexual intercourse and
more likely to have been abused, while
two-thirds of teen pregnancies occurred
in teenagers aged 16 to 19 years old.
"The child of a teen mother is more
likely to live in poverty, grow up without
a father, become a victim of neglect or
abuse, do less well at school, become
involved in crime, abuse drugs and
alcohol and eventually become a teenage
parent and begin the cycle all over again."
Next week, the clinic plans to launch a
reproductive health book and project
report on adolescents.

Fiji Police Force Tighten

Budget
The Fiji Police Force has established
an internal unit to oversee their budget
spending.
Police Commissioner Ben Groenewald
said this will ensure allocated budget is
spent to plan.
The Fiji Police Force has already
identified ways to avoid overspending.
Police Commissioner Ben Groenewald
has assured the Public Accounts
Committee that they have looked at the
Auditor General reports from 2007 to
2009 and have made some changes to
improve budget spending.
The Fiji Police Force has established a
procurement unit to oversee the engaging
of a private printing company that it is
limited and that proper guidelines are
followed said Groenewald.

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Check and balances have also been put

in place to ensure that misuse is detected
early.
Monthly reconciliations are carried out
to detect errors and corrections are made
accordingly, the procedure for monthly
payment salary and wages are followed
as per financial instruction of 2014 said
Groenewald.
The Police Commissioner also sharing
some light on some of the criminal
investigations they are looking into.
Outstanding debt of $1 million
payment were approved in 2014 by the
PS of Finance and it was paid in our 2014
budget this specific case is a subject of
criminal investigation and the outcome
will give us an indication of surcharge
said Groenewald.

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Fiji News

National Defence Review To Stop Coups,

Teleni

The National Defence Review will stop

coups in Fiji, says the chairman of the
National Defence Review Committee,
EsalaTeleni.
He said Prime Minister Voreqe
Bainimarama had time and again, said
there would be no more coups.
Our challenge now is to make sure that
statement stays, Mr Teleni said.
He said the new approach now was not
that Fiji would have a major invasion or
enemies of Fiji from outside. He said
a lot of security issues now was from
within.
According to Mr Teleni, the only way to
manage and address that was to manage
the people by making sure that they are
at peace all the time.
We will identify if we still have any
discriminatory policies, hatred policies
and policies that need to be re-looked
at.
Coups, he said, happened when there
was insecurity and jealousy against
some government policies.

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He said the Fijian people and visitors

must at all time, feel safe and secure
wherever they lived in.
Our new defence strategy is for all living
in Fiji to be safe and live harmoniously
all the time.
Mr Teleni said the security should be
focused on the people and they should

604.510.4088

take ownership of that.

The review, according to Mr Teleni,
will make sure that people will live
harmoniously and have pride of their
nation.
He said coups happened when security
was not tight enough, but the review
would address that.

604.909.4088

Fiji News

PM Bainimarama Slams Kepa Flag

Boycott
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama
yesterday criticised Opposition Leader
Ro Teimumu Kepa for boycotting the
process to choose a new national flag.
I was surprised when I returned from
Geneva to find that the Opposition is
boycotting the national panel of citizens
we are setting up to choose a new design
for our flag, Mr Bainimarama said.
He spoke to the media during the opening
of the rebranded Fiji Maritime School at
Laucala Bay, Suva.
Ro Teimumu said she would not name
her two nominees for the panel because
they wanted a national referendum to let
the people decide whether to change the
flag or not. She has defended the existing
flag.
But Mr Bainimarama said: I dont
understand why the Opposition wants us
all to continue to honour the symbols of

Iguanas
Create Havoc

AMERICAN iguanas on Qamea Island

continue to feed on small fish and leaves
of cassava plants.
Naivivi village headman Iosefo
Tikoisolomone said the massive presence
of the reptile on the island needed to be
addressed.
He said the iguanas had started feeding
on small fishes in mangrove areas and
the leaves and soft stem of cassava plants
that grew by the shore.
Mr Tikoisolomone said the situation was
not new and had been happening for a
few years.
He said they were worried about the
welfare of their future generation.
The small fishes, he said, were a source
of food for villagers on a daily basis.
During a phone interview, he said the
soldiers were in the area to assist with
the eradication of the reptile, however,
he said details of the eradication process
were not made known to villagers
although the soldiers did a marvelous
job.
Describing the result of the work, Mr
Tikoisolomone said since the soldiers
arrived on the island to carry out their
work, the reptiles visibly decreased.
He said the reptiles were no longer seen
around the village, on mangrove trees by
the seashore or in farms.

604.909.4088

the Colonial power that has been gone

from Fiji for 45 years.
He said Fiji is a young nation in every
sense and most importantly because
most of the population is young people
who have no recollection of colonial
times beyond what they read in the
history books.
They deserve to honour symbols we
can all relate to as Fijians genuinely,
authentically and proudly Fijian.
He also urged the Fiji Maritime Academy
staff and students to also enter the design
competition of the proposed new Fijian
flag.
Im sure you will all agree that the new
symbol of the Fiji Maritime Academy
its new flag is one that everyone who
passes through this institution in the
months and years to come will honour
and hold in the highest respect.

Government, he said, was proud to be

part of the upgrade of the institution
which included the provision of
$2million to fund the bridge and engine
room simulators that were transforming
the learning experience of every cadet.
Fiji as a whole, he said, was proud that
the academy had received certification
from the ISO the International
Organisation for Standardisation which
told the region and the world that this
was a place of excellence and worthy of
international respect.
The competition for a new design has
already been launched and a national
committee will go through the entries
after May 1, when the competition ends.
The Prime Minister had announced that
the winner would raise the new flag
on the 45th anniversary of the Fijis
independence on October 10.

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Fiji News

Parents To Send Children To School At

Their Own Discretion

Fiji's Minister for Education Dr

Mahendra Reddy says parents are at
liberty to decide whether to send their
children to school or not in light of bad
weather brought expected to be about by
Tropical Cyclone Pam.
According to the Nadi Weather Office,
although TC Pam, upgraded to a
category four system, poses no direct
threat to Fiji, associated heavy rain and
strong north/northwesterly winds with
speeds of 45 knots is expected to affect.
Dr Reddy says situations differ in
various parts of Fiji so parents after
having carefully assessed the weather

warnings will be in the best position and

with the advisory given by the weather
office be in the best position to decide on
the movement of their children.
"If parents feel that it is not safe to send
their children to school then can keep
them at home and ensure their safety,"
Dr Reddy said.
"I wish to advise all parents to carefully
assess the weather warnings and make
informed decisions about the movement
of your children."
School heads and management have also
been advised to secure their schools and
ensure all resources are kept in a safe

place.
"All school heads should also ensure that
all loose materials are moved to a safer
place and flood prone areas should start
moving all valuable materials to areas
above flood level."
Meanwhile, TC Pam continues to
intensify and has average winds of
approximately 140km to its centre. It
was analysed approximately 1,100km
to the far Northwest of Nadi. It is
moving towards the south and is
expected to maintain its southerly
track for the next 24 hours and pass to
the west of Fiji.

Business Community To Accept The Old $2

Coin

THE Reserve Bank of Fiji is encouraging

the business community to accept the
old $2 coin for trading purposes from
consumers.
The advice from RBF Governor Barry
Whiteside followed concerns that some
traders refused to accept the old $2 coin
from consumers for transactions.
Other traders had even placed signs
inside their shops advising customers
they were no longer accepting the old $2
coins.
"Businesses act as intermediaries
between the individual customers,
commercial banks and the RBF. It is
important that businesses accept the old
$2 coins and subsequently deposit these
with their respective banks," he said.
"The old $2 coins should not be reissued
as change to customers. This will greatly

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assist in the withdrawal of the old $2

coins from the system."
He said commercial bank branches had
been advised to accept old $2 coins
from customers who may wish to have
those deposited into their accounts or
exchanged for new ones.
On November 3 last year, the central
bank issued new specification $2 coins
into circulation to address concerns
regarding the confusion between the
present $1 and the then old $2 coins.
"The new $2 coins have been made

larger and thicker with a new edge

to better differentiate between the
current $1 coins. The change in size
of the new $2 coin has been accepted
extremely well by the public," Mr
Whiteside said.
The general public was then advised to
return the old $2 coins to their nearest
commercial bank by December 31, 2014.
While the response had been positive,
Mr Whiteside said, some old $2 coins
were still in circulation and were yet to
be returned to the RBF.

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Fiji News

Auditor-General Gets Green Light For

Audit

Military and Naval Commander Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga

THE Supreme Court of Fiji has vouched "... but I emphasise those are internal
for the Auditor-General to look into trust private funds but I have no objection to
fund accounts of the Republic of the Fiji all the trust accounts that we hold and
Military Forces but this has not been I'm sure they have continuously been
done yet.
audited over the years."
Revealing this during the Public
Accounts Committee meeting yesterday,
deputy
Auditor-General
Atunaisa
Nadakuitavuki said this was not done
because they had not received the books
needed from the RFMF.
"Apart from these issues we have also
requested the (books for) trust funds
that the military has been operating. So
far we have been given the vouch from
the Supreme Court to look into these
trust funds but we're still waiting for the
books to be released," Mr Nadakuitavuki
said.
However, military commander Brigadier
General Mosese Tikoitoga said he did
not have any issue with Government
trust fund accounts held by the RFMF,
however, discussions were needed
regarding private trust fund accounts.
"I have no objections with Government
trust accounts to be audited, there may
be some private funds which may be
held within the RFMF which I again
emphasise are RFMF private funds
which are voluntary-based. Those are
perhaps the ones that we need to discuss
with the Auditor-General," he said.
Brig-Gen Tikoitoga said Government
trust accounts were open for auditing.
"Private funds for each unit like
Mataivalu savings, our Credit Union or
medical scheme or regimental funds,
those are internal private funds that
maybe we need to discuss further with
the Auditor-General on how those can be
audited if they need to be audited.

604.909.4088

604.510.4088

Mr Nadakuitavuki maintained the

OAG had been auditing private trust
fund accounts in other departments and
ministries over the years as mandated to
them.
The two parties are expected to have
talks on how they could assist each other
in auditing the private fund accounts as
Brig-Gen Tikoitoga said the RFMF had
a lot of trust fund accounts which were
also layered "from platoon strength
private funds to company strength
private funds to battalion funds even the
ships have their own private funds".
Brig-Gen Tikoitoga confirmed that since
2010, RFMF had set up an internal audit
team to continuously look at all the funds
held by RFMF including public funds,
private funds and project funds held by
their engineers.
He said this was done as they continuously
tried to improve on what was reported in
the Auditor-General's report.

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Fiji News

TLTB To Pay Lease Money To Individuals

Individual landowners from the four
provinces will be receiving their lease
money from May directly from the
iTaukei Land Trust Board.
The TLTB general manager, Alipate
Qetaki, said this initiative was part of a
requirement by Government for TLTB
to equally distribute lease money to
landowners.
From May lease money will be
deposited into individual accounts to
landowners in Bua, Cakaudrove, Ba and
Kadavu, Mr Qetaki said.
Before, lease monies were deposited into
the clans bank accounts and the trustees
would distribute them to clan members.
Mr Qetaki made the announcement at the
public consultations on iTaukei issues at the
Nausori Village Community Hall last night.
Mr Qetaki said the new move would be
easier for the landowners.
Some landowners have been unhappy
with the way the trustees have handled
the distribution of lease money.
iTaukei involvement in business
Ministry of iTaukei Affairs deputy
Permanent Secretary Apakuki Kurusiga
reassured villagers that ministrys
officials had been conducting awareness
in villages on business management.
This was after concerns were raised on
the involvement of iTaukei people in the
business arena.
Village Nurses

Concerns were also raised on the

payment of village nurses.
The president of the Tailevu South Village
Nurses Association Nanise Burelala
highlighted that there was a need for
village nurses to be paid for their services.
At the moment, they are volunteers.
But they do the same work as village
headmen do.
Mr Kurusiga responded that the ministry
had met with the Ministry of Health last
year on the issue. It was decided that
they would meet again this year before
the Memorandum of Understanding
would be signed.

Pay for Chiefs

Chiefs should be paid for carrying out
their duties when Government officials
visited villages.
The suggestion was raised by Nausori
chief Ratu Lepani Tagicakibau that
chiefs needed to be paid.
Permanent Secretary Savenaca Kaunisela
said the ministry would consider those
concerns.
He also reiterated that the consultation
was not politically motivated. However,
it was the job of the ministry to go out
and enlighten people on the services
they were providing.

