With two days to go to the New Year, Fijivillage has taken a look back into the year 2008 with stories tragic and otherwise that made the headlines in Fiji and overseas.
Going back to August, no one will forget the 12 lives lost in a bus fire at Malaqereqere, Sigatoka on the 28th.
10 passengers died at the scene, with two other passengers who had received extensive burns passing away at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital later that week.
Forensic Experts were brought in from Australia to conduct investigations.
Land Transport Authority Chief Executive Officer Etuate Koroi had said that bus companies in the country must have background checks on their buses as well as their drivers to see they are both fit for travel.
Another tragic accident took place on the back road of Sawani on the 24th November, where 4 passengers died after the minivan they were travelling in collided head on with a PWD truck.
Also, on the 27th of November, a tourist bus which rolled down a hill in the Nausori highlands claimed the lives of 4 Asian tourists.
These tragedies also prompted the LTA and other stakeholders to relook at legislation and bus safety measures.
The road death toll now stands at 66 compared to 58 for the same period last year.
The main stories in Fiji politics 2008,
After the events of December 5th 2006, Fiji and its people began to see a little progress towards the standoff between the interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and the man he ousted, former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase who had met for informal talks.
Shortly following was the Political Forum in which more than 10 political parties took part and voiced their concerns and suggestions on a way forward for Fiji.
The UN, EU and Commonwealth Representatives also visited the country to see the genuine progress made by the interim government in working towards March 2009 Elections, as promised by the interim Prime Minister at the Pacific Island Leaders Forum in Tonga.
The People's Charter for Change was also endorsed by the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo after months of meetings, house to house visits and consultations by National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) teams to various areas in Fiji.
This also received a lot of criticism from some NGOs and Political Parties, who not so much attacked the contents of the Charter, rather its origin and how the document came about.
As we approach 2009, the people of Fiji will want to see how the interim government will implement its way forward in the People's Charter as certain sections can only be amended through Parliament under the Provisions of the 1997 Constitution.
Still on the interim government, the interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry earlier this year stepped down from his position to lead his Fiji Labour Party (FLP) even after being cleared of allegations of tax evasion in March 2008 by a Three Member Independent Inquiry Team brought in by the Interim Government.
Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on the Inquiry Team's findings on the 11th of March 2008.
A number of political parties and NGOs had called for Chaudhry's resignation after claims that he had been evading tax to FIRCA for a number of years.
During his term as Interim Purse Keeper, Chaudhry had also increased the tax by 20c per liter on the export of bottled water, mainly affecting business powerhouse Fiji Water, however this decision was later overturned by the interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and cabinet.
To this day, there are still questions as to the real reasons behind Chaudhry's resignation.
The main sports stories in 2008,
The Vodafone Fiji Bati did Fiji proud by being the first Fiji team to qualify for a semifinal berth at a World Tournament.
The Rugby League World Cup in Australia saw our boys up against defending World Champions, Australia, scoring 14 to the Kangaroos' 84.
Australia went on to the finals losing out to New Zealand.
The main International News in 2008,
For the first time ever the United States of America elected an African American President in Barak Obama who had first beat fellow Democrat and first Woman Presidential Candidate, Hilary Clinton and then Republican John McCain, to take over the most coveted seat from George W Bush.
In the wake of Bush leaving office, the World Financial Crisis had spread to different countries almost crippling economies and affecting many others around the world.
Before this came the frightening revelation of Josef Fritzl who had locked his daughter in a basement for 24 years in Austria against her will and had sexually assaulted her and had children with her, who were also locked up in the dungeon without his real wife now.
Fritzl is now still in custody awaiting sentence while his family tries to piece together lost time and strengthen family ties.
In the next two days, Fijivillage will bring you the ups and downs of 2008.
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