Police officers with beards
I believe they were the first lot of Punjabi cops with beards.
Sukha Singh, Labasa
A foreigner
Jan Nissar.
Fijians may have adopted laws of foreign lands, use foreign things, etc, but at least we do not live in a foreign land and adopted home where you are still being treated as a foreigner.
Edward Kumar, Lautoka
A question
Why did you take over the town and city councils?
Sukha Singh, Labasa
Minister’s advice
“Stand up for what is right” is timely advice by the Education Minister (FT/23/7).
If only it was applicable to everyone on her side of the house.
Dan Urai, Lautoka
Acting the ostrich
In his illuminating and insightful article “Australia and NZ’s silence: Democracy and human rights in the Pacific” (The Fiji Times 23/7/22) Professor Biman Prasad highlights the failure of the two leaders from the Western world in the region to ask the hard questions at the recent Pacific Island Forum leaders’ meeting on the human rights, media freedom and democratic rights situation prevailing in the region in general and the host nation Fiji in particular given its unilateral decision to without grants to the premier regional university, USP.
Will leaders in Australia and NZ heed Professor Prasad’s caution to “move away from a self-centred approach and adopt a more conscientious, long-term outlook in the region”?
Or, will they continue to act the ostrich on the status of governance, human rights and free speech — “the building blocks of democracy in the region” for fear of pushing the island countries “further into the arms of China”?
Rajend Naidu, Sydney, Australia
Digital technology
It was great to read Dr Eta Varani’s article on Fiji’s education system and its disconnections for a relevant curriculum in Fiji.
Her clarity on the need to be aware of these disconnections between our cultural contexts and digital technology are precise and well-explained with examples.
These need to be listened to.
Her reflections on how the discrepancies between 21st Century digital technology and often the inability to integrate these specifically with our cultural contexts in Fiji do not make sense in up to 60 per cent of Fiji’s collective cultural settings.
So what’s the point?
Technology alone cannot be a substitute for the depth of understanding required in any subject area, nor the ability to think deeply about issues involved.
That requires far more than just issuing tablets to students.
They must develop the abilities to think critically about what they read, and learn to analyse these views critically as well.
Hopefully, this wise educationalist will not be ignored.
Jean Helan, Taunovo
Disturbing peace
It can be annoying and most troubling when, in the course of practising one’s faith, the peace and quiet of a Saturday morning, July 23, 2022, is shattered by singing of songs of praise loud enough to disturb generally peaceful neighbours, along Gray Rd, Mountainview, Martintar, Nadi.
I address this issue with utmost respect.
Homes turned into places of worship need to be very sensitive not to offend your very own neighbours and cause disturbance of the peace.
I hope in good faith this aggravated inconvenience forced onto neighbours is addressed with loving care, dignity and maturity.
Ronnie Chang, Martintar, Nadi
USP saga
I believe the USP council should appoint a reputable and recognised organisation to audit or investigate its accounts again.
It would be a cheaper option to administer this action than missing out on the grant from Fiji so far.
Why the stalemate?
Get the accounts re-audited and receive the grant.
Simple!
Do not forget it is the money of the taxpayers of Fiji that you want.
Asish Vinay Prasad, Park Rd, Raiwasa, Suva
USP grant
Given that the Government has not included USP’s dues in the National Budget, it is clear that with or without the so-called investigation, the amount is not going to be paid.
So for the USP student voters, the question is whether the $180 giveaway compensates for the lack of investment in the quality of their education by the government of the day.
Kiran Khatri, Samabula, Suva
Good, bad and the ugly
Voters need to identify the good, the bad and the ugly.
Some politicians don’t know the difference.
Dan Urai, Lautoka
Overcrowded classrooms
The FTU general secretary Agni Deo Singh is concerned that quality education cannot be achieved in overcrowded classrooms (FT 21/7).
This issue has been highlighted from time to time but not urgently addressed.
However, it’s also encouraging to see some new classrooms being opened whenever there is a need.
It should be with urgency to the comfort of the teachers and children in the teaching-learning process as the school curriculum continues to be upgraded and developed towards global expectations.
The teacher shortage, classroom shortage, double sessions, and make-shift classrooms should no longer exist in this modern world of new technologies.
Working in partnership with all education stakeholders in a comfortable learning environment is the key to success.
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the ways the schools function in nearly every capacity.
The Ministry of Education, teacher unions, parents and school managements continue to ensure children receive quality education.
“If we want to reach real peace in this world, we should start educating children.” — Mahatma Gandhi.
Child our hope.
Tahir Ali, Hamilton, New Zealand
Poor services
Several government entities such as Land Transport Authority (LTA), Water Authority of Fiji (WAF), Energy Fiji Ltd (EFL) and Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) regularly come under criticism from people for poor delivery of services yet we see some of them paying performance bonus to their staff.
I also see on a daily basis in the newspapers of missing manhole covers, broken footpaths, missing road signage, water leaks, unplanned power cuts, uncleaned drains, piles of garbage and so on.
Why does it take these issues to come to the newspapers?
Aren’t those entities responsible for its maintenance seeing these?
I therefore suggest that performance targets be established for the above-named entities and penalised if it is not able to meet the benchmarks.
While entities could be appropriately fined, I believe the staff of these entities should not receive any performance bonus.
I bet that nonperformance penalty if imposed, would improve most services overnight.
Ajai Kumar, Nadi
Bus travel
Bus commuters without bus cards usually toss a $2 coin onto the covered bus gearbox part while the driver pretends not to notice, then he’ll quickly pocket the coin/s “discreetly”.
The bus driver on the route I take to work makes a killing if he picks say six to eight commuters without cards on one trip alone.
For us commuters who have no choice but to board the bus that services our route, we suffer the brunt of this blatant act because the bus driver will stop at any chance to pick up cash-paying passengers along the Suva/Nausori corridor which results in the rest of us being late to our destination.
Best believe me, phone calls to the bus company are futile as I’ve tried on numerous occasions about the deafening music being blasted daily from their buses to which the receptionist says she’ll look into, but nada!
Oh and can I just add, there’s cameras that don’t work installed on some of the buses, this the bus company receptionist sheepishly agrees to.
Tania Shepherd, Nakasi