Tourism Ministry Focuses On Visitor

Arrivals Report
AFTER a lapse of about five years, the
Tourism Ministry has recommenced
with the country's international visitor
survey reports.
Those will have Fiji's 2013 and 2014
reports prepared by StollzNow Research
and Insight Advisory, which was recently
signed on board and will help train
ministry staff in the use of specialised
software.
Tourism permanent secretary Shaheen
Ali said those reports would provide a
quantitative and qualitative assessment
of Fiji's visitor arrivals by noting their
numbers and reasons for their visit,
including their activities and areas of
their stay.
"The difference this time around would
be that the project will also focus on

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developing capacity within the ministry

to operate and use the specialised
data software, which will enable the
immediate generation of data and basic
report," he said.
Information from the surveys would
also be used to develop tourism sector
policies, help identify areas with large
visitor numbers, and assist government
agencies to develop appropriate

infrastructure.
"We expect to have the 2013 and 2014
reports completed before the end of the
year, after which the ministry will take
over data compilation and analysis."
The surveys will be facilitated by
officials with electronic tablets at the
Nadi International Airport for quicker
responses to the questionnaires, which
the Tourism ministry will review.

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Fiji News

Fijian Company Praised For Investing In

Tourism Venture

The Fijian Government has praised the

investment of more than $70 million in a
new resort at Nadis Wailoaloa Beach by
local company Gokals.
The Minister for Industry, Trade and
Tourism, Hon. Faiyaz Koya says it has
never been a better time to invest in
Fiji. He added that Fijis unprecedented
economic in the past few years
provide the ideal environment for
investment. This is also due to the
conducive environment and the progrowth policies of the Bainimarama
Government. Total investment in 2014
is estimated to be approximately 25 per
cent of the Gross Domestic Product, of
which more than half is private sector
driven and on average, domestic sector
investment accounts for 50 per cent
of this investment, the Minister said.
Therefore, it is companies, such as
the Gokal Group that are putting their
money into the Fijian economy. It is
not just your money, but your actions
also demonstrate confidence in the
Government and the policies.

He said Government valued its

partnership with the private sector
and the investment by Gokal Group
of Companies was a testament of the
confidence in the economy.
We deeply value your investment and
commitment and regard you as vital
partners to Government in creating
wealth and developing the nation that we
all love, the Minister said.
In response, Gokal Group General
Manager Vikesh Gokal said love for
their country was a major contributor
in the companys efforts to tap into the
tourist market. We are proud Fijians
and we are more proud today that this
company is wholly Fijian owned. We
love our country and we will continue
to ensure that we play our part as proud
Fijians by investing in such ventures,
he said. Gokal Group is pleased to
be working with Accor, and we look
forward to embracing their global
network to benefit from the international
brand recognition Pullman represents,
and the groups dynamic distribution,

digital and loyalty programs that extend

across the globe.
The Pullman Nadi Bay Resort & Spa will be
Accors 5th address in Fiji, complementing
its existing hotel portfolio incorporating
the Mercure Nadi, Novotel Nadi, Novotel
Suva Lami Bay, and the Sofitel Fiji Resort
& Spa on Denarau Island.
Currently under construction, the new
Pullman project represents a strategic
opportunity to drive the culture of Fijian
economic growth. Once construction
is complete, the new hotel will employ
more than 300 Fijians.
Located on the beachfront of Nadi Bay,
the resort will offer guests a premier
location just two kilometres drive from
the Nadi International Airport.
The finished resort is expected to open
with 234 rooms and suites, and offer
guests an extensive range of facilities
including six restaurants and bars, two
swimming pools and a day spa. Pullman
Nadi Bay Resort & Spa will also feature
four meetings rooms, with capacity for
up to 400 guests theatre style.

Kava Council Not Happy With Aust Kava Ban

The Fiji Kava Council is not happy with a
proposal made by Australias Indigenous
Affairs Minister, Nigel Scullion to ban
Kava in Australia.
This follows reports in Australia that Mr
Scullion, a Northern Territory senator,
revealed on February 23 that he planned
to pursue the banning of Kava.
This is after claims that Tongans are
illegally smuggling Kava into the
Northern Territory, where Kava has been
banned.
The chairman of the Fiji Kava Council,
Rupeni Koro said Fijians and South
Pacific islanders living in Australia
should be treated fairly.
Australia should look at Fiji. People of
different races, religions and ethnicity
are allowed to practice their traditions
and beliefs freely, Mr Koro said.
He said Kava had no alcohol content and
had been a traditional aspect of the lives
of Fijians, especially the iTaukei.
When living in a land away from home,
you like to do something that reminds
you of home. Once in a while and for a
lot of iTaukei people overseas, they like
to gather around the tanoa when they
meet, Mr Koro said.
According to the Sunshine Coast Daily,

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Mr Scullion said they accepted people

practicing their culture in Australia, but
when it is perverted and redirected and
to harm their first Australians, it isnt a
right, its a privilege.
But Im an advocate unashamedly for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people in Australia. Thats my job and
I think it should be banned and I will
continue pursuing it until it is banned,
Mr Scullion said.

604.510.4088

Pacific islanders living on the Sunshine

Coast are also outraged with the proposal.
Fijian-born, Naibuka Sokovagone has
started an online petition to urge the
Minister to change his mind and it has
already gained support from around the
world.
Mr Sokovagone said Mr Scullions
call to ban kava would be like banning
Australias popular beer, VB, or tea in
England.

604.909.4088

Fiji News

10

Suva Sex House Raid

There was high drama as Immigration
and Police officers raided an alleged
Suva sex house.
They used a box cutter and hammer
to try to open a padlock in the heavily
secured Rewa Street concrete building
as occupants refused to open the main
door.
The raid was part of a continuing
operation by Police and Immigration
to crack down on illegal sex joints
employing overseas Asian women.
The landlord, who turned up sometime
later, opened the house and allowed the
officers to enter and interrogate four
women who are Chinese nationals.
They were carrying Chinese passports
with work permits. They were listed as
garment workers.
The officers began the raid at the 3.25pm.
Four women of Chinese nationality were
inside the flat with two men.
Although the officers identified
themselves, the occupants did not open
the grill and the door.
Officers repeatedly called out for the
occupants to open the door but they did
not move.
At 3.47pm an unregistered vehicle
driven by another Chinese national
arrived and demanded that the officers
leave the premises.
At 4pm, the landlord arrived and opened

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the door.
When he was questioned by officers, he
admitted that he had been renting out his
flat to Chinese nationals for a short-term
but he had not been paying Fiji Revenue
and Customs Authority taxes on money
earned from renting out his property.
Although the women claimed they did
not understand English, they spoke in
English to the officers.
At 4.36pm, as the officers were leaving

the property, another private vehicle with

four Chinese men came to the residence.
The driver of the vehicle informed the
officers that he had picked up the men
from Kings Wharf. The men had told
him that they had paid $150 each for sex,
food and accommodation for the night at
the flat.
They were then questioned by officers.
No one was arrested but the officers were
continuing their investigations.

The President of Fijis Medical

Association said the newly renovated
Colonial War Memorial Hospital will
allow for surgeries and operations that
have never been performed in Fiji.
Dr. James Fong said the renovation
is in its final stages and the hospital is

expected to be running full services by

the end of next month.
Dr. Fong said the much needed rebuild
and new equipment were funded by the
government and foreign donors.
He said some of the new services include
neurosurgery and cardiac surgery.

New Services To Be
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Fiji News

11

Fiji Airways Cancels

Vanuatu Flights

Flights to and from Vanuatu are among

those canceled by Fiji Airways in light
of strong winds and heavy rain expected
to impact Fiji over the next few days due
to Tropical Cyclone Pam.
Canceled are Friday's scheduled flights
to and from Port Vila via FJ 263 and FJ
262.
The Fiji Airways says passengers will be
booked on a supplementary service on
Sunday, March 15 - FJ 263 Nadi Port
Vila 0730 and FJ 262 Port Vila-Nadi
0950.
The airline says it will continue to
monitor the weather situation, assess

its impact on operations, and advise of

changes to schedules.
Also canceled are Fiji Link flights, FJ
117 Suva-Koro and FJ 176 Koro-Suva.
Details for a supplementary flight will
be announced once weather and runway
conditions improve, the airline said in a
statement.
"Fiji Airways continues to monitor
the weather situation with regards to
Tropical Cyclone Pam. The cyclone
is expected to bring winds and rain,
and its track has been fairly consistent
with forecasts. At present, the cyclone
is not expected to affect Fiji Airways
operations significantly.

Retailers Warned About

Stolen Cheques

Investigations are currently underway

into a series of stolen cheques that we
believe could be used for retailing soon
or in the near future.
It is believed that the Westpac Cheque book
belonging to DWJ & B Stewart was stolen
from the company earlier last month and
their cheques are being used for retailing.
Police confirmed that they have seized 4
cheques from various retailers.

We wish to advise members of the

public that more cheques could be used
in the near future.
The Police is pleading with retailers to
be on alert while trading using cheques
and not to report any cheque from the
company DWJ &B Stewart. We wish
to apprehend the perpetrator as soon as
possible to avoid disappointments for
any business owners.

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8 Years For
Rape

A young man who raped a 63-year-old

man has been sentenced to eight years in
jail by the High Court in Lautoka.
Sione Sadrugu, between May 28 and 29,
2011 raped the older man who was in
Fiji for a visit.
In the evening of May 28 the victim
was in the presence of Sadrugu and his
friends where the victim bought them
food and drinks and took them to the
clubs.
When the victim discovered his mobile
phone missing, he went to Sadrugu to
seek assistance.
The accused with his friends took the
victim to an unknown place here they
assaulted and robbed him, put him in
the rental car and took him to another
place where the accuseds friend took
the rental car and left the accused and
the victim.
The accused then raped the victim after
threatening him. The victim was saved
by a passer-by who heard him shouting
for help.
Justice Thushara Rajasinghe while
sentencing the accused said the victim
had treated him as a friend.
Justice Rajasinghe said rape was the
worse form of sexual offence which
not only physically degrading but also
emotionally infringes someones life
severely.
Sadrugu has been sentenced to eight
years with a non-parole period of six
years.

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Fiji News

12

British Government Honours Fallen Fijian

Soldiers

Ten Fijian British Army soldiers who

died during operations in Afghanistan
are among those to be honoured by
the British Government in a national
commemoration service in London later
this week.
They are Pte Anare Draiva, Tpr Ratu
Sakeasi Babakobau, Fus Petero Suesue, Rfn
Aminiasi Toge, Cpl Taniela Rogoiruwai,
Kgn Ponipate Tagitaginimoce, Pte Joseva
Vatubua, Pte Ratu Manasa Silibaravi,
Gdsm Apete Tuisavura and LCpl Duane
Anthony Groom.
The fallen will be represented by their
families who have been invited as
guests of the British Government for the
Afghanistan Service of Commemoration
at St Pauls Cathedral in London on
Friday 13 March (Saturday 14 March

FJT).
Arrangements have been made to fly
out eight family members based in Fiji.
Family members of six soldiers who
reside outside Fiji will also attend the
service.
Prior to their flying out, British
High Commissioner to Fiji Roderick
Drummond hosted tea for the family
members.
The families will be accompanied by
the British Army Support Officer, Major
(Retd) Jim Hall, who is based at the
High Commission in Suva. During tea
Drummond paid tribute to all 10 soldiers
from Fiji who paid the ultimate sacrifice
in Afghanistan. He wished the families
from Fiji a safe journey to London.
A British Government statement says

the national commemoration event

marks the end of combat operations in
Afghanistan and honour the contribution
of members of the UK Armed Forces,
past and present, who served on
operations in Afghanistan and in the UK.
It will also reflect on the 453 service men
and women who lost their lives during
that campaign, and those who were
wounded.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh
will also attend the service including
members of the Armed Forces, veterans,
representatives of military and aid
charities and organisations and the UKs
NATO allies. The activities will include
a parade through the City of London
from St Pauls Cathedral to the Guildhall
and a flypast.

Buy Fijian Grown

The Minister for Industry, Trade and

Tourism, Faiyaz Koya is encouraging
eateries and restaurant operators and
those associated in food and beverage to
use Fijian grown produce.
He highlighted this during the official
opening of Chefs Kitchen last Friday
night at Namaka, Nadi.
Food is a significant aspect of the
tourists experience of a destination,
driven by the growing trends of
authenticity and the need demand to
have a high-quality experience.
As tourists desire for new experiences
increases, the authentic restaurant
experience becomes more important.
Authenticity is about food that is
simple, rooted in the region, natural,
ethical, beautiful and honest. These
features have the potential of creating
all of the makings offer a true food
tourism destination.
Chefs Kitchen will provide the doorway
to the real Fiji the multicultural Fiji
the Fiji that has absorbed a number of
cultures and with it the different cuisine
and created a truly unique cuisine.
Tourism, particularly food tourism,
allows communities to generate income
and employment opportunities locally,
providing jobs for local chefs, while
also fuelling other sectors of the local
economy such as agriculture.
This is where my ministry and the
Ministry of Agriculture are working
together to ensure that hotels and
restaurants, especially in the tourism

[email protected]

Faiyaz Koya
sector, should use only Fijian grown Managing director Anwar Shah said:
fruits and vegetables. Restaurants After many years in the tourism
have always been places to celebrate a industry we thought to try out the new
special occasion or mark an important venture in the hospitality section.
milestone, to bond with new friends and Chefs Kitchen is the new restaurant
or grow closer as a family.
arm of AIMS Rental Group. It is a local
They provide a service to our automotive dealer which has expanded
communities unlike any other and even its investment to other division like the
as tastes and customs have changed over restaurant and others in future.
time, restaurants remain an incredibly Chefs Kitchen will be open six days a
dynamic part of our Fijian lifestyle.
week for espresso, breakfast, lunch, cake
New venture
o clock and dinner.

