The most poignant memory of the 2016 Coca-Cola Games is the disqualification that happened in the final of the Junior Girls 100 metre event on the afternoon of Day 2 of the games. The young Suva girl is disqualified from running for an infringement at the start of the race.
All the finalists gather around to hug her in empathy of the situation she has found herself in.
And as she walks away, two of the girls from Lautoka who just hugged the distraught athlete, run towards each other and complete a set of high-fives in glee that now, one of them will win the race.
This learned reaction from adults here in Fiji continues to haunt the people of Fiji since the events of 2006. I believe after eight years of bondage and as we journey under supposedly “democratic” reforms since 2014, our children learn from the actions of their elders with regards social and ethical behaviour as shown above.
And until our elders and leaders lead with ethical and truthful deeds and manners, the detestable behaviour we read about every day in our daily papers will become a testament to the way Fiji may become in the not too distant future.
