Every consumer should know the meat they eat when dining out in chain of restaurants in the country or when travelling abroad. Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health facing us today. About half of the antibiotics produced globally are used in agriculture, with much of this being used to make […]

A healthy diet begins with lots of fruits and vegetables but they may also contain shocking amounts of harmful pesticides. Some farmers opt to spray synthetic pesticides on crops to kill weeds and insects. This leaves the pesticide residues on the fruits and vegetables sprayed by the farmers. The toxic residues then linger on fruit […]

Part I Debt is a reality. Most people borrow money to assist them with their investments such as buying a house, car, paying university fee, medical bills or simply to organise a funeral service.  Some even borrow these days to host a grand-fat wedding for themselves. Some people have dug themselves into a hole of […]

Reference is made to a letter titled, ‘Fake make-up’ by Rajesh Lal of Navua, published in this newspaper (The Fiji Times) dated 09 August 2016. The key questions raised by the letter writer is – how it would be possible to classify make-up as genuine and fake?” Today – we attempt to explain what fake […]

Part II  As highlighted last week, insurance is an investment we all need. As owners of any property, it is in your best interest to have some sort of protection against risks such as cyclone, flood, fire and burglary. And, for many, the answer is buying a property insurance cover. But not every Fijian family […]

Life is unpredictable. Anything can happen to you, your loved ones, your property and other belongings. This is why one needs to have some form of insurance to cope with the unexpected risks. Individuals, households and businesses buy insurance cover to protect themselves from unforeseen circumstances and risks. The insurance industry in Fiji comprises of […]

Like any other business, public safety is vital in the fashion and beauty industry. Last week, we looked at the counterfeit make-up products being sold by some traders in our marketplace and the far reaching consequences of using them on our skin. On one hand, it enhances your beauty and on the other, it poses […]

We all want to look beautiful and presentable. Cosmetics can be a quick an easy way to temporarily solve beauty problems of an individual.  For that most people don’t mind spending money on cosmetics which has made cosmetic and make-up business a multi-billion dollar industry. However, not all consumers know that fake or counterfeit make-up […]

Owning a car is becoming easy with more second-hand dealers setting up showrooms and with financial institutions opening up their doors making credit accessibility easier. Many consumers are making the most of it by investing into a used vehicle. All looks so good until getting a first breakdown few days or weeks after the purchase. […]

Road safety is a global concern. For Fiji, where road death toll is alarming, there is more reason for the nation to work together to curb the deaths on our roads. A total of 25 lives have been lost so far this year compared to 32 in the same period last year. These deaths have […]

With more consumers becoming tech-savvy and the growing interest in online shopping and banking, it is important to be aware of the pitfalls and little traps existing in the cyberspace with fraudsters ready to prey on them. One such example is phishing email or a message sent to you in a bid to swaddle money. […]

Everyone wants to own a house. Those who can afford a home loan can obtain a package from their bank, in a move to make their dreams come true. Many times, not all borrowers have a sound understanding about the different financial products offered by the respective banks. For some, it takes a while in […]

An encounter with a bailiff is not always pleasant.  For some consumers, bailiffs can be a nightmare, especially, when they turn aggressive and their presence becomes threatening. A bailiff is authorized by law or Magistrate to act as an “officer of court”.  A bailiff can collect debt, a fine or carry out an eviction for the landlord. […]

How many of you have experienced a situation, where you have to wait for years to get the transfer of property shares done under mortgage or simply getting documents discharged from the financial institution. Many consumers have been left frustrated as some financial service- providers drag their feet when it comes to delivering service on […]

The whole world came crashing down for Ramesh, a salesman when one fine afternoon, his landlord asked him to vacate the two-bedroom flat he had been renting for a while. Being the breadwinner, sustaining cost of living for his two children, wife and an aging mother was already a struggle. The consolation he had was […]