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Fiji News

13

Dividends From State-Owned Entities

Jumps To $17.1 Million

Shaheen Ali
Government received $17.1 million
from state-owned enterprises in the form
of dividends the past year. This was a
249 per cent increase when compared
with 2013 figures.
The acting Permanent Secretary for
Public Enterprises, Shaheen Ali, revealed
these figures to the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Economic

Affairs.
Mr Ali said this was a big increase
compared to the previous years where
$3.8 million was received in 2013 and
$3.9 million in 2012.
He further highlighted that the number
of entities making profits significantly
increased from nine in 2011 to 15 in
2014, equating a total increase of 67 per
cent.
This is attributed to the reforms
implemented, strengthening of board and
better monitoring oversight of entities,
he said.
2015 projections
Government has put a number of stateowned enterprises on the market to divest
shares or form public private partnerships
and some are on the market for sale.
Mr Ali said for this year, the anticipated
collection from investing revenue in the
sale and divestment projects has been
forecast at $509.7 million.
It should be noted that divestment is an
important project, however, it is not only
undertaken with the aim to earn revenue,
to bring about reforms and efficiency,

he said.
Furthermore, it is about creating
strategic partnership that can inject into
the company or operation new cutting
edge management style, new technology
and a new outlook.
Mr Ali confirmed for a number of
projects, updated valuations have been
completed and discussions are currently
being held with potential investors.
Government objectives
Mr Ali said Governments objectives
will continue with the modernisation of
Fijis seaports and airports including the
development of specialised facilities.
This, he said will be included with the
aim to increase profitability, efficiencies
and productivity.
Also increase investment in major
or critical infrastructure that would
improve service delivery, enhancement
of management and technical skills, he
said.
Mr Ali said Government will ensure the
introduction of top-of-class processes
and systems, develop and promote Fiji
as regional hub.

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Fiji News

14

21 Days In Quarantine
POLICE officers who returned from
peacekeeping duties in Liberia will
be quarantined for 21 days, says
Divisional Police Commander West
Jope Ralulu.
The 18 officers who returned on Tuesday
night undertook medical tests as a
precautionary measure upon their arrival
at Nadi International Airport.
"They have already been cleared by the
United Nations health officials in Liberia
prior to being allowed to travel and what

we're doing here is taking further steps

to ensure that no disease like the Ebola
Virus or Malaria have slipped through,"
Mr Ralulu said.
"They will be confined to their homes
and given regular health checks to ensure
all is well before being allowed to return
to duty."
Mr Ralulu said the men had performed
admirably in their duties and kept the
reputation of the Fiji Police Force intact.
"From the first mission in 2004, which

Kishan Sharma, 22, appeared in

the Suva Magistrates Court after
allegedly causing the death of Sekaia
Lasarusa, 40, during a road accident
last Sunday.
The accident happened when the driver
allegedly tried to overtake another
vehicle at Fletcher Road, Vatuwaqa

when he hit Mr Lasarusa while who was

crossing.
The victim was rushed to Colonial
War Memorial Hospital where he was
pronounced dead.
No plea was taken by the accused who
has been remanded in custody until his
next court appearance on March 24.

I led, to these men returning home,

we have maintained a very high level
of service to the UN because of our
ability to integrate easily with the local
community there."
Contingent commander Inspector Anil
Prasad said they were keen to be reunited
with their families.
Liberia was a hotspot for the Ebola
virus last year, resulting in the UN
withdrawing all peacekeepers from the
African country.

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Fiji News

15

Pure Fiji Continues To Shine With Awards

Pure Fiji is proud and announced its
win at the New Zealand Best in Beauty
Awards for a second year in a row.
The award ceremony was hosted at the
luxurious Northern Club in Auckland.
Hosted by Bauer Media, the NZ Best
in Beauty Awards are the most widely
recognised in New Zealand.
They are judged by beauty editors and
readers of the countrys most popular
womens magazines.
This year more than 81,000 votes were
cast.
Pure Fiji continues to gain international
recognition affirming its position as the
worlds cosmetic manufacturing pioneer
of virgin coconut oil.
The company was honored to have been
nominated in five different categories
alongside some of the worlds best brands.
New York Spa Conference
Meanwhile, representatives of Pure Fiji
are currently attending the International
Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conference
at the Javits Convention Center in New
York City, USA.
The representatives include two local
staff, Ian Mafi and Apisai Vuki, along
with Pure Fijis USA distributors.
The Pure Fiji Team was paid a surprise

visit in New York by Phillipa Steele, a

Fijian model currently signed with worldfamous Trump Model Management.
Ms Steele was treated to a mini spa ritual
and also serenade by her fellow Fijians.
Phillipa is.
International Esthetics, Cosmetics &
Spa Conferences are the leading spa and
wellness events in the USA.

Spa and wellness professionals rely on

this event for insightful guidance to grow
their businesses and keep them at the
forefront of their competitive industry.
International Esthetics, Cosmetics
& Spa Conference New York is the
first of eight international spa show
where Pure Fiji will be attending in
2015.

Fiji Police Force Tighten Budget

The Fiji Police Force has established
an internal unit to oversee their budget
spending.
Police Commissioner Ben Groenewald
said this will ensure allocated budget is
spent to plan.
The Fiji Police Force has already
identified ways to avoid overspending.
Police Commissioner Ben Groenewald
has assured the Public Accounts
Committee that they have looked at the
Auditor General reports from 2007 to
2009 and have made some changes to
improve budget spending.
The Fiji Police Force has established a
procurement unit to oversee the engaging
of a private printing company that it is
limited and that proper guidelines are
followed said Groenewald.
Check and balances have also been put
in place to ensure that misuse is detected
early.
Monthly reconciliations are carried out
to detect errors and corrections are made
accordingly, the procedure for monthly

[email protected]

payment salary and wages are followed

as per financial instruction of 2014 said
Groenewald.
The Police Commissioner also sharing
some light on some of the criminal
investigations they are looking into.
Outstanding debt of $1 million

604.510.4088

payment were approved in 2014 by

the PS of Finance and it was paid
in our 2014 budget this specific case
is a subject of criminal investigation
and the outcome will give us an
indication of surcharge said
Groenewald.

604.909.4088

World News

16

Alberta Town Bans Swearing, Spitting And

Yelling

Do not disturb.
Or yell, or swear or spit on the sidewalk.
The southern Alberta town of Taber,
population 8,104, best known as
Canada's corn capital, has brought in a
bylaw to clamp down on bad behaviour.
The fines may leave a bad taste in the
mouth for anyone who breaks the law.
Reading like a page from the Old West
the bylaw includes a $75 fine for spitting
in public and a $150 penalty for yelling,
screaming or swearing in a public place.
There are also limits on noise from bars.
The town's "quiet hours" are between 11
p.m. and 7 a.m.
"My personal reaction was well, it's
Taber. But my legal reaction was uh, oh.
I don't think that's going to pass muster
with freedom of expression and freedom
of association," said Linda McKayPanos, executive director of the Alberta

Civil Liberties Research Centre at the

University of Calgary.
"I think it's the culture of that place,
but anywhere in Canada we have the
protections of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms and (that includes) Taber."
The bylaw was put in place to "regulate
and prohibit certain activities in order
to prevent and compel the abatement
of noise, nuisances, graffiti and public
disturbances and to provide for a curfew
for minors."
Town officials didn't immediately
respond to requests for comment.
McKay-Panos,
who
teaches
constitutional law at the University
of Calgary, said the bylaw appears
unconstitutional and would be unlikely
to stand up in a court of law.
"Especially the part about swearing in
public. If I'm walking down the street

heading to a story and quietly swear to

the person beside me, I could be caught
by the bylaw," she said.
"I think you could argue swearing is
pretty close to the core of what we want
to protect because it's either self-fulfilling
speech or it's personal expression of an
opinion. That is very closely guarded
under the Constitution."
Other aspects of the bylaw are disturbing,
added McKay-Panos, who pointed out
that there is no definition of what a swear
word is. She noted there's also a section
that allows police to order groups of
three people or more to disperse -- which
goes against freedom of association.
The bylaw was adopted by Taber town
council late last month and signed into
law last week. It was also reviewed by
the local police commission and Taber
Police Service.

The deaths of 10 people during the

filming of a reality TV show in Argentina
has drawn new attention to recurring
safety issues for an entertainment genre
that has suffered a number of fatal
accidents in recent years.
The collision of two helicopters in La
Rioja province on Monday killed two
French Olympians, swimmer Camille
Muffat and boxer Alexis Vastine, and
a prominent French sailor, Florence
Arthaud, as well as members of the
show's production team. They were
filming a "Survivor"-like French reality
show called "Dropped" at the time.
The fatal accident, which has dominated
French media and prompted an
outpouring of condolences for the wellknown athletes, has a death toll that
stands out among recent incidents.
In 2013, a helicopter crash in a remote
area of Los Angeles County killed three
people during filming for a Discovery
Channel reality show.
That crash was the worst film set accident
in California since the 1982 deaths of
actor Vic Morrow and two children, who
were killed in a helicopter crash while
filming "Twilight Zone: The Movie".
In February 2012, a co-executive
producer was also seriously injured after
being thrown from a boat into a murky

river while filming "Bamazon", a series

for the History channel about out-of-work
Alabama construction workers mining
for gold in a rain forest in Guyana. And in
August, an employee of the long-running
reality show "Cops" was accidentally
shot and killed by police officers during
a taping in Omaha. The cameraman was
struck while trying to film a robbery.
Safety questions have been raised about
feature film sets as well. Last year, a
freight train in Georgia ploughed into
crew members filming "Midnight Rider",
a movie about rock musician Gregg
Allman. The crash left a production
assistant dead and that film's director,
Randall Miller, pleaded guilty this week
to charges that included manslaughter
and criminal trespassing.
Many safety mishaps on sets go
unreported because crew members sign
nondisclosure agreements and fear being
blacklisted if they file lawsuits. Recordkeeping can be muddled by the fact that
many of the shows are nonunion, and
workers are often classified as independent
contractors. The US Occupational Safety
and Health Administration tracks only
serious accidents involving employees
and has no jurisdiction if incidents occur
in foreign countries.
Judicial authorities in Paris have

opened an involuntary manslaughter

investigation into Monday's crash, which
is common in fatal incidents involving
French citizens abroad. Adventure Line
Productions was producing the show.
Nonce Paolini, chairman and chief
executive of France's TF1, which airs
the show, expressed his shock in a
statement. In France, TF1 is among the
most popular stations in the country with
8.5 million viewers who watch a range
of programming, including news, sports
and films, according to 2014 audience
ratings. The show "Dropped" focuses on
celebrities being blindfolded and dropped
in remote locations around the world.
"We are in shock and really very, very,
very, very sad," Mr Paolini said.
"It's a hard ordeal for these families and
it's a hard ordeal for all of us," he said.
"You know this job, we do this to bring
pleasure to people."
US politician Ted Lieu, who in 2013
was a California state senator heading
the Labor and Industrial Relations
Committee, warned then that "reality
shows are ... encouraging people to do
dangerous acts".
"The problem that we've had is that
obviously California law can't reach out to
other states or foreign countries where a lot
of these shows are filmed", Mr Lieu said.

