Church failure
It appears to me that the churches in Fiji have got it all wrong when it comes to assisting with the life of their flock and the hardships they face and the increasing social and moral decay. I believe church leaders have already said that they have failed. What I do not understand is they keep saying they need to work with the vanua. It is as if they are pretending no other communities exist in Fiji. Are the vulagi non-believers so they must not be considered as part of the solution but be ignored? I believe all they are good at is repeating the same old message every Easter and Christmas. Jan Nissar, Sydney, Australia
Athletics incentives
First, it was a renowned sports commentator who pledged $1000 as prize money to senior athletes who win their respective events at the 2025 Coke Games. Now, former minister for women and children, Lynda Tabuya, has followed suit with a similar offer for the senior girls’ events. While the gesture might appear generous and encouraging for the athletes, one can’t help but question whether cash rewards are truly necessary at a time when thousands of Fijians are struggling to afford a decent meal. Of course, it is their personal money, and they have every right to spend it as they wish. However, it would have been more meaningful if Lynda had directed the $1000 toward addressing the increasing number of street children in Suva —something she had publicly promised to tackle earlier this year. One would have hoped that such a commitment would take precedence over publicity-driven donations. Nishant Singh, Lautoka
Teachers de-registered
Teachers, being teachers, should know that they have to ensure that their registration with the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority is current if they want to be in the classroom. There is no ifs and buts. That’s the policy, that’s the law. The de-registeration of 134 teachers will take a toll on the students. With teachers migrating daily, we already have teacher shortage. Children are left without teachers for weeks and months. The general secretary of Fijian Teachers Association is correct to endorse the decision of FTRA and in saying that teachers cannot be “illegally” in the classrooms. Having said that,I believe that the teacher unions, the Ministry of Education and FTRA must work hand in hand to reach to these 134 teachers, especially those in rural and remote areas, and find ways and means to get them re-registered. We need to round off the flock and get them into the paddock. And this time FTRA must ensure they are tagged! Arun Prasad, Dilkusha, Nausori
Fame is not enough
Opposition member, Jone Usamate, stated that to become an MP, fame is not the way (FT 23/4/25). A conventional political fact and in a way, I agree. Abraham Lincoln said: “I would rather be a little nobody, than to be an evil somebody.” Did his mentor Voreqe Bainimarama have the ability to implement effective policies? Maybe he had, but with dictatorial leadership style. Was Mr Usamate involved? I think Mr Bainimarama’s popularity allowed nearly all of the independent MPs to be where they are today. His policies impacted mostly his elites and will leave a lasting and negative effect on the majority of the Fijian people. Especially the 2013 Constitution. Did Mr Usamate know the implications? Or was he just a passenger? Maybe, his engagement was non-negotiable. I am certain that one can not fool all of the people, all of the time. Samu Silatolu, Nakasi
