funding

The Government has failed to pay its obligatory grant to the university for the past three years, and now owes the USP more than $60 million Fijian dollars.

The group says Fiji benefits hugely from the USP.

They say for every dollar invested by the Government the return to the Fiji economy is eight dollars from taxes, rents, medical spending, utilities, food and other good, and transport.

Ambassador Chiba Hirohisa signed the contract remotely with the Minister of Education and Training,  Samson Samsen, for "The Project for Upgrading of Showground Primary School" totaling over VT 16 million on 16 March 2022.

The project will support the construction of a new school building with relevant educational facilities to assist the students and teachers of the school in Luganville, Espiritu Santo.

The assistance will support the Vanuatu Tourism Marketing Recovery Programme over three years beginning in 2021.

A Direct Funding Agreement worth AUD $1,530,000 was signed between Australian Government representative Shannon Ryan and the Acting Director General of the Ministry of Trade Tourism Commerce and Ni Vanuatu Business, Jimmy Rantes in Port Vila recently.

The country’s tourism-reliant economy has been severely impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic as tourism revenues have been halted due to the closure of borders.

The funding assistance of NZD$5 million(US$3.4 million) will boost the current electoral project implemented by UNDP into phase two of the Vanuatu Electoral Environment Project (VEEP-II) which will begin in January 2021.

The Daily Post says the five year project will address key climate change vulnerabilities and support climate change resilience development with a focus on infrastructure, tourism, fisheries, agriculture and health.

Vanuatu is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and one of the world's most at-risk places for natural disasters like cyclones, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

The Green Climate Fund is a fund established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised the money last the month after restating the offer to resettle 150 refugees from Australian offshore detention.

Deputy secretary Jeff Langley from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there are a number of different ways the money could be channelled including to the Red Cross and other NGOs operating on the island.

He said the ministry is also talking to the Papua New Guinea government to identify needs created by the refugee population on the island.

Fiji's 13-man squad became the country's first Olympic gold medallists when they triumphed at last year's Olympics.

The sevens team defeated Britain 43-7 in the final as the sport made its debut at the Games.

Before Rio, the Fijian team were also crowned as winners of the World Rugby Sevens Series after a number of fine performances.

Their achievements saw the team inducted into the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) Hall of Fame earlier this week, while they have also acted as an inspiration to the region's other sides.

In this regard, the Pacific Island countries and territories at the summit have agreed to explore options to establish greater synergies between funding sources.

A commitment was also made regarding the introduction of national legislation to ensure all Pacific Island countries and territories meet or exceed the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control taxation target and help achieve a Tobacco Free Pacific by 2025.

All government schools started their programmes this week.

But in Shefa and Tafea provinces many schools still have damaged facilities due to the cyclone while some parents affected by drought have struggled to pay fees.