Argentina's Double Helicopter Crash

Increases Reality TV Filming Death Toll

[email protected]

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World News

17

Husband Hears Fatal Stabbing On Phone

Prabha Kumar had been heading home from her work as an IT consultant in
Sydney when she was stabbed to death
A mother stabbed to death as she walked
home after a double shift was speaking
to her husband by phone when she was
attacked.
Prabha Arun Kumar, 41, was heading
home through Parramatta Park in
western Sydney.
She was talking with her husband, Arun
Kumar, 9300km away at home in India,
when she screamed before the line went
dead and she collapsed in a pool of
blood.
"She was walking while talking to
Arun on the phone when she said that a
suspicious-looking man was following
her," her brother-in-law, Thrijesh
Jayachandra, told the Hindu paper.
"The next moment, he heard her scream
for help and then plead with the man not
to harm [her] and take all her belongings
if he wanted.
"Seconds later, he heard her scream and
say she was stabbed."
Her husband immediately flew from
Bangalore in India to Australia.
He learned of his wife's death when he
landed in Sydney.
Kumar had finished work and was taking
a short cut to her Westmead home when
she was set upon.
A local found her about 9.30pm and she
was rushed to Westmead hospital, where
she died about three hours later.
She had been working in Sydney for
the tech firm Mindtree since 2012 but
was planning to return to India because
she missed her husband and 9-year-old
daughter too much.
"She last called me three days ago, when
she complained that work pressure was

[email protected]

severe, and she planned to return home

for good in April," her aunt, Bharathi
Jayachandra, told the Hindu Times.

604.510.4088

Kumar's brother who lives in Perth flew

to Sydney to identify her.
Family members say they will take her
body back to India for a burial.
Kumar usually worked in the city but
on Saturday she had visited a client
in Rhodes, News Corp reports. It is
believed she had knocked back a lift
from work because she didn't want to
bother friends.
She took the train home and got off at
Parramatta Station about 9pm.
It's believed police have CCTV showing
her walking from the station along
Argyle St and on to Park Parade.
The path through Parramatta Park cuts
between a golf course and Parramatta
High School.
She was reportedly attacked near a group
of trees, with open spaces on either side,
and about 20m from lights.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to
come forward.

604.909.4088

World News

18

Richmond Plans Crackdown On Vacant

Homes That Pose Safety Risks

New bylaw could allow city to fine owners for police or fire callouts, or even demolish homes
Officials in Richmond, B.C., could soon The vacant homes then become safety are, to my mind, far more important," he
have the power to fine owners of vacant risks, because of squatting, vandalism or said.
or abandoned buildings in the event of a other factors, and if police or fire crews "Wouldn't it be great if we could get
fire or emergency, and even knock down are called out to deal with an incident, it some more people into those homes, get
buildings that are a deemed by the city to can cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. them to be used for a useful purpose,
be a public safety risk.
Brodie said that's why the city wants even if it's just for six months or a year?
According to the city, there are about to beef up bylaws by expanding the That's still more than you had before,
30 such homes being watched by civic definition of a vacant property and giving and it gets someone off the street and
officials.
city staff the power to charge owners of into some kind of an establishment."
Mayor Malcolm Brodie said often the vacant properties if firefighters, police Fire Chief John McGowan said despite
homes fall into disrepair when the owners, or city workers have to deal with an the proposed changes, the number of
who might be investors or developers, emergency, and to demolish the building vacant homes in Richmond has actually
wait for the right time to sell or redevelop. if it's deemed a public safety risk.
gone down in recent years.
"Most often they'll cut off the services Safety before profits
"In 2013, we had about 130 properties.
no heat, no electricity, no running water, Brodie said dealing with abandoned Since then, it's dropped down to about
that kind of thing, and so the house just homes is not just about saving money.
30, which is a tremendous decrease,"
sits," said Brodie.
"The safety issues, the unsightly issues said McGowan.

Simpsons Co-Creator, Sam Simon, Dies Of

Colon Cancer Aged 59

Sam Simon, a co-creator of the longrunning hit animated series The

Simpsons, has died aged 59 after a battle
with colon cancer.
Simon, an ardent philanthropist for
animals, won nine Emmy awards for his
work as a writer, director and executive
producer of The Simpsons.
The show's executive producer, Al Jean,
said on Twitter that Simon was "a great
man; I owe him everything".
He asked fans to honour Simon's memory
by doing something nice for animals.
Executive producer Matt Selman shared
some of Simon's advice to writers on
Twitter: "Love your characters."
Doctors first gave Simon three to six
months to live when he was diagnosed
with incurable colon cancer in 2012.
Simon decided to give away his fortune,
estimated by media at $US100 million.
"I have a desire to help animals," Simon
said last August.
"The question of whether it makes
financial sense, it's my money and I get to
do what I want with it. It's an expensive
hobby I picked up at the end of my life."
Simon founded the Sam Simon
Foundation in 2002 to benefit animals
in need and help fund the Save The
Children organisation.
Growing up in Beverly Hills, Simon
embraced art and was selling cartoons to
San Francisco newspapers while still a
student at Stanford University.

[email protected]

Hollywood mogul and co-creator of The Simpsons, Sam Simon

After graduating, he got his big break
when the producers of the hit television
show Taxi produced a script he had
written in 1981.
In 1988, he joined producer James
Brooks and cartoonist Matt Groening in
creating a prime-time series out of The
Simpsons for Fox's broadcast network.
The cartoon began as an animated short
on The Tracey Ullman Show.
Simon was in charge of the writing
staff and helped develop the characters
populating the dysfunctional world
around the oafish but endearing Homer

604.510.4088

Simpson: his dutiful wife Marge and

their children Bart, Lisa and Maggie.
The show was a smart social satire built
around crass characters and it became
the longest-running sitcom on American
television.
After four seasons of The Simpsons,
Simon negotiated a deal to leave the
show while retaining a percentage of
its future earnings, which would bring
him between $US20 million and $US30
million a year.
He is still listed as executive producer in
the show's credits.

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World News

19

Groom Of 12 Year 'Child Bride' In Nsw

Jailed For At Least Seven And A Half Years

A man who married a 12-year-old girl

in an Islamic ceremony in New South
Wales has been jailed for at least seven
and a half years.
The 27-year-old man pleaded guilty
to the charge of the persistent sexual
abuse of a child after he told police he
married the girl in the Hunter Valley
in 2014.
After he was charged an examination at

Westmead Children's Hospital confirmed

the girl had an ectopic pregnancy and
miscarried.
She was examined after she complained
of stomach pain.
Court papers showed the man started
texting the girl after he became
aware of her at a mosque in late
2013.
The girl, who is now 13, is in the care of

authorities
In the NSW District Court Judge
Deborah Sweeney gave the man, who
cannot be named, a maximum sentence
of 10 years with a non-parole period of
seven and a half years.
He will be eligible for parole in August
2021.
He faced a possible 25-year sentence for
the offence.

Accused Rapist Dragged From Prison And

Killed By Indian Mob
Several thousand people stormed a
prison in northeastern India, where they
dragged away a man accused of rape and
then lynched him, police said.
The mob overpowered security at
Dimapur Central Prison in Nagaland
and seized the rape suspect, whom they
also accused of being an illegal migrant
from Bangladesh. They pelted him with

stones and beat him to death, said police

Constable Sunep Aier.
Police said a curfew was imposed in
the city after the killing and no other
incidents of violence had been reported.
The man had been arrested on suspicion
of raping a local woman on February 24.
In recent years, India has seen an
outpouring of anger against sexual

violence that is pervasive across the

country. But Thursday's killing was also
likely linked to tensions in Nagaland over
an influx of migrants from Bangladesh.
Dimapur, the largest city in Nagaland, is
1,660 kilometers east of New Delhi.
Several local groups accuse the migrants
of taking away their land and jobs and
have been protesting in recent weeks.

Top Judge Loses $42K In Elaborate Bank Fraud

Scammer guilty of ripping off eight people for more than $200,000 in elaborate bank scheme.
A serial fraudster has scammed one of earlier this year, but the hearing was Justice Harrison also presided over the
the country's top judges out of more than deferred to another date to assess the case of Colleen Margaret Gray, 66, and
$40,000.
possibility of a restorative justice Bruce Kenneth Gray, 65, who siphoned
James David Stewart, 31, will be conference.
$30,000 from a decile-one school in
sentenced in Auckland District Court It could have pitted the judge against Otara.
this month for an offending spree that Stewart in an over-the-table, supervised The couple appealed their home detention
took place between July and October conversation but it was later deemed sentences last year, but abandoned the
2013.
unsuitable for such a meeting.
appeal when the judge warned them they
Stewart has pleaded guilty to seven The stolen funds represent about 10 per might end up behind bars.
charges of accessing a computer system cent of the victim's salary.
Stewart will also be sentenced on other
for a dishonest purpose - ripping off Judicial salaries and allowances as of charges after stealing a car at the end
eight victims for more than $200,000 in October 2012 put a Court of Appeal of September 2013. Police later found
an elaborate bank fraud over the course judge's yearly wage at $415,000. A him with drugs and drug paraphernalia
of a few weeks.
ministry spokesman said the judge was in the car and laid further charges on
One of those victims was Justice Rhys not keen to discuss the case.
which he will also be sentenced later
Harrison, one of eight Court of Appeal "Justice Harrison advises me he is unable this month.
judges who preside over the second- to comment publicly on the sentencing It is understood the defendant has
highest court in New Zealand.
process," the spokesman said.
previous convictions and he made the
Justice Harrison was made a Queen's During his career as a judge, Justice news in 2003 as a teenager when he
Counsel in 1994 and appointed as a High Harrison has presided over dozens of climbed the roof of a Napier church
Court judge in 2001, before taking up his fraud cases, many more serious than the during a drunken escapade.
current position in 2010.
one in which he became a victim.
He told the court he had been taking a
But on July 15, 2013, he found his ANZ In 2009, former All Black Doug Rollerson shortcut home and ended up climbing a
account $42,259 lighter than it should was convicted but freed without penalty drainpipe onto the roof of the Methodist
have been.
by Justice Harrison for his part in a Trinity Church. Stewart kicked a fire
Court documents were released to complex scam which cheated sports escape door, smashing a glass panel
NZME. but a judge ruled that the way organisations out of charity money.
window, and was jailed for six weeks
Stewart drained the money could not be The judge said there was no point and fined $172.
published until after sentencing.
imposing a fine because the defendant He faces a maximum jail term of seven
The defendant was due to be sentenced had not profited from the crime.
years on the fraud charges.

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604.510.4088

604.909.4088

Health

20

Listen To Your Wife To Lower Heart

Attack Risk

Do find time to talk to your wife even if

you come tired from office and want to
hit the sack - for a better heart health.
According to new research, positive
interactions with your partner can lower
the risk of heart attack or stroke for you.
"More negative interactions between
partners were linked to having thicker
carotid arteries - the blood vessels that
carry blood through the neck to the
brain," Nataria Joseph from VA Greater

Los Angeles Healthcare System in

California was quoted as saying.
Thicker carotids are linked with increased
risk of cardiovascular problems.
In the study, researchers found that
people who reported few positive
interactions with their partners had an
8.5 percent higher risk of having a heart
attack or stroke in the future.
For the study, researchers analysed 281
middle-age adults who were married

or living with partners in marriage-like

relationships.
They found that interactions may
be closely tied to emotions, health
behaviours and physiology, all of which
have effects on health.
"The study, however, shows a correlation
but not a cause-and-effect relationship
between interactions and thicker carotid
arteries," Joseph said in a Live Science
report.

Regular Coffee Drinkers Have 'Cleaner'

Arteries

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day

may help people avoid clogged arteries
- a known risk factor for heart disease Korean researchers believe.
They studied more than 25,000 male
and female employees who underwent
routine health checks at their workplace.
Employees who drank a moderate
amount of coffee - three to five cups a
day - were less likely to have early signs
of heart disease on their medical scans.
The findings reopen the debate about
whether coffee is good for the heart.
Heart effects
There is a lot of confusion when it comes
to the effect of coffee on heart health.
Some studies have linked consumption
to heart risk factors, such as raised
cholesterol or blood pressure, while
others suggest the beverage may offer
some heart protection.
But there is no conclusive evidence either
way, and the latest research from South
Korea, which is published in the journal
Heart, only adds to the discussion.
Unexplained link
In the study, the researchers used medical
scans to assess heart health.
Specifically, they were looking for any
disease of the arteries supplying the
heart - the coronary arteries.
In coronary heart disease, the coronary
arteries become clogged by the gradual
build-up of fatty material within their
walls.
The scan the researchers used looks for
tiny deposits of calcium in the walls of
the coronary arteries to provide an early
clue that this disease process may be
occurring.
None of the employees included in the
Korean study had outward signs of heart
disease, but more than one in 10 of them

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were found to have visible calcium

deposits on their scans.
The researchers then compared the scan
results with the employees' self-reported
daily coffee consumption, while taking
into account other potential heart risk
factors such as smoking, exercise and
family history of heart problems.
People who drank a few cups of coffee
a day were less likely to have calcium
deposits in their coronary arteries than
people who drank more than this or no
coffee at all.
The study authors say more research is
needed to confirm and explain the link.
Coffee contains the stimulant caffeine,
as well as numerous other compounds,
but it's not clear if these might cause
good or harm to the body.
Victoria Taylor of the British Heart
Foundation said: "While this study
does highlight a potential link between
coffee consumption and lower risk

