Mana magic
IF there is an unsung hero, a warrior that goes down, rises and keeps performing, showing great humbleness at the end, it has to be Sevuloni Mocenacagi. He captained the Fiji 7s team for the very first time at Singapore 7s 2025, gets yellow carded but returns to lead the team to victory. Mocenacagi has many bad memories including missing out on the Olympics but he never lost hope, kept coming back to play 7s for Fiji. His quiet nature and humbleness off the field befits a hero. He is never in the limelight, always behind the scenes. During the presentation after the final, he chose to remain at the back, keeping silent. Joka dina Mocenacagi and the boys. Filipe Sauturaga, that emotional scene set the stage and Vuiviwa Naduvalu made a key difference with his speed and sidesteps. SHALWYN PRASAD, Nabua, Suva
Lautoka market
I AM writing to thank Geoffrey Chand who expressed dismay at the condition of the Lautoka City Municipal Market. Indeed, it is most disgusting to see market places from where we buy our food stuff kept so dirty and unattractive. Mr Chand has rightly pointed out the extent of neglect of facilities in the cities and towns around Fiji under the current administration. Being a resident of Nadi, I invite Mr Chand to visit Nadi market and the greater Nadi to know he is not alone. I have labelled Nadi as the dirtiest town in Fiji at various forums, including one where the Minister for Local Government and Urban Development was present. There is no visible change in the past six months. It feels like we’re barking at a wall — blind and deaf to everything we say. SUNIL KUMAR, Nadi
Party name
I KNOW that the name FijiFirst party (FFP) has been formally de-registered and I also know that a new proposed party named Fijians First Party is coming in as a substitute. May I share a few very troubling and stigmatic points here: 1. If this is the same party that had tortured, paralysed and enslaved the whole Fijian citizens for the past 16 years before they were routed out in 2022, they should never be given back a near name such as “Fijians” because firstly, that name is directly intertwined with the whole indigenous Fijian community (iTaukei), the very community they had intentionally destroyed, its base foundation with its cultural and traditional coexistence. 2. Since they never allowed the name Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), the late Laisenia Qarase-led party, solely because of its native name, which had to be changed to Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA); these former dictatorial government people must be given back a dose of their own medicine by not being permitted a near name like “Fijians”. 3. They must never also be allowed to reuse the Fiji government shield emblem that was used as the official symbol of the de-registered party name; because that is government property and must never be permitted to be used by any political party. 4. Now, if this new proposed party is allowed to use that same government shield emblem, then to me the old dictatorial party is not at all “de-registered” and their architects would be laughing at all of us, just like our attempts now to undo their 2013 Constitution. I beg the authorities to cancel that proposed new party name since psychologically it is very much manipulative “age piche” and “liu muri” since in reality their hidden aspiration had been and still is “Fijians Last”. MELI BOGILEKA, Natabua, Lautoka
University saga
IT has now become inexcusable that the situation at the University of the South Pacific (USP) remains unresolved to this day, threatening the outcome of high-level students at USP. Here is where I say that education becomes a threat to itself and where a school dropout who is successfully living life is far better off than a PhD or degree holder. Here is where education becomes a shame and an embarrassment and where it lacks to see truth and transparency and instead chooses to partake of the basest of human instincts, where education is supposed to have the effect to elevate the educated! So the question at large that remains is — who is responsible for resolving this issue and see to the accreditation of students who have been unfairly affected? We are into a new year! And students are paying for both their studies and for the lack of good governance at USP and with those in charge of ensuring this does not happen. Which educated person or committee or organisation or department of government is going to resolve this ridiculous saga! NOLEEN BILLINGS, Savusavu
