The Bill MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF NATABUA, LAUTOKA
I SUPPOSE, a large part of the Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill 2025 consultation process focused on the holistic effect of labour mobility. Specifically on the impact this has had on the current local employees.
Sea of red FLOYD ROBINSON MICRONESIA
DESPITE going down to New Zealand in a much-anticipated match, Tonga has perhaps set an all-time record. Eden Park was a sea of red and there were hundreds of Tongan flags. They sang. They cheered when their rugby league warriors, Mate Ma’a Tonga, as they defended and attacked on the rugby paddock. These Tongan fans stayed until the end of the match. Patriotism and passion for their home country appeared second to none. Eden Park is synonymous with the All Blacks but the Tongan community had stamped their presence. All in all, there have been many international test matches played at Eden Park but the patriotism and passion displayed by Tongan fans is perhaps second to none.
Be prepared TAHIR ALI HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND
THE Commissioner Central Josefa Nauku alerts all Fijians to prepare well for the cyclone season, November to April (FT29/10). Educating our family at home and children at school for natural disasters is important. Many times we are caught unprepared. Plan ahead: It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
Rugby workshop AREKI DAWAI SUVA
I DO hope that FRU will organise a workshop for their affiliated Union managements especially Malolo Rugby Union and educate them of the Skipper Cup rules and regulations.
Why are we allowing this? AMINISITAI TORA NADERA, NASINU
MR Dan Urai contributed on drinking in public places to the The Fiji Times. I totally agree with him. Not only that, the shouting on streets and using vulgar words is also a concern. I would like to ask the same question as Mr Urai is asking. Why are those in authority allowing this to happen?
Fijian Utopia RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
IT is good to know PM Rabuka is planning on reshaping FICAC as part of his project in reshaping Fiji. He started that project in 1987 and in 2025 he is still at it. When he finishes all the Fijians will be living happily together in a corruption free country with good governance, respect for the rule of law, transparency, accountability and public scrutiny of the conduct of those in power. In short Fiji will become utopia.
For Fiji JAN NISSAR SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA
WE see reports almost daily of all the good work his excellency the President has been doing overseas during his extended tour of various countries. It is the same with the Prime Minister and his ministers and assistant ministers who do excellent work while overseas. When will any of them do some work in Fiji for Fijians? To me, it looks like it is not just ordinary Fijians who want to leave the country, the leaders want to leave as well. So what does that tell you?
Bus accident RAHUL KRISHNA AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
THE recent bus accident in Denarau is both shocking and deeply concerning. My prayers are with those injured, and I wish them a full and speedy recovery. However, one has to seriously question how a bus managed to flip over a bridge. Was the driver speeding? Was there negligence in vehicle maintenance? Or has complacency crept into our public transport system? Accidents like this should never happen — especially in a major tourism hub like Denarau. When visitors witness such tragedies, it not only damages Fiji’s reputation but also raises serious doubts about our transport safety standards. Tourists may start to ask, “Is it really safe to travel around Fiji?” Authorities must act swiftly and transparently. It’s not enough to “investigate” — accountability must follow. Bus operators, drivers, and regulatory bodies all share a responsibility to ensure that public transport in Fiji meets the highest safety standards. One accident is one too many.
Fiji’s immigration SAMU SILATOLU NAKASI
RECENTLY, I believe, parliament very intensely discussed Fiji’s migration. The former DPM, Mr Prasad, presented various figures that indicated the trends and whatnot. It was not settling, in my view, since nothing has been mentioned, regarding Fiji’s immigration. What were the numbers? What were the countries of origin? What have been the criterias? If drugs could just cross our borders as has already been seen, what would it be to immigrants? Both legal and illegal. In reality, there is an increasing presence of some other races, other than those we knew, within our communities, towns and cities. It should be very interesting, in my opinion, if Fiji’s immigration numbers are presented. As patriots, we don’t want to experience the “immigration kayos” that have invaded our neighbouring countries and beyond. Now that Fiji has joint maritime surveillance exercises, our border security levels should not be as bad as before. Prevention outweighs cure.
They know it all DONALD SINGH SUVA
DRUG mules are paid in drugs, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Pacific regional anti-corruption advisor (FT3/11 Pg 1,2). Then we further read (on Pg 2,3) about why the drug dealings happen. We even know now about taxi drivers and other workers using drugs for performance enhancement, yes, as PED’s (performance enhancing drugs). Will the taxi associations speak up? Then on the same pages we get to read about the growing networks, the gaps in responses and how organised groups exploit victims. You see, the problem is, everyone knows everything about the problem: the source, the motivation, the networks and routes, the transactions and psychology and all. We know it all, so what the hell have we been trying to find out all these years? Essentially, we know the disease, and we can see the bud, but we are not nipping it in the bud. The problem is there, and we know the problem, and we know where exactly the problem is, but our inability to address the problem is the problem. Everyone looks good talking about the problem. Grandstanding. To make it worse, just when I started to think that the media was not covering the drug issue enough, we suddenly read that the media is being blamed for exaggerating the drug issue. You see the problem.
Road humps and road safety AJAI KUMAR WAQADRA, NADI
A WRITER in The Fiji Times (4/11) wonders if the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) has paint to paint road humps. I think the whole bunch at the FRA is confused and totally incompetent. I wrote on this subject directly to them once and was assured that appropriate action would be taken. The issue I highlighted to them was that road humps from Martintar to Nadi Town needed to be appropriately marked. They have not attended to what I thought would make driving safer. In this stretch, some humps have pedestrian crossing marked on it with pedestrian crossing road signage. There is no indication that there is a road hump. Some humps have road signage placed right next to the road hump without any signages well before and after the humps warning drivers of obstacles. Also, virtually paints on all humps have faded away. Just recently, FRA has put up a road hump on the Queens Rd at Waimalika presumably to allow safe crossing for students of a nearby school.
