A Fijian survivor of abuse by Marist Brothers is calling for Pope Francis to issue a formal apology to Pacific victims as well as those in New Zealand. Felix Fremlin, abused by two New Zealand Marist brothers while attending Primary School in Suva, says the apology should extend beyond New Zealand victims. Fremlin was just Read more
One afternoon last year, we sat in a village hall in Fiji chatting to residents about traditional ways of forecasting tropical cyclones. One man mentioned a black-winged storm bird known as “manumanunicagi” that glides above the land only when a cyclone is forming out to sea. As the conversation continued, residents named at least 11 Read more
It’s been a three-and-a-half year wait, but it’s finally happening. Tauranga’s medical mission ship, the MV YWAM KOHA, will soon be departing the Port of Tauranga on her maiden deployment to Fiji. On board the ship will be a minimal crew of about 16 for the voyage to the outer islands of Fiji. They leave Read more
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today pledged $12.6 million to support Fiji’s Gender Action Programme which will also help the South Pacific nation to address broader issues such as child poverty alleviation and other initiatives. Speaking at a breakfast programme organised by the Fijian government at the Museum in Suva this morning, Ms Ardern said that Read more
Ten church ministers in Fiji have resigned because they do not want to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Others are openly against the vaccine. Rules about vaccination status are being made for church employees. Everyone has a view. There has been pressure on the clergy to get the injections since the Government’s ‘No jab, no job’ Read more
Sexual exploitation of children has become rife in Fiji. And the problem is largely hidden from authorities and the public. These are findings in a joint survey by the NGOs Save the Children, and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking International. A recent UN report also revealed that abuse of children in Fiji is usually performed Read more
Fiji’s archbishop, Peter Loy Chong, says the church has a role in politics. People who think mixing religion with politics is wrong are ‘in denial’, he suggests. Loy Chong – who is the head of the Catholic Church in Fiji – was chief guest the opposition National Federation Party (NFP) Annual General Meeting in Suva Read more
The head of the Fiji Catholic Church has made an apology for the behaviour of Catholic priests, religious and teachers who allegedly abused Fijian children. Archbishop Peter Loy Chong was responding to a news report on TVNZ by pacific correspondent, Barbara Dreaver. For the last year, 1 NEWS has been investigating claims of historic sexual Read more
At the height of his 15-year career as a surgeon in the Pacific nation of Fiji, Dr Jone Hawea was performing eight to 10 diabetes-related operations every day – at least two of which were the amputations of limbs. “Our wards are always full of diabetes cases. Sometimes our surgical wards wouldn’t be able to Read more