Australian Ambassador Robert Cotton reiterated Australia’s commitment to supporting the development of Fiji and other South Pacific nations during the graduation ceremony at the Telecommunication Training Centre (TTC) in 1989. In an article published by The Fiji Times on October 2 that year, he highlighted Australia’s focus on improving telecommunications services throughout the region.
Cotton stated that Australia was ready to provide assistance through bilateral programs, regional organizations like the Forum Secretariat, and direct support to individual countries. As a prominent actor in the South Pacific, Australia aimed to help these island nations keep up with technological advancements in telecommunications.
The graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of 67 students who completed various programs at the TTC, with durations ranging from one to three years. Among the graduates were technical cadets, trainee technicians, and telephone operators. Notably, 20 students, including two from Tonga, one from Western Samoa, and 17 Fijians, received diplomas in telecommunications engineering.
Moreover, 17 Fijians obtained higher technician certificates, while 12 regional students from Tonga, Kiribati, Western Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu successfully finished the trainee technician course. Additionally, 17 radio and telephone operators, comprising 13 Fijians and four Tuvaluans, were awarded certificates.
The training for regional students was funded by Australia, New Zealand, Pac Broad, and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, while the costs for Fijian students were covered by the Posts and Telecommunications Department along with their sponsoring organizations. Permanent Secretary for Telecommunications, Emori Naqova, announced future plans to promote the TTC’s programs to other organizations starting next year, aiming to meet the high demand for trained personnel and address staff shortages in the sector.