604.510.4088

of developing clogged arteries, more

research is needed to confirm these
findings and understand what the reason
is for the association.
"We need to take care when generalising
these results because it is based on the
South Korean population, who have
different diet and lifestyle habits to
people in the UK."
How much caffeine?
In the US, experts say up to 400mg a day
appears to be safe for most healthy adults
There is no recommended daily upper
limit for caffeine consumption in the
UK, except for pregnant women
If you're pregnant, you should limit the
amount of caffeine you have to 200mg a
day - equivalent to two mugs of instant
coffee
one mug of instant coffee: 100mg
one mug of filter coffee: 140mg
one mug of tea: 75mg
one can of cola: 40mg

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Health

21

Reasons To Try Apple Cider Vinegar

Its been touted as a super fluid that
can do everything from lowering your
cholesterol to polishing your furniture.
Below are both the scientific and
anecdotal benefits of apple cider vinegar
1. Fights diabetes
Several studies have found that vinegar
may help to lower glucose levels, making
it a beneficial treatment for people with
type 2 diabetes. A 2007 study from
Arizona State University in the US found
that taking two tablespoons of apple
cider vinegar along with 30g of cheese
before bed led to a 4-6 per cent decrease
in fasting blood sugar levels.
2. Reduces appetite and cravings
A 2005 Swedish study found that people
felt fuller and more satisfied for longer
after eating bread with white vinegar, as
opposed to eating bread on its own. The
magic ingredient in all vinegars that can
suppress appetite is believed to be acetic
acid, which helps to reduce the glycemic
index of foods, slowing the rate at which
sugars are released into the bloodstream
and lessening appetite.
3. Lowers bad cholesterol levels
A 2012 study published in Life Science
Journal revealed that consumption of
apple cider vinegar over an eight-week
period can significantly reduce harmful
blood lipids that contribute to high
cholesterol and triglyceride levels in
people who suffer from hyperlipidemia
(too many fats in the blood).
4. Helps shift kilos
While many people swear that apple
cider vinegar has helped them lose
weight, the scientific evidence for
this is a bit light. However, one small
Japanese study, published in 2009 in the
journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and
Biochemistry, found that obese people
who consumed between 15ml and 30ml
of acetic acid the major component of
vinegar diluted in water daily for 12
weeks experienced significant decreases
in body weight, abdominal fat, waist
circumference, and triglycerides (a type
of fat in the blood).
5. Promotes glossy tresses
While this may not be scientifically
supported, many apple cider vinegar fans
swear it works wonders for their hair,
making it glossy, shiny and dandrufffree. Beauty blogs suggest adding one
part vinegar to one part water and using
it as you would conditioner that is,
apply it to your hair and let it soak in
for between five and 15 minutes before

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rinsing.
6. Polishes wood
Another known use for this wonderworker is in the conditioning of wood. A
concoction of half a cup of any vegetable
oil with half a cup of apple cider vinegar
is said to create a furniture polish that
will clean and treat wooden furniture
and surfaces, and remove water stains.
7. Aids digestion
b+s nutritionist Lisa says that, taken
before each meal, apple cider vinegar
improves digestion and is particularly
beneficial for people with stomach issues
such as reflux, bloating and indigestion.
She suggests using it either to make a
salad dressing or taking one teaspoon
with water before each meal.
8. Tones, clarifies and clears the skin
Apple cider vinegars list of widely
touted benefits for skin health is long.
Converts say it can be used as a toner
(one part vinegar to two parts water),
and left on overnight to fade age spots
and acne. Others have sung its praises
for keeping skin clear when ingested as
a tonic.
9. Gets rid of warts
Again, theres no scientific evidence
to support this, but a host of online
testimonials attest to its wart-zapping
powers. The predominant method used
by supporters is as follows: Each night
before going to bed, soak a cotton ball
in apple cider vinegar, apply it to the
wart and keep it in place with a sticking
plaster. Leave it on all night 24 hours
a day if possible for a week, changing
the dressing each evening. The wart may
swell and throb, then start to turn black
within the first two days, and disappear
completely after a week or two.
10. Works as an all-purpose cleaner
Ditch the chemical, commercial sprays
for something you dont mind spraying
around your loved ones. This concoction

604.510.4088

is said to gently clean and disinfect

household surfaces: one part vinegar to
two parts water, plus a few drops of tea
tree oil for its antibacterial qualities.
Apple Cider Vinegar FAQs
Why so super?
From a scientific viewpoint, the superness of apple cider vinegar is believed
to come from its high concentration of
acetic acid, which improves the bodys
absorption of important minerals from
the foods we consume.
Naturopath Dr Sandi Rogers, CEO
of Australias National College of
Traditional Medicine, has observed
its healing powers for more than 35
years, and says its truly an impressive
medicine.
Rogers credits its high mineral content
for its superfood status. Minerals are
the foundation of health and wellbeing,
not vitamins, she explains. This is
often grossly misunderstood. She
recommends taking apple cider vinegar
every day: Small, regular amounts seem
to work best two teaspoons added to
a few teaspoons of water, then swirled
around in the mouth [before swallowing]
to activate the salivary glands.
Is it safe?
Apple cider vinegar is great in a salad
dressing, but as mentioned, verifiable
data on its cure-all status is still limited,
which means its benefits and risks arent
fully known. Illnesses should be treated
and managed under the supervision of a
health professional.
What kind should I buy?
The uglier the apple cider vinegar the
better. You want it brown and murky
the clear and pretty stuff has been
through more filtration processes, and
this removes the powerful essence of
the vinegar, called the mother the
brown strands that rest at the bottom of
the bottle.

604.909.4088

Lifestyle

22

Best Ways To Exercise For People With

Arthritis

There are few conditions of the human

body that cannot be mitigated in some
way by exercise. In todays day and age
when it is much easier to be sedentary
then it used to be, staying active is
very important. Anything with multiple
moving parts must be used regularly to
remain in top condition and the human
body is no different.
For those with arthritis exercise is
especially important, but the condition
itself can make it a challenge. With that
in mind, and with a doctors approval,
here are 10 great ways to exercise for
people with arthritis.
1. Isometric Exercise
Particularly useful for people with
arthritis that is more advanced, isometric
exercise can be a godsend. When the
challenges of arthritis are often due to
certain contraindicated movements,
isometrics are a genius, simple, way
around it. You simply get into position,
apply resistance to a muscle, and hold
that position for time. With the movement
aspect of the activity taken out of the
equation, sheering and compression
forces on the joints are reduced greatly.
Moves like planks and superman are
safe and effective.
2. Rowing
Another activity that be done the real
way outdoors or inside on a machine,
rowing is also great for most cases of
arthritis. With the lower body muscle
groups used mainly in an isometric
fashion to aid the torso muscles in
performing a linear pulling movement;
the impact and stress on the joints are
rarely a problem. Also, the nature and
structure of the shoulder joint is in a
much more anatomically advantageous
position when pulling as opposed to
pushing so rowing is great for those with
arthritis in the shoulder as well.
3. Upper Body Ergometer
If the stress caused by a stationary
bike or a ten speed is too much to do
comfortably and if your knees, ankles,
and hips are harder hit by arthritis than
the rest of your body try the UBE. Also
known as the upper body ergometer, the
UBE provides the same adjustable levels
of resistance and linear movement of
cycling, but for the muscles of your torso.
A UBE can be found in most commercial
gyms and can be easily adjusted to allow
for people of all sizes and fitness levels
and causes little impact on the shoulders.
4. Swimming
Swimming is possibly the best exercise

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there is for those affected by arthritis. The

freedom of movement, absence of impact
on the joints, and fluid nature of the
activity make swimming a perfect choice
for people with any kind of joint problem.
Additionally, the nature of water and the
way we become buoyant and lighter when
in it, will be a huge help for people who
are out of shape or just getting started.
Less weight means less stress on our
bones and connective tissues, less impact,
and less aggravation on joints.
5. Walking
While high-impact activities should be
largely avoided by those with arthritis,
some impact can be helpful. Walking is
great in that it provides all of the weight
bearing joints with just enough impact to
stimulate an increase in bone density. It
can be tailored in many ways to adjust
for injuries or intensity, and can be done
just about anywhere. Changing up the
surface and walking on sand, a track,
grass, or a treadmill with shock absorbers
can further reduce impact on the joints,
making for an even safer workout.
6. Martial Arts
I am in no way suggesting that anyone
with arthritis head to a boxing gym
and start hitting a heavy bag, but there
are elements of martial arts training
that can work with arthritis. Anything
that involves forcefully striking an
object of considerable size and weight
is off limits, as are the more dynamic
moves. But a good instructor can teach
you movements with little impact on
the joints. Lightly shadowboxing,
performing forms or kata, or drilling
reps of strikes improve strength and
body control very effectively.
7. Cycling
Cycling is an outstanding workout for
anyone looking to get fit. And for people
with arthritis, it is a fantastic exercise
with a multitude of benefits. Whether it
is outdoors on a bicycle or indoors on
a stationary bike, cycling can be done
at varying levels of intensity and puts
minimal stress on the joints. The cyclical
nature of pedaling greatly negates the
impact associated with many other
exercises and is still plenty effective. All
forms of cycling are relatively easy on
the knees and for those with additional
hip problems, a recumbent bike is
perfect.
8. Yoga
When we think about what is desirable
when looking for an exercise suitable for
people with arthritis there a few factors

604.510.4088

to consider. We want something that

builds strength, endurance, flexibility,
can be adjusted to all levels, and with
little impact on the joints. One such
exercise that satisfies all of these criteria
is yoga. Everyone from women and
children to elite athletes can benefit from
yoga, including people with arthritis.
And for an additional benefit and a nice
form of heat therapy, hot yoga can also
be attractive.
9. Pilates
Another form of exercise that satisfies
all requirements of those with arthritis
who are looking to exercise is Pilates.
A unique form of exercise that manages
to simultaneously stretch and strengthen
the muscles, Pilates is a tried and true
method of building muscle, enhancing
flexibility,
increasing
endurance,
improving blood flow, and protecting
the all-important joints. With its recent
rise in popularity, good Pilates studios
are more accessible than ever before and
are worth looking into for people with
arthritis.
10. Light Weight Training
For those with arthritis who still love the
feeling of pumping up their muscles and
getting a nice burn, weight lifting can
still be a viable exercise. It is crucial to
get proper education or instruction and
to lift in a way that helps and doesnt
hurt your condition. Heavy weights are
out of the question for most arthritics,
as are certain exercises that place too
much stress on the joints. Moderate to
light weight training done at a slower
tempo, for high reps, can improve body
composition, strength, blood flow, and
help lubricate joints.

604.909.4088

For Woman

23

Quick And Easy Diy Spa Treatments

Everyone Can Do At Home

1. Steam Facials
Steam facials are quite easy, start by
boiling water. Add herbs like lavender,
green tea and peppermint. When enough
steam is generated, use a towel to trap
the steam. The pores open up and allow
for deep cleansing.
2. Aromatherapy
This is what youll probably enjoy most.
Settle comfortably in your tub for as long
as you please. Before you do that, add
some sea salt, Epsom salt, baking soda and
a few drops of vanilla or chamomile scent.
3. Massage
You can give yourself a massage without
anyone helping you out. You can start
massaging.
4. Conditioning
You can use natural ingredients to give
yourself a deep conditioning right at
home. Mash fresh avocado with natural
mayonnaise, and apply on hair. Allow
hair to soak (wear a shower cap) for 15
to 20 minutes and rinse from the base of

your head and proceed to the other areas,

including face. Massaging hands and
feet should be easy once you get used to
the idea.
5. Waxing
Waxing is not very taxing as most people
imagine it to be. Spend a few minutes
patiently and wax your arms, legs and
eyebrows and other delicate parts. If you
are not too sure about yourself, use roller
waxes that make the job a lot easier.
6. Manicures
Manicures are probably the easiest to
do by yourself. Spend a few minutes
to remove the nail polish and clip your
nails a fraction longer than required. File
your nails to shape and the extra portion
vanishes.
7. Facial Masks
Soon after youre done with steaming,
go for a natural facial mask. Mix fresh
milk and natural honey in a small bowl.
Apply evenly and rub in gently, avoid
contact with hair. Rinse with warm water

first and follow with a dab of cold water.

8. Exfoliating
Exfoliating helps rejuvenate your skin
and adds fresh life to your complexion.
Add some table salt to virgin olive oil
and mix well. Apply this mixture, rub in,
and soak for a while. Rinse to remove all
traces of the mixture.
9. Dying hair
Although it is a slightly messy job, dying
your hair at home is very easy. Whats
more is you save a lot of money this way.
Ensure the dye does not get into the eyes
or stain clothes or washbasin. Choose a
good brand of powder or liquid hair dye.
10. Teeth Whitening
Forget appointments with a dentist and
shelling out a lot of money. The next
time you buy bananas, dont discard the
peel. Rub the inside (soft portion) of
the banana peel on your teeth, and the
results will amaze you. Pearly white
teeth are guaranteed after a few regular
applications.

