Shania Shayal Prasad 
[Photo Credit: Fiji Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services, and Transport/ Facebook]
A two-day national workshop to review Draft Search and Rescue Bill is underway in Lami, which features key agencies to strengthen the country’s emergency response systems across land, sea, and air.
The workshop aims to modernise Fiji’s SAR framework in line with international standards.
Speaking at the opening, Deputy Secretary Operations George Tavo says search and rescue services are a vital lifeline and a moral obligation.
The Draft SAR Bill seeks to align Fiji’s legislation with global conventions, including the International Maritime SAR Convention and SOLAS, while strengthening inter-agency coordination and institutional capacity.
Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji Chief Executive Joeli Cawaki stresses the importance of establishing a national SAR region and ensuring legal frameworks support timely, efficient rescues.
He is also calling for stronger regional cooperation to handle cross-border emergencies.
Participants will review the bill and examine how SAR efforts can integrate with wider national emergency systems, such as marine pollution response and mass rescue operations.
The workshop, which concludes tomorrow, is led by the Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport along with Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, Ministry of Defence, and the RFMF Naval Division.
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