Fred Wesley
Image: THE FIJI TIMES
Here are some headlines in The Sunday Times edition for April 18.
But before that, the latest provisional results of the Fiji Teachers Union elections are out. This was released by the Fijian Elections Office tonight, at 10.20pm.
FTU election provisional result
FEO staff busy during the Fiji Teacher Unioin elections at Rishikul Sanatan College on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Picture: JONA KONATACI
It stated: These are the candidates that have been declared winners as per the provisional results released today. The Final Results will be first conveyed to the Union and then released in due course.
17 April, 2021, 5:15 pm
Teachers waiting in line before casting their vote during the Fiji Teachers Union National Elections conducted by the Fijian Elections Office at FTU headquarters in Suva yesterday. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA
Touchscreen voting machines were used at certain venues for the two-day Fiji Teachers Union national election that began yesterday – but it will not be used in the 2022 General Election, states the Fijian Elections Office (FEO).
The FEO had received 53 machines in 2017 from the Association of World Election Bodies and had used them on a small scale since then.
The FEO confirmed electronic voting would be done for the election of office bearers for the Fiji Teachers Union on April 16 and April 17.
Agni Deo Singh retains General Secretary position after FTU National Elections
Agni Deo Singh retains General Secretary position after FTU National Elections
Agni Deo Singh retains General Secretary position
Agni Deo Singh has retained the position of General Secretary after the Fiji Teachers Union National Elections that ended yesterday.
Singh is one of the union’s longest-serving members.
The other office bearers are Muniappa Goundar who has been elected as the President.
Nukul Barman, Pranesh Sharma and Ajeshni Nand are the new Vice Presidents.
Rajnesh Lingam has been elected as the Assistant General Secretary, Sashi Shandil as the General Treasurer and Brij Bhan Sing as the Publicity Officer.
Wanshika Kumar
National Workers Union general secretary Felix Anthony in Suva. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA/FILE
FIJI Trades Union Congress (FTUC) national secretary Felix Anthony says unions should not pay the Supervisor of Elections office when union elections are conducted.
He said this was decided at a recent FTUC national council meeting.
“That office should be funded by the Government, the National Budget and it is up to the Supervisor of Elections office, the Electoral Commission, to ensure that the budgets allocated to the Supervisor of Elections office is sufficient to carry out its functions,” he said.
Mr Anthony said under new laws proposed by Government, the SOE’s office was required to supervise union elections, with unions to fork out costs.
Rakesh Kumar
17 April, 2021, 12:00 am
Everyone has a role in the
prevention of bullying in schools and most people have directly or indirectly participated in, witnessed, or experienced some form of bullying in schools. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA/File
FIJI is reporting increased cases of bullying because parents are not spending quality time with their children.
This, according to Fiji Teachers Union general secretary Agni Deo Singh.
He said bullying was an ongoing issue and a huge challenge for all stakeholders including parents, teachers, heads of schools and the Education Ministry.
Mr Singh made the comment in the wake of revelations by Education Minister Rosy Akbar that some students did not want to attend school because of bullying.