Some Healthy Foods Every Woman Must Eat

While eating healthy is essential for
both the sexes, men and women have
different dietary requirements. Here
are some foods that every woman must
include in her diet...
Flax seeds
Have flax seeds daily for overall good
health. They are a good source of
Omega-3 fatty acids and are known to
reduce the risk of heart disease and breast
cancer. They also have anti-inflammatory
properties that prevent arthritis, apart
from digestive properties which help
ease irritable bowel syndrome.
Salmon
Not only is salmon rich in iron, which
is usually lacking in women, but it is
also full of omega-3 fatty acids, known
to improve your mood. Experts say that
omega-3 helps treat depression and
prevent mood swings.
Cranberries
Certain studies over the years have found
a link between eating cranberries and
how it reduces the risk of breast cancer
and heart disease. Also, they have the
ability to prevent and cure urinary tract
infections. Have a glass of cranberry
juice every other day.
Spinach
While this might not be a much-loved
food, spinach is packed with a host of

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Essential nutrition for good health

vitamins, minerals and high amounts of

magnesium. And magnesium is known
to help reduce the physical symptoms
of PMS like swelling, breast tenderness,
bloating and weight gain.
Walnuts
Experts say that walnuts have omega-3
fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols
all important in reducing the risk of breast
cancer. The high omega-3 content also
helps bone health, arthritis and depression.
Walnuts also comprise nutrients like
calcium, magnesium and folic acid.
Oats
Oats are bursting with health-boosting
nutrients, great for female health. They keep
your heart healthy, are great for digestion,
keep blood pressure levels in check and
also contain vitamin B6, which helps
prevent PMS and mood swings. Another

604.510.4088

component folic acid prevents birth

defects in babies and is essential for women
during and after pregnancy.
Milk
Calcium deficiency is one of the major
health concerns that affect women
worldwide. Milk is an absolute must
for women at any age. A great source
of calcium, milk, when combined with
vitamin D, is one of the best ways to keep
osteoporosis at bay. Milk is also helpful in
preventing symptoms of the dreaded PMS.
Tomatoes
A carotenoid that is essential for good
health is lycopene, which is a pigment
found in tomatoes. And several studies
have said that lycopene can help prevent
breast cancer. Apart from this, there
is also evidence that suggests that it
reduces the risk of heart disease.

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Parenting

24

Things All Brand New Parents Should

Know

We agree that parenting a child is a huge task - surviving nine months of pregnancy, then the pain of labor, and later
chasing your child through the crawling, feeding, toilet training stages - it's a lengthy experience indeed. But all this pain
and agony disappears and a coat of excitement grips you when you first hear your baby calling you 'Mamma-Dada' or
when your baby takes his very first step.
Though parenting a newborn requires a
large amount of effort and energy, the
positive aspect of the reward you receive
by watching your baby grow and develop
is priceless. Today, we help each and
every new parent by presenting a few
tips ranging from child potty training to
baby care, so that parenting becomes an
(ever so slightly) easier task for you.
Potty can even take hours
Don't get into high hopes when you
take your child to eliminate the waste.
Some kids may surprise you by doing
this mechanism in minutes. Don't expect
your child to do the same; your child can
even take hours to eliminate his waste.
Let him take his own time, and keep
cool.
Elastic waists are your baby's friends
Make your child's dressing and
undressing process simple and effortless.
Many kids are uncomfortable with
buttons and zippers, because it can be
a time consuming affair and can make
your baby frustrated when he wants to
visit the bathroom. Hence, invest in
elastic waist pants or shorts, until your
child is comfortable with the buttons and
swaps.
Don't go overboard with technology
You may be geeky when it comes to new
technologies, but it can scare your child
quite a bit. When you take your child to
the bathroom, and there is an automated
flusher installed, the loud noise may
petrify your child. The fear can grip
so deeply that he may never use the
bathroom alone.
More time with your child and less
work
If you want to get the required attention
from your child then you too must
dedicate time for your child. Focus on
the things that make your baby happy.
When you are with your baby, avoid
multi-tasking as this can spoil your
relationship with your baby.
You might have to change a whole lot
of bed sheets
Some kids take much longer to master
the technique of staying dry overnight.
In case your child wakes up wet, then
don't yell at him, it is completely normal.
The reason for him to wake up wet could
be that he is in deep sleep. Just keep an

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extra set of bed sheet to let him sleep

peacefully.
You will make new friends
You might have an endless list of good
pals, but those friends may just end up
being a peripheral group now. You don't
choose your friends now, your child
chooses friends for you. Nowadays,
you will end up hanging with moms and
dads of those children that your child
met at the playground or playmates from
school.
Your living room will be messy
Slowly when your baby grows up,
you will jump with joy to see your
baby rolling, crawling and then finally
walking. But that peace of moment can
turn into a nightmare when your baby
becomes mobile.
You will see your living room turn
into a huge mess, when your child
will suddenly turn into a mischievous
monster. Suddenly you will see your
closet empty and all the clothes on the
floor, and whatever is within his reach
will find its way to the floor and odd
corners of the room.
Keep calm, and don't forget to keep
hazardous objects beyond your baby's
reach.
Your child may throw more tantrums
than a teenage girl
Every parent shares stories of their kid's

604.510.4088

monster tantrums with friends. Indeed it

is a toddler's job to throw tantrums, but
as a parent it is your job to set boundaries
for your child with firm loving and caring
disciplines.
Your maternity leave will be tougher
than the toughest work days
You may plan your maternity leave by
doing all last minute tasks at work and
then feel like your vacation has just
started on the last day before maternity
leave begins. But you're in for a surprise.
Your maternity leave is an incredible
time to bond with your baby but it can
be a little gruesome as well.
You might just end up without showering
up till 4 pm, completely entrenched in
your baby's daily cycles of breastfeeding,
changing nappies, diapers etc. But before
you resume work you won't feel like going
anywhere without your baby, because of
the incompleteness without him.
When you are with your baby,
everything turns out to be sweet
There can be incredible sweet moments
with your baby, even if you've just yelled
at him. These moments are very special
for each and every parent, who wishes to
keep those memories alive forever. After
a serious fight with your baby, your baby
can make your day just by coming close
to you, kissing your nose and gently
whispering to you, 'I Love You'.

604.909.4088

Recipe

25

Braised Lamb Shanks

6 New Zealand Lamb Shanks
1/3 cup cooking oil
2 medium sized onions, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 bouillon cube
1 cup boiling water
1 can (7 1/2 oz) tomato sauce
4 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup water
Heat oil in large saucepan; brown shanks
in hot oil; remove shanks.
Add vegetables and saut for 5 minutes.
Add vegetables and saut for 5 minutes.
Add shanks; add garlic powder, salt,
pepper, rosemary, and bay leaf.
Combine bouillon cube and boiling
water; add to meat and vegetable
mixture.
Stir in tomato sauce. Cover tightly and
simmer for about 2 hours or until shanks
are tender, stir occasionally.
Remove bay leaf.
Combine flour and water; stir into
mixture, stir, and cook until thickened.

Skewered Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetables

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, cut into chunks
1/2 cup bottled teriyaki baste and glaze
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into squares
4 scallions, trimmed and cut crosswise
in half
8 canned whole water chestnuts, drained
and rinsed
Directions
In small bowl, combine chicken and 1/4
cup of the teriyaki baste. Refrigerate,
covered, 30 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium-hot or preheat
broiler. Alternately thread chicken,
zucchini, red pepper, scallions, and
water chestnuts on eight 30 cm metal
skewers. Thread a water chestnut on the
end of each skewer. Brush with some of
remaining teriyaki baste.
Grill or broil skewers 10 inches from heat,
turning often and brushing with baste, until
vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is
cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.

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604.510.4088

604.909.4088

26

Aries:

You will find the week to give favorable

results. You will be in a position to satisfy
your wishes and can also plan for your
future. You will see very good returns
for the efforts that you make. Decision
making will be in your favor. You will
find good results in your job. There are
good chances to prove your worth at
work. Your skills will be appreciated and
come to the notice of your superiors. You
will earn a good name by the intelligence
that you are applying in completing your
work. You will also be in a position to
adopt better saving practices. You will
have prosperity related to money matters.
You will be lucky enough for the week.
You will be exchanging happiness in the
form of sweet words with your partner.
You will adopt a very adjusting and
friendly attitude with your partner. Due
to this, harmony will prevail. You will
possess happiness and this will enable
you to keep yourself fit. Exercising can
do work wonders for your health.

Taurus:

This is very essential for the week and

will give you relief. You need to be
straightforward and get rid of your
hesitation. Dont feel insecure. You need
to overcome all obstacles that you will
be facing at work. This can be done by
effective planning on your part. It will
be good for you to plan your work well
ahead of time. Else, you might end up
working overtime and stressing yourself
out. There are chances for money loss;
hence monitor your finances well. You
need to avoid ego and have a good
discussion with your partner to make the
week charming. Give more time to each
other. It is vital for you to develop more
understanding with your partner. Giving
them time and patiently listening to what
they have to say is very vital. This is
essential as you will have chances for
facing digestion-related problems. You
will have to incur expenses for the health
of your mother.

Gemini:

This week you need to be positive

and this is very essential for your
progress. You can make better use
of the week by involving yourself in
recreational activities, which will give
you satisfaction. Results might be a bit
delayed, but this should not demoralize
you. The week might not be in your
favor completely. Plan and organize
your work well so that you can make
good use of the week. You will find the

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week less favorable for gains. You also

need to handle money carefully. You
might have to bear unprepared expenses.
Try to spend only on essential expenses.
You need to spend more quality time
with your partner. Approach a friendly
attitude toward them to make things
better. You need to maintain a relaxed
approach for maintaining good harmony
with your partner. You will have chances
for irritation in eyes.

Cancer:

You will find the week to be favorable

for you. You will fulfill your tasks with
fewer efforts. Pursuing new investment
decisions will be profitable. You will be
in a position to handle even complex
tasks with ease. You will also be fast in
executing your work. You will get better
progress in your job. You will maintain a
good relationship with your colleagues
and gain appreciation for the work that
you do. You will be spending money for
the development of your family. You can
also pursue some good saving practices
to keep yourself secure. You will find
yourself happy with your partner. You will
be more positive in your approach and
straightforward. This approach of yours
will enable you to maintain a healthy
relationship with your partner. You will
find yourself in fine health. This is due to
your healthy living and eating practices.
Yoga can help you stay in good shape.

Leo:

You will find the week to be an exciting

one. You will have a passion to excel
and determination to succeed. You will
try to build your confidence to better
levels. You will find your job chances
to be promising. New opportunities will
also be possible for you that will make
you happy. You will earn a good name at
workplace. You will have lot of money
with you and you can utilize it for useful
purchases. You will be witnessing more
gains for the week. You will also be in a
position to increase your bank balance.
You will be able to develop more
understanding with your partner. You
will engage in a useful discussion about
family development. You will spend
the week with your partner. There are
chances for travel with your loved one.
You will find your health to be stable.
You will be beaming with confidence
and this will keep you in good health.

Virgo:

The most important highlight of the week

is that you may need to be careful while
moving with a third person or neighbor

604.510.4088

as there are chances for arguments.

You have to think twice before you do
anything and this will help you succeed.
There may be some delays in achieving
your targets. Patience is required on
your part. It will be wise for you to adopt
some good schedule with respect to your
work. Good time management is also
necessary. You have to bear unnecessary
expenses for the week. There will be
difference of opinion with your partner
over a family issue. Try to talk and sort it
out well so it does not create a disturbed
atmosphere. It will be wise for you make
yourself happy and take everything as
sportive with your partner. This is very
much required for you and meditating
will also be good for you. There will be
chances for irritations in your eyes. Go
for an eye check-up to a doctor.

Libra:

You will need to develop the attitude of

making yourself happy and also making
others happy. You may have to shoulder
extra responsibilities. You will be having
job pressure. Be professional and cordial
in the relationship with your superiors
at work. You have to feel relaxed and
carry out your work for the week. This
is essential for you as you may need to
face more job pressure. Avoid taking
major decisions with respect to money.
Curb your luxury expenses. Plan well to
manage the situation. You will face less
satisfaction with your partner. Try to be
more adjusting and loving and things
will turn in your favor. It will be good
for you to avoid tendencies of insecurity
to maintain harmony. Be more sportive
when dealing with your partner. You
need to spend money for the health of
your mother. This is something you will
do readily to see her in better health. You
will maintain average health. There may
be chances for cough/cold.

