News

Government to establish National Research Center

July 16, 2019 4:45 pm

Minister for Education Rosy Akbar [Source: Fijian Government]

The Fijian Government through the Ministry of Education hopes to establish a Fiji National Research Council.

A council which promotes and advances research and development in all scientific, industrial, technology, social and economic areas.

Minister for Education Rosy Akbar made the announcement at the International Conference on Forced Labour: Indentured and Pacific Labour Trades, at the University of Fiji this week.
Akbar says the formation of the council would also see the establishment of a national research fund that will further promote national development and sustainability.

“Scholarships into African slavery are well established, however, fuller research and studies remain in respect of each other and research from countries in which blackbirding and indenture take place. I encourage our Universities in Fiji to pursue further research and writings in collaboration and the Fijian Government is also working on the formation of the Fiji National Research Council and the establishment of the National Research Fund.”

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The Fijian Government will hold a consultation with the certain organisation to provide a concerted focus on the preparation of the Fiji Chapter of the Indentured Labour Route Project.

The FCILR project will recognize the historical significance of the movement of people through forced and bonded labour trades within Fiji and the wider South Pacific region.

The project will place focus on indentured labourers and their descendants with over 40 countries and territories from the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and from the Pacific.