This year, the college received a grant of close to $200,000.

Sayed-Khaiyum spoke at the graduation ceremony for 31 students on Saturday.

In his address, Sayed-Khaiyum expressed his appreciation for the education the Marist Brothers had provided him when he attended Marist Brothers High School.

He noted that Corpus Christi was based on the Catholic foundations of edu­cation and the graduates have to understand that they could leave a mark in a student's life by the way they teach.

What matters, he said, is that people are all taught that everyone is a child of God regardless of their religion, so­cio-economic status or the prov­ince they come from.

"As teachers, you need to be able to inculcate that belief, that sense in your students that will not only be able to develop them as good human beings but will also help you to develop as good educators."

Corpus Christi College is a teachers' training college owned by the Archdiocese of Suva. Earlier this month it celebrated its diamond jubilee.

At that time the Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong said it was an opportune time for Catholics to rediscover Catholic education.

He spoke in particular about the role of Christian education in addressing climate change.

He also raised the question of the number of Catholic teachers in church-owned primary and secondary schools, and graduates of Corpus Christi going to teach in non-Catholic schools.

He said there was a mood of depression, and questioning going on about where Catholic education is heading.

Listen to Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's speech

Source

• Fiji Times
• Fiji Sun
• Fiji Sun
• YouTube
• Image: screenshot YouTube

The Catholic Women's Forum said that it organised the "Dialogue Forum" to "raise awareness of the 2013 Draft Constitution for interested members of the community and representatives of Catholic Women's League branches in the Central/Eastern and Western Division," including youth.

The briefing was given at the invitation of the Catholic women's Forum. On Wednesday afternoon the Attorney-General briefed the NGO coalition.

The Attorney-General conducted another briefing session, with the Rural Advisory Councillors, Roko Tuis, and other Provincial Administrators on April 4.

"The PM's decision to extend the consultation period gives us an excellent opportunity to talk about the draft constitution and necessary to dispel myths and misinformation and to reassure people. It is very important for the citizens of Fiji to understand the draft constitution and to hear the rationale for its provisions," the Attorney-General said.

The Attorney-General's Chambers will hold more briefing sessions in the Western and Northern Divisions during this consultation period, which ends on April 26.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• The Jet
• Image: Fiji.gov.fj
  

Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu, the incoming president of the Church, is opposed to any move to legalise prostitution while Reverend Tevita Nawadra, who replaces him as general secretary, says he is in favour

"Personally and, I think, the position of the church that we do not support the legalisation of prostitution is simply because it contradicts with the laws of the Ten Commandments that 'thou shall not commit adultery'," Waqairatu said.

Nawadra says he supports any move to legalise prostitution "because it will be overwhelming for those who suffer from HIV/AIDS".

Vijendra Prakas, the the national secretary of Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha, the largest Hindu organisation in the country, is opposed to any call to legalise prostitution.

Prakash said the Sabha taught its followers moral values based on religious texts for balanced behaviour and the idea of legalising sex work contradicted the teachings.

Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says there are no plans to legalise prostitution in Fiji.

He said a statement by Acting Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor Joe Koroivueta that a change to the Crimes Decree was being contemplated is incorrect.

Previously, in a World AIDS Day press conference at Government House Koroivueta had said that they were looking legalise prostitution.

"For many years sex work has been regarded as illegal in the country," he said.

"We need to address this so that sex workers do not face discrimination."

Koroivueta said Fiji was working towards a human rights-based approach and discrimination against sex workers contravenes human rights.

"We have a HIV/AIDS Decree that is human rights based and does not discriminate."

Koroivueta said the new legislation for sex workers would be in compliance with the HIV/AIDS Decree and totally based on human rights principles and should be ready by next year.

Last year a report by Australian researchers claimed the Fiji Government was concerned about the growth of the sex industry, and had rounded up sex workers, taken them to a military barracks and forced them to squat and do duck-walks and roll in mud.

The report said some practices "amount to torture", including publicly shaming the women and subjecting them to sleep deprivation. One of the women said the abuse made her feel she was "somewhere like Hotel Rwanda".

Source

• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
• Fiji Village
• The Telegraph
• Image: Pacific Scoop