Face mask
I was at the Lautoka market and a masked vendor told a customer to cover her face properly with the mask. The customer said: “Mind your own business and walked away.” Well I be. ALLEN LOCKINGTON, Kava Place, Lautoka
Good Samaritans
Massive respect to our fellow Sugar City lad Allen and his team who are out on the road every morning to distribute much needed supplies to the disadvantaged. Your unwavering assistance to various deprived communities is highly applauded. Apparently many of our so-called honourable politicians have slithered into hibernation mode during these difficult times. They are barely visible on the frontlines offering their required support to those bitterly affected by the ongoing pandemic. People are cripplingly relying on good Samaritans for their daily survival. I believe these “politicians in hiding” will only surface once general elections are inches away, of course with their sugary smiles and pie in the sky promises. Nishant Singh Lautoka
Mum my hero
Do we ever realise that mothers are the only people who work 365 days in a year without taking any leave? Even during their mother’s Sunday about two weeks ago, many of them still cooked and cared for their families and ensured the house was in order. I always wonder where do they get all this strength and power from? And yet we continue to discriminate and cause violence against them. I love my mum who is a breast cancer survivor. #STOPViolenceagainstWOMEN&Girls. Jadon Eroni Masivesi Tadra-Votualevu, Nadi
Food packs
It’s sad to see some people in the Suva area are arguing about food packs. Imagine many in the Western Division are jobless from last year. Yet we’re not arguing. Government will be there for you, so be patient. Jaheed Buksh Korolevu, Sigatoka Proper attire I HAVE often noticed that the members of the Ministry of Health screening teams are in casual attire. They only have their face masks on. In the absence any standard uniform I think it is only appropriate that their dress code should resemble the risky nature of their work and for their protection and safety as well. Not only will they carry more authority but will also create a greater sense of security and confidence in the public if they see them in proper personal protection gear when conducting the screening in the communities. I hope they are carrying some form of ID with them. We don’t want to see a repeat of what happened at the Raiwaqa Police Station. SELWA NANDAN Lautoka
Unusual times
With great hope, I have planted a saqamoli; my money tree. Rather strange, but anything is possible in these unusual times. I am hoping it will bear fruit in the next 30 days to pay my WAF bill. If it fruits in abundance, I might just have enough to pay my EFL bill and have some left over to buy a $90 grocery pack! I would indeed encourage those of you looking for some light at the end of the tunnel – plant a saqamoli or two! Some magic might happen for those of us without jobs for the unforeseeable future, without FNPF and without response from 161. Pushpa Wati Nadawa, Nasinu
Hair lengths
A couple of calls have been made in The Fiji Times opinion columns calling for Fiji’s permanent secretary for Health to at least get a haircut (FT 15/05). A question that comes to mind is what has a haircut got to do with fighting the battle against COVID-19? Haircut or no haircut does not add to nor diminish the good doctor’s determination for his team to effectively keep everyone safe and defeat the virus. So what is the big deal fussing about the doctor to have a haircut? The barber shops are closed anyway. I am certain his wife and family are proud and supportive of their dad regardless of the length of his hair. And it’s their call that counts. Worthy to note is that the COVID-19 virus does not care about the length of one’s hair. The virus hits anyone – regardless whether you have hair on your head or whether your head is as bald and slippery as a ball-bearing covered in grease! WILLIAM ROSA Ba
Vaccine jabs
I CONTINUE to note, via the various media sources and MoH, that a number of shipments of the vaccines arriving into the country and also, folks receiving their second jabs, however, what I don’t see is the first jabs for the other places like Ba, Sigatoka and the other parts of Fiji. NIGEL FIU, Owls Perch, Lautoka
Punish them
I CAN’T believe that the pandemic safety rules and measures and curfew that are meant to keep us all safe and secure are being broken by so many people on a daily basis. Since they would not understand the seriousness of the measures put in place and act defiantly, let us give them a good lesson. A lesson that acts as a stern warning that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated at any cost. Punish them fittingly. SURESH CHAND Nadi
Clean plantations
