“Misereor”, the German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Co-operation, has helped to fund a People’s Community Network (PCN) project that will provide a home for people who have been living in informal settlements in the Jittu Estate in Raiwaqa near Suva Fiji. The Lagilagi Housing Project is a partnership between families and PCN, where the families Read more
A well know priest in Fiji, Fr. Kevin Barr, had his testimony invalidated and was found in contempt of court because of remarks he made about the Government. Barr was acting as a character witness for the former Prime Minster Mahendra Chaudhry. Barr claimed “strong voices in the business lobby” wanted Chaudhry out of the Read more
Father Kevin Barr says Fiji’s 2014 budget is the first “people-centred” and “pro-poor” budget for many years. Speaking as a panellist on the topic “Implementation of Socio-Economic Rights’” at the Attorney-General’s 15th annual conference, he congratulated government on its initiatives and said the generous allocations for education would bring a radical change in parents’ ability Read more
The former Wages Council chairman Father Kevin Barr has commended the government’s effort to set up a minimum wage baseline for workers in Fiji. Based on the findings of the National Minimum Wage Baseline Survey, two dollars and thirty two cents an hour is now the proposed minimum wage. Barr says the new proposed rate Read more
It is important to take into consideration the impact that activities such as mining could have on the environment and the people. Churches must take a strong, united stand on the responsible use of natural resources says Fiji Catholic priest, Father Kevin Barr. He was speaking at Pacific Conference of Churches Assembly. More than 200 delegates representing 34 Read more
Some news sources are saying Father Kevin Barr hopes to see out the last of his days in Fiji. Others are reporting that he is deciding whether he will renew his work permit. Barr, who has lived in Fiji for over 30 years, is an Australian citizen and his work permit expires at the end of the year. Read more
In Fiji, Father Kevin Barr said two thirds of Fiji’s population are living in poverty or close to it. Representing the Peoples Community Network in a seminar titled “The Challenges of Poverty to the Constitution” held at the University of the South Pacific He said 60 per cent of the workers in full-time employment earned wages below Read more
About 200 submissions from members and supporters of the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA) were made to the Constitution Commission in Suva, Fiji, last Friday. Father Kevin Barr of ECREA said they had conducted awareness programs and workshops for their members on how they could make their voices heard. He said workers had Read more
Fiji’s Wages Council chairman Father Kevin Barr has told the Fiji Times he has resigned from his position on the Wages Council. However the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment has not received any formal notice of Barr’s resignation. On Sunday night, Minister Jone Usamate said neither he nor his permanent secretary Taito Waqa Read more
Two years ago I was asked to write an Assessment of the Fiji situation as I saw it. Now I have been asked once again to reflect on the current situation and make an assessment of Fiji today. Two years ago I wrote: “Unlike the 1987 and 2000 coups which were carried out in the Read more