Dedicated member wins an original George Bennet painting.

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti’s first ever AGM was held on the 27th of August at the University of the South Pacific’s Warbler House in the Lower Laucala Campus.

With an of attendance 44 members and interested individuals, the evening began with an introduction by Dr. Dick Watling, and an update on NatureFiji-MareqetiViti’s past, current and future projects and proposals by Nunia Thomas.

The two main highlights of the evening were the drawing of the winner of an original George Bennett painting and the unveiling of a live specimen of Fiji’s new, undescribed snake species.

We congratulate Ms Seema Deo, one of our very close associates who has assisted and supported us on numerous occasions. As Mr Robin Yarrow so appropriately announced, Seema does indeed deserve the original painting of Viti Levu’s endemic Pink-Billed Parrotfinch for her continued support of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti.

The Fiji Times published an article on the new snake species on Thursday 28th August, 2008.

We also secured five new NatureFiji club members, and sold a few of our books on Fiji wildlife at members’ discount prices!

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is sincerely grateful to Ms Helen Sykes who signed up Marine Ecology Consulting as our third Corporate sponsor!

We now have 61 club members, and as promised during the AGM, we will be involving interested members in our current and future projects soon!

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti gratefully acknowledges Mr. Marika Tuiwawa and Prof. Bill Aalbersberg of the Institute of Applied Sciences-USP, for permitting the use of Warbler House; Conservation International for donating refreshments; and our hard-working volunteers for their assistance in the preparation for the AGM.