16 May 2012

Fiji Metservice revamp eyes commercialisation

12:54 pm on 16 May 2012

A review of Fiji's Metservice could see the organisation become at least partially commercial.

The Metservice, which services several Pacific countries as well as the local population, is being reviewed as part of the interim government's overall public sector reform process.

The Metservice's acting director, Aminiasi Tuidraki, says for the time being, services to the Pacific will remain free.

He says cyclone warnings used to be provided by New Zealand's weather officers.

"We still continue to provide free service to them. And that is at the expense of the Fiji government. They are not contributing any funds at all. So maybe...if things are going commercial nowadays, and for them to pay maybe some budget to supplement what the government is giving to Fiji. That would be good. Because by that, it guarantees quality forecasts to these Pacific islands."

The acting director of the Fiji Metservice, Aminiasi Tuidraki, says the only revenue the metservice currently has is from providing forecasts for aviation.