During normal times I would visit Fiji three to four times a year, but in the past 15 months I have not been able to. So instead, I went to Cairns last week in Far North Queensland. That area is known as FNQ by locals. It’s a three hour flight from Sydney, not too different to the time it takes to fly to Fiji from Sydney. The weather is not too dissimilar to Fiji including the seasonal cyclones and floods. Apart from being the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, this area has the best beaches and the best tropical islands in the world, great waterfalls, the Daintree Rainforest, not to mention the biggest crocodiles – both saltwater and freshwater. I swam in some of the waterfalls and the crocs ran away when they saw me coming (that’s my story and I am sticking to it). One of my sisters called me Crocodile Dundee when I told her. But I digress. During this trip I drove through the Atherton Tablelands, a vast farming and agricultural region with endless sugarcane farms, banana and mango plantations among many, many other crops which go beyond the horizon. Sugarcane is farmed all the way from Mossman in FNQ to Grafton in northern NSW a distance of more than 2000km. Compare that on a map with half a dot which represents Fiji’s cane-growing area of west Viti Levu plus a small dot in Labasa. What amazed me was how neat and clean all the plantations were. Not a weed in sight and the edges of the cane fields very tidy. Even the mango trees were all trimmed to look like squares with low hanging branches – for easy fruit picking, I guess. I got to talk to a few farmers and these vast endless hectares are farmed by only a few people – both at planting and harvesting times. All mechanised of course. I am sure a handful of farmers from FNQ could farm and mill the whole sugar industry in Fiji with their little finger. I say this by looking at the size of the sugarcane farms in Australia and the size of the farms in Fiji. During my drive I had to cross tram lines in this area which are used for cane transportation. There are 24 sugar mills in Queensland, so I guess they know everything about the sugar industry. I understand Australia is the second largest exporter of sugar. My point is, with all the problems Fiji’s sugar industry is facing, why isn’t the Government talking to PM Scott Morrison and engage with him to provide assistance in fixing the sugar industry under the Vuvale agreement. I am sure a handful of farmers together with a handful of mill managers and logistics people from FNQ would identify the problems with Fiji sugar and fix them in five minutes flat – if you know what I mean. And I mean those people in FNQ know what they are doing. If not, then we all have to wait for SODELPA to get in next year because Fiji’s problems are unique, and they will engage the PWD to fix it all. Jan Nissar NSW, Australia
Kind words
Through The Fiji Times letters to the editor column, I express my thanks and appreciation to Steven Singh (FT 13/05) and Alipate Tuberi (FT 16/05) for the kind words that were penned about my contribution. Thank you so much Steven and Chiuu! The words boosted my morale as a writer and someone who contributes towards charity work, and trust me it’s not going to stop there. Vinaka! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Holiday at home
With the current lockdown continuing and curfews, it looks like there are no holidays but home stays. Individuals and families are having to put on hold their holiday plans as they are most likely spending it at home. All in all, it looks like families are spending more time at home and learning to enjoy holidays at home. Floyd Robinson Toorak, Suva
Beer production
With a halt in local beer production and liquor outlets closed, I believe many may have switched to the traditional brown label to soothe their already distressed nerves caused by the virus. I wonder if the hardcore ones have started fermenting their own home brew, as majority of those apprehended for breaching strict curfew hours are in a drunken state. Nishant Singh Lautoka
Medical expert
Suddenly, almost everyone is a medical expert on how to stop this outbreak. Even that doctor Anthony Sahai. Dou! Wise Muavono Balawa, Lautoka
Suicidal
I believe going ahead with the Olympic Games in Japan will be absolutely suicidal. Pranil Ram Votualevu, Nadi
Curfew breaches
Those all who are found breaching the curfew and lockdown for no emergency reason should be taken to task harshly. I believe it is simply sheer stupidity and selfish. Kirti Patel Lautoka
Letters
It’s high time the editor thinks twice before publishing the letters of a certain overseas-based correspondent. He can’t be allowed to keep ridiculing our rugby 7s game. SANJEET PRASAD Labasa
Payments
I saw long lines in Lautoka for payments. People should use M-PAiSA for bills and payments. Stay home and be safe. Navneet Ram Lautoka
Loopholes
I believe instead of sending officers on leave, the acting commissioner should be more grateful to the fake officer for showing the loopholes within the system. I believe they should now improve the system, not victimise officers who work under that system. Dan Urai Lautoka