Scorpio:

This week can be successful for you

if you carry forward your activities in
a positive manner. Planning is most
essential for the week to keep you going.
You will be able to fulfill your tasks
on time despite the work pressure that
you are having. Your work quality will
be appreciated by your superiors. Your
confidence level will increase. You will
be utilizing the money available for
productive purposes. You will be in a
comfortable position with respect to
your finances. You will maintain good

Continued on Page 27

604.909.4088

27

Shahid Steals Salman's Crown

Shahid Kapoor's personal life has
always been under the scanner. If not
being linked to his co-stars in films,
rumours of him dating or the names of
his prospective brides has put the social
media in a tizzy once in a while.
One of Bollywood's most eligible
bachelors is apparently considered
the one of the best husband/boyfriend
material. A social media company
recently conducted a poll which
had the actor bagging the maximum
number of votes for 'proposal of
marriage' online. The actor, who
turned 34 last month, however, does
not have any plans of getting married
any time soon.

Continued From Page 26

relationship with your partner. You will
enjoy yourself with your partner and this
will be due to auspicious occasions in
your family. You will feel delighted in
expressing your feelings to your partner.
You will feel more satisfied and enjoy
the week with them. You will be having
more energy in you. There will be more
confidence and this will keep you in fine
health.

Sagittarius:

You will witness few results for the week.

Therefore, it is quite essential for you to
keep the week balanced with the help of
your intelligence. You need to be more
attentive in work. Take advice from your
associates or partners to handle your
work efficiently. You will have moderate
money gains for the week. Chances may
not be present for you to increase your
financial capacity. You have to meet with
both expenses and gains. You need to
be content with the money you have in
hand. Do not let any tension in your mind
disturb the harmony with your partner.
Do not take your work tension home and
spoil your partners mood. You need to
be happy and polite with your partner.
You have to change your approach to
maintain a good relationship. You will
have chances for skin itching. Avoid
taking oily items. You will be prone to
stress. Meditate when you find time and
you will feel better.

Capricorn:
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It will be good for you to postpone

vital decisions for the other week. You
have to adjust with your colleagues
to get the work done smoothly. Adopt
a professional attitude. Work with
complete concentration so that you can
finish your work on time. Do not let
any unnecessary distractions come in
your way. You will have more expenses
for the week. Learn to curb expenses
that are not essential. You may witness
unwanted expenses. Try to utilize the
money that you have properly. Be more
calm and composed in moving with your
partner. Give them more time so that you
can talk about your problems. Be open in
your relationship with your partner. Give
them their space and time and they will
love you all the more for this. You can
make yourself fit by doing some useful
exercises such as yoga or meditation.
There are chances for some stress. You
will be having pain in thighs. This will
be due to stress and it will be good for
you to do yoga.

Aquarius:

You need to relax for the week. Calm

yourself and adopt a self-composed
attitude. Dont give room for any
excitement or unnecessary worries.
It is highly advisable for you to be
more relaxed. Try to focus as much as
you can on your work. Do not let any
disturbances come your way when you
are working. You have to spend money
for the health of your children. This
might make you spend more and save

604.510.4088

less. Even if you gain money, you will

find that your expenses are also high. Try
to monitor your finances better. You will
have over-sentimental feelings in your
mind. Talk to your partner with a cool
mind and things will get better. Try to
be more expressive about your thoughts.
This will make your partner feel good
and reciprocate. You might develop a
headache. This may be due to stress.
Meditating will be good for you. You
might have skin rashes. Do not eat oily
food and drink a lot of water.

Pisces:

You will find the week more cheer-filled

as you will witness the arrival of visitors
to your house. You will be successful in
all that you take up. You will find lot of
success in your job. This is due to the hard
work that you put in. In work front some
challenging tasks might keep you busy.
You will be in a comfortable position
with respect to your money and you will
be able to fulfill your commitments. You
will be in a comfortable position to save
more money. You will be able to share
your feelings with your partner and will
be in a good mood. Due to this better
understanding will develop. You can
enjoy the week with your partner and
thereby understanding will get better.
Take your partner for a casual outing. You
will find yourself in fine health. You will
be able to retain satisfaction. Yoga can
do you a lot good. You will be fit for the
week. You will be full of enthusiasm and
this will keep you in the pink of health.

604.909.4088

28

Sonakshi's Father, Shatrughan Sinha Will

Be Seen In An Important Role
Filmmaker AR Murugadoss's yetuntitled Hindi outing, an action thriller
with Sonakshi Sinha, is set to go on floors
this week. The film will also feature,
Sonakshi's
father,
actor-politician
Shatrughan Sinha in an important role.
"The film goes on floors on March 14
in Mumbai. Murugadoss has also roped
in Sonakshi's father to essay a brief but
important role," a source from the film's
unit said.
The film, which will be produced by
Fox Star Studios, is the official remake
of Tamil sleeper hit Mounaguru.
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has been
roped in to play villain in the film, which
marks Mr Murugadoss' third venture in
the language after Ghajini and Holiday:
A Soldier Is Never Off Duty, which also
featured Sonakshi.
The rest of the cast will be finalised
soon.

Priyanka Chopra To Play FBI Agent In

Quantico

One of India's top Bollywood actresses,

Priyanka Chopra, has been signed to play
an FBI agent in the American television
drama, Quantico.
Chopra, a former Miss World, has signed
a one-year contract with the US studio
ABC Network, reports said.
She has played the female lead in several
hit Bollywood films, including Aitraaz,
Krrish and Don.
She has been praised for doing
unconventional roles in Kaminey, 7
Khoon Maaf, Barfi and Mary Kom.
Quantico, which is being shot for US
network ABC, revolves around a group
of young FBI recruits, each of whom has
a secret motive for joining the bureau.
Chopra, 32, will play Alex, an agent
whose past resurfaces soon after she
arrives at the training camp.
She has been cast opposite Jake
McLaughlin - currently seen in hit US
TV show Believe.
In recent years, several Indian actors
and actresses and others of Indian origin
have been cast in popular US soaps,
including Homeland, Newsroom, The

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Big Bang Theory, House of Cards and

The Good Wife.
Chopra, however, is the biggest name
from Bollywood to make her way to US
television.
In a statement, she said: "As an actor
I'm constantly challenging my creative
capacity. I took a leap of faith when

604.510.4088

[casting director] Keli Lee asked me to

join the ABC family, and I'm so excited
to be a part of the pilot for Quantico
alongside an incredibly talented cast and
production team."
The actress, who previously attempted
a singing career, will continue to make
Bollywood films while filming Quantico.

604.909.4088

29

Amitabh Bachchan To Attend Unveiling Of

Gandhi Statue In London

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan will attend

an event in London, where a statue of
Mahatma Gandhi, known for his nonviolent movement against the British
rule, will be unveiled at Parliament
Square. DCMS-British Department for
Culture, Media and Sport, wrote on
Twitter
Amitabh Bachchan retweeted the
message for his followers on the social
media platform.
The bronze statue of Gandhiji will
be unveiled this summer while
commemorating the 100th anniversary
of Gandhiji's return to India from
South Africa, to start the struggle for
self-rule.
British sculptor Philip Jackson was
chosen to create the statue, having
previously created statues of the Queen
Mother and Bomber Command. He
started work on the statue in July 2014.
Gandhiji's statue took six to seven
months of intensive work.
The bronze statue will be unveiled by
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The ceremony will feature live music

and personal reflections from Gandhiji's
grandson, and former governor of West

Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The unveiling ceremony of the statue
will be open to the public.

Anil Kapoor's Grey-Haired Look In 'Dil

Dhadakne Do'

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, known

for his evergreen, young looks, will be
playing his age and seen sporting grey
hair in upcoming film 'Dil Dhadakne
Do'.
The first image of Anil's character of Mr
Mehra from the Zoya Akhtar-directed
film has been released and it shows
the 58-year-old actor posing on a yacht
wearing a stripped blue suit and rocking
his grey-haired look.
Anil is playing father to Priyanka
Chopra and Ranveer Singh's characters
in the film, which revolves around a
dysfunctional Punjabi family on a cruise
trip.
'Dil Dhadakne Do' also stars Anushka
Sharma, Shefali Shah, Farhan Akhtar
and is expected to hit theatres in June
this year.
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta and actor
Riteish Deshmukh praised Anil's new
look.

[email protected]

604.510.4088

604.909.4088

30

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (G) ***

By Robert Waldman
From out of nowhere a few years
back Fox Searchlight Pictures gave us
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Success has earned us a follow-up stay.
Most of the characters are back with
some new additions for The Second Best
Exotic Marigold Hotel now checking
in guests at The Fifth Avenue Cinemas.
Fans of the first fresh outing will feel
right at home here.
Renovations can be hell. Efforts
to acquire a new hotel or make extensive
renovations on the current piece of
real estate lies at the heart of this 122
minute movie. Up to more high brow
shenanigans is Dav Patel (Slumdog
Millionaire). Again India in all its
mystery and glory is where this madcap
tale takes place. Patel stars as the owner
of a famed hotel with a collection of
motley guests.
Many of those staying at the hotel find
themselves at crossroads in their lives.
Affairs of the heart, family dysfunctions
and the prospects of growing old all
come into play in this light-weight
charmer clearly geared towards a more

Wild Tales (PG)

Chaotic situations make for strange
bedfellows in Wild Tales. Strange
behaviour is not just confined to the
animal kingdom as this Academy
award nominated effort from Mongrel
Media and Sony Pictures Classics so
ably demonstrates. Lapses in judgment
and human frailties provides plenty
of ammunition in this smart tale of
transgressions now delivering a one two
creative punch at select Cineplex Odeon
arenas across B.C.
Saucy fun of a fiendish kind unravels
in this drama that is actually a blend of
5 carefully crafted scenarios. Among
the mix are encounters with road rage
involving two lead-footed speeders, a
wicked last meal rites, parking woes, a

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Check Out Time!

mature crowd of fifty and up. Oh, and

let's not forget an American attempt to
buy the Marigold spearheaded by the
always reliable David Straithan (The
Bourne Identity).
Grand dames of the British stage
and cinema Dames Judy Dench (Skyfall)
and Maggie Smith (The Prime of Miss

Jean Brodie) reign supreme as part of the

hotel roster Along with Bill Nighy and
newcomer Richard Gere (An Officer and
a Gentleman)
Despite being a bit long and at times
uneven the youthful romance works and
a wedding celebration helps liven things
up cinsiderably.

Strange Brew!
car accident, a wedding gone wrong and
a bumpy plane ride.
Anyone who has ever encountered
trouble with the law, figures of authority
or misplaced /misguided love (rs) will
feel right at home with this movie.
Without question the opening montage
of mixed up / messed up flyers will have

604.510.4088

folks rolling in the aisles. Unfortunately

the other glimpses into people on the edge
never lives up to the inspiring opening.
Being able to live vicariously through
the lives of others gives Wild Tales its
soul and gravitas. Told in Spanish with
English subtitles good acting makes this
film highly watchable,

604.909.4088

31

Fiji Airways Unveils New Pilot Uniforms

Woman In The Cockpit

Fiji Airways, Fijis National Airline, has

unveiled its new pilot uniforms.
It has proudly put its female pilots at
the forefront of the launch to coincide
with the celebration of International
Womens Day.
Fiji Airways chief pilot and general
manager Flight Operations Captain,
Josua Cavalevu said: The new uniform
insignia has been customised with special
features to reflect the Fiji Airways brand
and what better day to have our female
pilots headline the unveiling of it than
International Womens Day.
Meet our women in the Air
Fiji Airways wishes to proudly
introduce it female pilots:
First Officer Seini Koroitamana
She joined Fiji Airways in December
2005. She holds the rank of Airbus A330
First Officer and also held the ranks of
B747 Second Officer, B737 First Officer
and B767 First Officer.
F/O Seini was trained at Pacific Flying
School and started her flying career at
SunAir Airlines, flying the Islander and
Twin Otter Aircraft.
She is a proud wife and mother, married
to B737 Captain Clayton Cornish.
Together they are parents to two young
boys.
F/O Seini literally grew up around the
Nadi International Airport her father
Jone Koroitamana is a retired chief
executive of Civil Aviation Authority of
Fiji.
She attended Nadi Airport School and
finished her high school education at
Natabua High School.
First Officer Selai Saumi
She joined Fiji Airways in March 2007.
She is a First Officer on the Boeing
737 aircraft, and started her jet aircraft
experience as a B767 Second Officer.
Her latest responsibilities include
teaching Aircraft Performance to new
Boeing 737 Pilots. S/O Saumi is a
qualified crew resource management
instructor and a combined crew resource
management facilitator.
F/O Selai too, has aviation in her blood
her late father, Captain Nacanieli Saumi
was a Boeing 737 check and training
captain for Fiji Airways.
Educated at St. Annes Primary School
and St. Josephs Secondary School, F/O
Selai started her flying career in 2002,
training with Flight Training in Brisbane
Australia.
First Officer Christina Zoing

