Wainisavulevu weir saga
HAD the Wainisavulevu weir debacle happened in some other country, some heads would have rolled by now.
But then some might say we are still a developing nation and bound to make such mistakes.
However, we cannot ignore that such errors are costly and also cause irreparable and irreversible damage.
It could have been avoided if we had done the right thing in the first place. Now we are going to undertake another study to remedy the problem. Who is going to pay for all this? As shareholders of EFL where do we stand on this issue?
SELWA NANDAN, Lautoka
Change of attitudes
IT is interesting to witness the change in attitudes when things were not good to when things were finally better.
A part of the road in Navua which is under development used to be just like any gravel road and many drivers complained about the condition of the road which runs right in front of a building that houses many government departments.
Before the development work took place a few weeks ago, I as a pedestrian who used that road daily always feel safe, for drivers would drive slowly and carefully, however, now even before the work is fully completed, the drivers’ attitude have changed for most of them are now driving fast, leaving us pedestrians feeling unsafe.
I know developments have made life easier and faster, however, in this case I wonder whether it was good to remain the way it used to be rather than developing it.
KOSITATINO TIKOMAIBOLATAGANE, Vuninokonoko Rd, Navua
Infrastructure developments
MORE than 10 years now, I believe the Tailevu North area is still being neglected of infrastructure developments to increase economic activities.
The Dawasamu road that runs along the coastline is still dusty and causes a lot of nuisance to villagers, schoolchildren and the few business enterprises that have taken aboard Government’s initiative to boost employment in rural communities.
The Gold Rock Quarry, Sunshine Villas, Natalaira Eco Resort, Dawasamu Shopping Centre, Dalomo Bay Resort, Takalana Bay Resort, Gold Rock Brick Factory are just some of the daily victims of dust nuisance and sufferers of water woes which the Water Authority and Fiji Roads Authority must prioritise and address immediately in their work program.
Otherwise I believe it will be another lip service by the government of the day as promised by previous administrations. Is someone listening?
ISIMELI CERELALA, Tailevu North
Minimum wage
WHENEVER Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says that an issue is becoming “politicised”, I believe that means only that he is having trouble explaining his version of the facts.
He seems to have trouble remembering that he too is a politician.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum keeps telling us that the economy is doing well and unemployment is low.
If that is true, by the ordinary laws of economics, wages should be going up.
Because if what Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says is true, there is a shortage of workers and employers need to pay good wages to attract them.
Why, then, can he not increase the minimum wage to a decent level?
Why, then, does he say that the minimum wage can only be grown in a manner “conducive to the economy”?
What is the point of growing the economy if the poorest workers in the country cannot share in that growth?
Something is not adding up.
I wonder if it is Mr Sayed-Khaiyum’s economic management.
Maybe he needs to take off that blindfold!
Pio Tikoduadua, NFP president
iTaukei pronunciations
THERE are some pronunciations in our iTaukei lingo that our brothers and sisters of Indian descent will differ a little bit in its spoken and written state, for example na qio, na duna, na ika, na qari, na ibi and so forth etc., but I believe it’s very similar to pidgin English in the Solomons, Vanuatu and PNG which Dan Urai should know.
It is very unique, all fun and interesting where it shows our receptiveness and acceptance to live in a multiracial Fijian society, for as long as one can get the message across to the customers for what it is destined for and worth then well and good.
My Fijian Punjabi mate here in Nadi will always put it down to; Areh Tuks, same difference my brother!
TUKAI LAGONILAKEBA, Namaka, Nadi
Twisted minds
CAN authorities swiftly identify and apprehend those sick and twisted individuals who happily uploaded the gruesome Nabou tragedy episode on Facebook?
Such shameful practices should never be condoned.
It’s sickening to the core.
Banning social media sites could be another possibility to dwell on.
NISHANT SINGH, Lautoka.
Horrific accident
AS I offer my sympathy and condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the fatal crash at Nabou on Saturday, I plead with social media users to please respect the privacy of the deceased.
It was a pity to note that amid the deaths, there were some who were taking pictures and making videos and uploading them.
Please, let’s remember the loved ones of the deceased in our prayers!
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM, Nadawa, Nasinu
Radio celebrities
THERE are so many self-proclaimed so-called radio celebrities around us in Fiji.
The amazing part is that we don’t know most of them or we haven’t seen them at all.
Maybe their stories were published in magazines that we may have not read yet.
ASHIS KUMAR, Ba
Night patrol
THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) ought to start doing night patrols.
It is at night when illegal operators get to work.
It’s at night that unlicensed drivers drive, it’s at night that logging trucks overload, it’s at night that everything and anything takes place on our roads.
When the cat is away, the mouse will play!
SIMON HAZELMAN, Savusavu
Doing the job
I FIND it rather odd that when doing public duties only a few of the ministers get to do the job.
Here I mean like being present at sporting occasions and presenting prizes.
We have an assistant Minister for Sports, he is hardly ever seen doing this.
ALLEN LOCKINGTON, Kava Place, Waiyavi
Medical vessel
WOULDN’T it be nice if the Fijian Government could ask for the Chinese medical ship to make a trip to Vanua Levu.
I have been informed that the medical facilities on this ship are too good.
Please Fijian Government, just do us Vanua Levu people this little favour.
SUKHA SINGH, Labasa.
Time management
IN wake of the recent road accident and loss of life, it is devastating to note the impact of improper time management.
Thus leading to speed!
The race to beat time can be a race that may end our brief time on Earth.
Maybe time is there for a reason.
For us to plan, use wisely and sparingly because attempting to cheat it is attempting to play games with the universe and her system which can lead to so much pain.
Also, an effort to out-beat each other on the roads and in this game of life can be quite detrimental.
In time, this will become a memory like the memories of past devastating accidents yet this time, may there be extra comfort and hope for the families who lost loved ones, that justice will prevail and their privacies will be respected.
JOAN MCGOON, Jetpoint, Martintar, Nadi
Bold cassava thieves
ON Thursday (last week) two young men were spotted by the daughter of a resident uprooting cassava from their plantation.
They live in the CAAF compound.
The girl alerted her mum who went outside and confronted the two boys.
They simply dropped all they had pulled and walked away nonchalantly.
The amazing part was that this happened at 11am.
It is incredible because they had no fear and in full view of people walking by.
When their dad came home from work, he was told and he went to check.
He noticed that cassava had been uprooted well before that day.
Sometimes last year the chap and one of the boys saw two young men pulling cassava and they called out to them that it was theirs.
The two men’s reply was: “Oh, we pulling from the wrong plantation, we thought it was our uncle’s.”
Another time the owner saw a chap pulling cassava and he waited to see how much he would steal.
When the chap had pulled a few plants, he started walking away and the owner called out: “Is that enough, your sack is only half full, fill it up to the top, wait there I’ll come and help you pull them.”
The thief dropped the bag and started walking away.
Sad eh?
ALLEN LOCKINGTON, Kava Place, Waiyavi, Lautoka
Letter of the Week – Posting mail
RECENTLY, I was surprised when the youngster I sent to the post office to post mail asked “What exactly do you mean by posting mail at the post office?”.
To him, the post office was a bookshop, and you post mail on the internet.
Putting a stamp on an addressed envelope and dropping it into the boxes (surface/air mail) was a good learning experience. But for how long I wonder!
KORINA WAIBUTA, Knolly St, Suva
