This was held on Friday 13 June 2008 at the Noble House. The event was an exciting and fun-filled evening and raised over $1300 for the Scholarship Fund.
Click here to view the photos of the event.
The Scholarship Committee has met and approved scholarships for the following recipients at the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) for Semester 2, 2008:
1. Doreen Prasad - she has completed a Diploma in Civil Engineering and will continue to the Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering.
2. Makareta Vuicakau - Trade Certificate in Vehicle Electrical and Electronics (stage 5)
3. Dilaite Tusonu - Trade Certificate in Electrical Engineering (stage 2)
4. Alumita Rokobati Kulavere - Trade Certificate in Electrical Engineering (stage 3)
5. Vinita Sunandini Naidu - Diploma in Agricultural Engineering
Alani Vuatalevu from FIT is our new Vice-President – taking over from Susie Aziz who has resigned due to work commitments.
Senimili Vukikomoala is our new Membership Convenor. She is of course Acting Secretary until end of October when Fulori Sarai will resume her post.
We welcome new member: Arati Sudhakar, USP. Arati holds a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Information Systems and will be graduating with a MA in Tourism Studies at the USP September graduation.
The FAWG Council has agreed to meet every 2 months in 2008 and to make more use of electronic communication (email) in between meetings. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month. The last meeting was held on 14 August. We were delighted to welcome former FAWG and PGWNet executive, Vanessa Charters who was back in Fiji for a brief visit and who was able to lend her expertise to the Advocacy Group.
The Council members are meeting this Thursday, 14 August, 1-2pm at the Council Secretariat office at the University of the South Pacific. Council members please confirm your attendance with our secretaries.
Suva, FIJI – A leading educational NGO today slammed the interim Minister of Finance for his support of the controversial back pay made to interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and other military officers, saying it was a racket and the funds should have been invested in education.
“In these financially burdened times where parents find it especially hard to pay for schooling, this payment to members of the military makes a racket of public money,” said FAWG President, Winifereti Nainoca.
“Fiji deserves good governance from its leaders, not face-saving measures,” she said.
Yesterday interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, defended the payment.
“That money should have been invested in the real future of Fiji through education, education, education,” claimed Nainoca, echoing a speech by former British PM Tony Blair.
“The real victims of this backpay scandal are the young men and women who we are supposed to be preparing for life and the workforce,” said Nainoca.
“What applies to one Public Servant should apply to all who are paid by public funds and public taxes. The special treatment in this case is highly irregular,” she added.
There have been three ministers for education since the December 2006 coup-de-tat.
Nainoca explained that with each the new Education Minister comes a new agenda and the repeated changes had a detrimental effect on the system all the way to the classroom.
“Education needs stewardship and consistency. It needs stable leadership so educators can do the right thing for our students” said Nainoca.
Fiji Association of Women Graduates (FAWG) had earlier made a submission to the Fiji Education Commission outlining the necessity to fund counselling all schools in Fiji and the benefits of formalising those appointments.
FAWG is committed to improving society in Fiji by promoting further education for women and girls and is a member of the International Federation of University Women.
For further information, kindly contact FAWG President, W. U. Nainoca, on 338-9235 or V. Charters on 3305-344.
Suva, FIJI - Fiji Association of Women Graduates today joined the host of voices speaking out to defend freedom of Fiji’s media to remain self-regulated and above undue influence from outside bodies.
FAWG President, Winifereti U. Nainoca, today called on the interim government to respect media freedom, saying “Freedom of expression and information are amongst the cornerstones of any civilized society and play a key role in ensuring that leaders are held accountable for their actions.
“Trying to muzzle the media will only create uncertainty and rumour-mongering.
“It also is the prelude to a situation where the military and the interim government is no longer accountable to anyone. This is the complete opposite of the good governance and transparency the Interim Government espouses that it upholds.”
Nainoca re-released FAWG’s statement from 2003 when they commented on the then proposed Media Bill, which was never passed.
“FAWG’s statement in 2003 was as relevant today as it was then. The interesting difference is that in 2003 we were part of a process of consultation and feedback with the ruling government. FAWG urges the interim government of Fiji to rise to the challenge of good governance and transparency, and to initiate real consultation processes, and not to treat such important matters as a foregone conclusion,” she said.
“Media freedom is our freedom,” said Nainoca.
FAWG’s 2003 statement : The Fiji Association of Women Graduates, through its sponsorship and media representative highlighted:
1. The media in Fiji must never be controlled by any outside body, including government. Any attempt by outsiders to control the media endangers the independence and freedoms of every citizen of Fiji.
2. Any regulation of the media must be controlled by the media itself. It cannot be imposed by legislation. Censorship or regulation by government (or any outside body) is the worst possible outcome. Ever-improving media self-censorship and self-regulation is the best possible outcome.
3. This said, at times the media’s self-regulation and code of ethics is unsatisfactory. The existing Media Council has proved ineffectual to enforce high standards of conduct by the media and advertisers.
4. The proposed Bill is not a solution to problems referred to in point 3.
5. In today’s information-driven world, the media is a powerful instrument. A free and self-regulating media serves the interests of democracy. It must never be subjected to outside influence or powers.
6. The media is a complex and highly technical industry. As an academic field of study, it is not easily understood by laymen, or non-experts. Non-experts should never hold power over the media.
7. The proposed Bill creates more problems than it solves. It must not be supported.
For further information, kindly contact FAWG President, W. U. Nainoca, on 338-9235 or V. Charters on 3305-344.
The FAWG Scholarship committee is in the process of going through all the applications and will be announcing the chosen scholars as soon as possible.
Applications are now open for the Fiji Association of Women Graduates (FAWG) Scholarship Fund, which pays for the tuition fees of young women studying in non-traditional fields at the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT).
Eligibility requirements: Applicants must -
1) Be a female student in her second year of study at the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT).
2) Studying in a 'non-traditional field' which include Building & Civil (e.g. Plumbing, Carpentry) Electrical & Electronic, Automotive, Mechanical, Maritime and related fields.
3) Have a grade B average in her first year examination result.
4) Come from an economically disadvantaged background.
Please submit the following documents with your application:
1) Two references; one academic and one for character.
2) One recent passport-sized photograph.
3) An essay (not more than 300 words) outlining your personal background, your education journey and the challenges faced. Also include your dream/vision and how you hope to achieve it.
Send your applications to: The FAWG Scholarship Fund, PO Box 5008, Raiwaqa, Fiji. Deadline of Applications is on 24 July 2008.
For queries email fawg.members@gmail.com, or contact Dr Akanisi Kedrayate - email: kedrayate_a@usp.ac.fj, phone: 3232049 or Maria Ronna Pastorizo - email: maonaizo@gmail.com, mobile: 9922423
The Fiji Association of Women Graduates is a voluntary and non-profit organization of women graduates working to promote lifelong education, to improve the status of women and girls and to enable women to effect positive change for a peaceful world. FAWG is a full member of the International Federation of University Women. Visit us at http://www.fawg.org.fj
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