Fiji raked in $97m last year: A-G

Film making in Fiji raked in a total of $97million into the economy last year.

The revelation was made by the Attorney-General Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum on Wednesday while responding to an oral question by Opposition Parliamentarian Mikaele Leawere.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said $43 million was spent on film production in Fiji in 2016 and $94 million in 2017.

He said regulations stipulate that film makers who come into the country have to engage Fijian staff on set.

As a result, Survivor USA employed 350 Fijians last year while

Survivor France employed 150 Fijians during the same year. He added that a current feature film that is being shot in Fiji is employing approximately 100 Fijians. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted that Survivor France injected $8 million into the economy in the Yasawa Islands.

“This included the employment of local women who supplied food, local men and women who were employed as production crew, the production also constructed a proper road through their island connecting a number of villages,” he said. “They also hired boats and vehicles from the local villagers on the island for their production. The production also paid $1.8 million to the local villagers as what we call a location fee. So, this is what is going on.”

“We are developing a cadre of Fijian crew members.” Edited by Susana Tuilau