Press Releases

» Japan provides New technology to the Film and Television Unit and the National Archives of Fiji

The Government of Japan has provided Video Shooting and Editing Equipment to the Film and Television Unit, of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Media Relations and the Micrographic Equipment to the National Archives of Fiji. On Monday 21st November 2005, in an official ceremony at the Ministry of Information’s Conference room at the New Wing, Government Buildings Suva, the new Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Fiji Islands, H. E. Mr. Masashi Namekawa will hand over the Equipment to the Minister for Information, Communications and Media Relations, Honourable Marieta Rigamoto.

The Video Shooting and Editing Equipment donated to the Film and Television Unit is worth J¥49 600 000 (forty nine million and six hundred thousand Japanese yen) which is approximately equivalent to FJ$771 024 (seven hundred and seventy one thousand and twenty four Fiji dollars). The Micrographic Equipment donated to the National Archives of Fiji is worth J¥36 000 000 (36 million yen) which is approximately FJ$570 000 (five hundred and seventy thousand Fiji dollars). The donation has been made under the Cultural Grant Aid Programme which is an integral part of Japan’s overall Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The strategic aim of the Cultural Grant Aid Programme is to boost Japan’s cooperation towards cultural and heritage development, preservation and exchange.

The donation is intended to strengthen the Film and Television Unit’s ability to perform its role in a more advanced and sophisticated manner. Aggregately, it would contribute to the Ministry’s performance at national level. The country can benefit by having improved cultural awareness/preservation programmes as well as by having better documentaries on crucial areas of political/socio-economic nature.

Symmetrically, the assistance to the National Archives of Fiji would enable easier public access to the archival heritage information which will greatly benefit the students, researchers and whoever is concerned with the archival heritage of Fiji. Furthermore, the technological upgrade will enable the National Archives to make the records in multiple copies.

The assistance to the Film and Television Unit and to the National Archives of Fiji signifies the commitment that the Government of Japan has made to help Fiji as well as to preserve and strengthen the friendly relations that exist between the Governments and people of Japan and Fiji.