Fiji gets its own version of Facebook

Updated August 10, 2010 21:04:13

There's a new internet based social network for Fijians - called Fijibook - and it hopes it can emulate the success of the American Facebook. Fijibook has been operating for just over a week and only has about 50 members. But its creator, Paul Wilson, wants the site to provide a way for Fijians all around the world to keep in touch with each other electronically.

Presenter: Bruce Hill
Speakers: Paul Wilson, creator of Fijibook; Albert Eastgate, Fijibook user

WILSON: It's actually for both, so those who would like to use it overseas and catch up with their friends and relatives in Fiji as well. It's basically for everyone. I believe Fijians more and more as time goes on at the moment are becoming more savvy with the internet. Also the connection speeds are quicker in Fiji at the moment and things just seem to be moving ahead quite quickly with the information technology side of things in Fiji.

HILL: Now, you're obviously an Australian, what's your connection to Fiji, what gave you the idea of setting up a social network specifically aimed at Fiji?

WILSON: My wife is Fijian. I met my wife over in Fiji and she's Fijian and we decided to come over to Australia for a short time. Karen, my wife, likes to stay in touch with her friends and relatives over in Fiji, so I thought, Well, I would like to organise Fijibook to get it all happening, so that she can talk to her friends and relatives in Fiji and make it customised for her.

HILL: And what's the response been like so far?

WILSON: The response has been good. We've got about 50 people so far and I really hope that it continues on and people enjoy using Fijibook.

HILL: So why would people in Fiji use something like Fijibook rather than the global site, Facebook.

One of the people who is using the new service is Albert Eastgate, who runs a landscaping business in Nadi. He's enthusiastic about how people in Fiji are finding new ways to use modern communications technology.

EASTGATE: I was looking at the options of promoting my up and coming events business and I saw this as a great opportunity for people to network and keep in touch, so basically that is what drew me to Facebook in the first place.

HILL: Now, there are only 50 users at the moment. Do you expect that there will be more eventually and how do you think Fijians will make use of this kind of service?

EASTGATE: Well, the Fiji community, they are very close no matter where they are, spread out around the world. I think, Fijibook, because it is solely based for Fijians and based in Fiji, businesses, people can network and at the same time, they can also get in touch with family overseas and find out what is happening in Fiji at that particular time of the year, so they can make bookings for flights and just catch up with family. I think it is a really good idea.

HILL: Albert Eastgate says the impact the internet and mobile phones are having in Fiji was brought home to him recently when he saw a woman using a handset to coordinate preparations for a flight to the United States.

EASTGATE: I have actually seen an elderly lady using this technology. She had a flash phone which was sent to her by her cousin overseas in LA. She was actually sitting at a bus stand with an internet ready mobile phone, coordinating the gift [that she was going to take on a flight] to LA and she's coordinating with her kids at different parts in town buying all this to bring it to her, because she is not that mobile, and she can take it to the airport, while her cousin is speaking to her from LA at the same time using a platform. I think it was Skype. So, Fijibook, the development is coming in to bring applications like this, so it is really available for anybody in any part of Fiji and with the new mobile network systems coming in and new ways of marketing through the internet, it just makes the possibilities endless and I can see applications like Fijibook or other applications designed for Fiji [becoming] a huge success.