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She joined Fiji Airways in December

2009. After flying domestically for Air
Fiji, F/O Zoings first jet endorsement
was as a B767 Aircraft Second Officer.
She is now a First Officer on the B737
aircraft. F/O Zoing is one of a small
number of local pilots who are qualified
in Human factors.
She is a crew resource management
facilitator. In addition, she is combined
crew resource management instructor
combining Pilot and Cabin Crew
Training.
An ex-scholar of Holy Family School
in Labasa, she continued her primary
school education at Stella Maris in
Suva before graduating from Yat Sen
Secondary School.
Second Officer Vanika Itautoka
She joined Fiji Airways in September
2014. S/O Itautoka recently completed
her training at Airbus Facilities in
Beijing, China and Singapore to obtain
her Airbus A330-200 second officer
rating. Born in Suva, she started school
at Veiuto Primary School, completing
high school at Suva Grammar School.
First Officer Rafaela Correa- Reis
She joined Fiji Airways in January 2013.
She is an experienced First Officer on
the Boeing B737 aircraft.
A Brazilian national, she was born in
Itajai, State of Santa Catarina. F/O
Correa-Reis graduated in 2005, with a

degree in Aeronautical Sciences. F/O

Rafaela has significant international
experience, flying in Brazil for GOL
Airlines and also in China before joining
Fiji Airways.
She has jet endorsements as a First
Officer on the Boeing B737 and the
Boeing B747 Jum.
Were using this launch to bring
attention to the fact that we have some
fantastic female pilots in our team.
They are excellent aviators who do
a great job day-in and day-out and are
future captains for our national carrier.
Were hoping more and more young
women seriously consider flying as a
career and ultimately join the pilot ranks
at Fiji Airways.
First Officer Seini Koroitamana, First
Officer Selai Saumi and Second Officer
Vanika Itautoka unveiled the new
uniforms.
There are currently five female pilots at
Fiji Airways four Fijians and one on
contract from Brazil.
Captain Cavalevu said, There is
enormous wealth of experience, skills
and knowledge among our women
colleagues.
They are very highly respected for their
dedication and professionalism by their
peers, and we would like nothing better
than to increase the female complement
of pilots at Fiji Airways.

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bizz.
ca

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32

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Sports

33

Lessons Learned Letting Lack Succeed For

Canucks

For Vancouver Canucks goalie Eddie

Lack, the mantra "What doesn't kill
you makes you stronger" is more than
a clich or the lyrics of a pop song by
Kelly Clarkson.
Lack has lived the lesson behind those
words. Last season, he survived an allout attack on his game and faced a litany
of doubters about his ability to be a No.
1 goalie in the NHL. Neither was likely
the intention of coach John Tortorella, but
instead the result of Lack being thrown
into the fire by starting 19 consecutive
games during a 41-day span after Roberto
Luongo was sent to the Florida Panthers
prior to the NHL Trade Deadline.
The heavy workload, combined with the
fact Lack was a little more than one year
removed from major hip surgery, caused
his body and his game to disintegrate.
His save percentage, which was .925
when the streak started Feb. 26, dropped
to .900. When the streak ended with a
loss to the Anaheim Ducks on April 7,
Lack was too tired and too sore to accept
an invitation to represent Sweden at the
IIHF World Championship.
Now, almost exactly a year later, Lack
finds himself in the same situation,
asked to carry the starter's load and
help the Canucks into the Stanley Cup
Playoffs after Ryan Miller sprained his
knee Feb. 22. With 16 games remaining,
the Canucks held a Western Conference
wild card by three points.
So what has changed for Lack that might
allow him to pull it off this time? He said he
learned from last season's painful lessons
and is a better athlete and goalie for it.
"I told myself, 'If you really want to play
in this league and be a good goalie in
this league you need to prepare the best
you can,'" Lack said. "The biggest part
about feeling good this year comes from
my body feeling good. I'm not in pain. I
don't have to stretch for half an hour just
to be able to get on the ice in the first
place."
Lack spent the summer rebuilding his
body, moving personal trainer Lucas
Sierrosmith into his cabin in Leksands,
Sweden for two-a-day workouts on a
suggestion made by teammate Ryan
Kesler, who was traded to the Ducks in
late June.
Lack is 4-1-1 since replacing Miller.
He has a .934 save percentage since
becoming the starter again, this despite
a two-game, 10-goal hiccup early in
the run. He has been named first star in

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three straight games, including Pacific

Division wins against the San Jose
Sharks and Anaheim to keep Vancouver
in playoff position.
Lack knows questions remain about his
durability. But he has appeared in eight
straight games since Miller was sidelined
and said he feels better than at any point
this season.
If others are surprised by that declaration,
Lack is not.
He said he feels the same way he did
when he stepped back on the ice in July.
The impact of a new offseason regimen,
which included input from the Canucks
strength and conditioning coaches and
physiotherapist Rick Celebrini, who
Lack worked with before the Canucks
added him as a consultant at the start of
this season, is undeniable, Lack said.
The regimen was put into motion by
Tyler Gingras, a friend who trains Kesler
in the offseason and works with Lack
during the season. Lack flew Sierrosmith
from Sweden to be part of the discussions
with Celebrini and the Canucks human
performance department about the next
steps for the end of the season.
After settling on a plan, Lack returned
to Leksands, where he played for three
seasons before coming to North America.
"We took the parts we liked from
everyone, put it into a program and got
to work," Lack said. "We could be alone
there and focus."
The results were evident on Lack's
6-foot-4 frame but difficult for the
goalie to quantify. After some thought,
Lack settled on "20 percent better"
for his improved strength, but a better
description was how he felt that first
time back on the ice.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, this is how it's
supposed to feel,'" Lack said.
Lack came back to North America early,
stopping in Chicago to work with Stan
Dubicki, his former American Hockey
League goaltending coach. They worked
almost exclusively on foot movement.
In Vancouver, it was a few weeks of onice sessions with former Canucks goalie
Alex Auld. They worked on fine-tuning
the technical side of Lack's game.
The learning has continued throughout
the season. Specifically, near daily
sessions with Canucks goaltending
coach Roland Melanson have helped
drive home a fundamental change in
Lack's game. Melanson took Lack's
aggressive and retreating style and

604.510.4088

morphed it into a more patient, goal lineout approach reminiscent of the style
played by Henrik Lundqvist of the New
York Rangers.
When Miller was injured, Lack came
in confident. But after an impressive
road victory against the Boston Bruins,
he gave up five goals in a loss to the
last-place Buffalo Sabres and five in a
shootout win against the St. Louis Blues.
A defense full of injury reinforcements
from the AHL didn't help, but questions
about Lack's readiness intensified.
"Obviously I had a little dip, and that is
when I just told myself, 'This is nothing
like last year, just keep playing, keep
having fun and keep working hard in
practice,'" Lack said. "I felt the problem
was our travel meant no practices and
just playing games, which is what
happened last year too. Eventually that
is going to catch up to you."
There were signs Lack's technical game
had slipped, but unlike last season, he was
provided the necessary time to correct the
faults with Melanson. Jacob Markstrom,
the backup, started March 3 against the
Sharks, allowing Lack to recover from a
physical pounding in Boston and spend
extra time in practice without worrying
he'd be too tired to play the game.
That plan was borne out of the lessons
from last season. It also was quickly
scrapped after Markstrom gave up three
goals on four shots against San Jose
and Lack's night off ended in less than
eight minutes. He stopped 23 of 24 shots
in relief and, despite staying late at the
morning skate with Melanson to work
on his game, Lack said he felt better than
he had in a long time, that he "actually
felt like myself again."
So rather than resting between games
like last season, Lack figures he may be
better off working through any technique
issues without missing a start. With
seven of the next nine games at home
and breaks between all but the two road
games, Lack is confident he can manage
his rest and his game. He could start all
nine games in that stretch.
"There's obviously a good time for rest,
but I am just 27 years old and I don't
think I need as much rest as I took last
year," he said. "I feel better when I push
myself a little more in practice, too, and
not just think, 'There's a game tomorrow,
you have to take it a bit easy.'"
In other words, what doesn't kill you
really can make you stronger.

604.909.4088

Sports

34

Fiji Fa Board Member Dhanji Dies

Fiji Football Association board member

and prominent Suva businessman Sashi
Dhanji has passed away.
Dhaji, also known as Sashi Bhindi died
on Tuesday night. He was 56.
Fiji FA chief executive Bob Kumar says
Dhanji will be sorely missed by the
football fraternity.
On behalf of President Rajesh Patel, the
executive committee and all of the staff
at Fiji FA I wish to extend our deepest
condolences to his family. We are all
joined in mourning the passing of a great
man whose absence will leave a void at
Fiji FA, and throughout football in Fiji.

Dhanji served for many years on the Fiji

FA Finance Committee before stepping
into the role of chairman in 2010.
He previously served as vice-president
of Suva Football Association and more
recently held the post of president of the
Fiji Gujarati Football Association.
He was also a Justice of Peace and an
executive member of the Fiji Sports
Commission, president of the Fiji Blind
Society, a board member of Diabetes
Fiji, Gujrat Samaj Fiji, Lions Club of Fiji
and FASANOC.
Dhanji is survived by his wife, two sons
and two granddaughters.

Sashi Dhanji aka Sashi Bhindi

Bob Kumar

Fiji Football Association has finalized

the dates and months for their major
tournaments this season.
At the associations council meeting in
Ba, its been confirmed that the opening
football tournament of the year will be
held in May.
With first round venues yet to be
confirmed, it is understood that the
tournament proper will be held at Ratu
Cakobau Park in Nausori.

Prince Charles Park in Nadi will host the

Battle of Giants while the venue for the
Inter District Championship is yet to be
confirmed.
We have notified all the districts at our
council meeting last Sunday where all
major tournaments will be held this year.
We have also started talking to the Town
Councils for them to work on these
arrangements, said the CEO of Fiji FA,
Bob Kumar.

Every team strives to have its own

identity on the pitch in terms of a distinct
playing style and philosophy. Some
change over time, some are embedded
into clubs' DNA for years.
When one thinks of Spain, "Tiki-Taka"
comes to mind, with lots of short passes and
maintaining possession. Mention the long
ball, direct game to some and English side
Wimbledon come to mind from the 1980s
and '90s. Going back even further, there
was the versatile "Total Football" for the
Dutch national team and Ajax in the '70s.
Moving to the here and now, think
of the Vancouver Whitecaps and one
immediately thinks of a quick team that
is packed full of young, speedy attackers,
tormenting opposition defenses with
waves of runs. It's a tactic and style that
saw some success last season and was
on full display at times against Toronto
in Saturday's season opener.
"We played what our gameplan was, to
attack and play nice football," Whitecaps
winger Kekuta Manneh said of his team's
performance against Toronto. "We
created a lot of chances on that. It was

just unfortunate that we didn't capitalize

on our chances in the first half. It was
some really good football and I think we
can take positive stuff out of that."
The problem for Vancouver was that
Toronto survived the first half onslaught
and were able to make it in to the half all
square at one apiece. They reorganized
and barely gave the Whitecaps a sniff
of goal in the second half, leaving them
"void of ideas" in the words of coach
Carl Robinson after the match.
And therein lies an issue that has plagued
the Whitecaps in a number of games. For
all the success their fast-paced attack
can have, when teams shut them down,
Vancouver seem to struggle to come up
with another plan of attack.
"I'd say we have the players, both fast and
the guys that want the ball," goalkeeper
David Ousted told reporters. "We want
to be a possessing team and I think we've
showed we can be that way. But when
something doesn't work, we should be
better at implementing 'Plan B' and I
think you'll see from now on that we will
be. I still feel that we've got other things

than speed up front."

One criticism that has been levelled at
the Whitecaps is that they are too one
dimensional. Packed full of too many
similar players young speedsters who
love nothing more than to run at defenders.
It's an accusation quickly shot down
by Robinson, who feels his squad have
more than enough variation in their
armory to "unlock defences in a slightly
different way," pointing to the strengths
of midfielders Nicolas Mezquida, Marco
Bustos and Kianz Froese, none of whom
featured against Toronto.
"Theyve all got different attributes,"
Robinson said of his attackers. "Weve
got a lot of pace in our team and we
displayed that on show in the first half
[against Toronto] with only probably
one pacy guy in our team with Kekuta.
"We've got good players. We've got
players who have got good movement
and we've also got quick players. We've
got players who have fantastic vision.
We've just got to work at it and if we
continue to work at it, sometimes we'll
get it right, sometimes we won't."

Fiji Football Finalizes Tournaments

Vancouver Whitecaps Say They Need To

Improve "Plan B" In Attack

[email protected]

604.510.4088

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