Reshaping our rugby foundation
Thumbs up, Fred Wesley, for yet another powerful and exciting editorial (FT: 19/11) titled ‘Reshaping our rugby foundation’! Indeed Wesley, the breathtaking Tests against England and France saw us push the two giants to the limit, and they were Tests that highlighted a lot of good things in the FIJI Water Flying Fijians camp ahead of the 2027 RWC. I agree with Wesley that the Tests versus the third-ranked Roses and the fifth-ranked Les Bleus elevated our set pieces and largely highlighted the impact of our backrow and the fact that our explosive backline has the uncanny ability to find gaps in the tightest of spots and still make a headway to the tryline. To top it up, our scrums held. That’s the beauty of Fijian rugby. We lost, but we fought. We fought bravely. We made sure the hosts had a taste of the Fijian flair. While the Nations Championship is welcoming, I feel bitter reading that under the new structure, we could play Wales, England and Scotland away from home, although these three matches will be our home games. Rumours are that Fiji will play England in South Africa. I believe the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) must stand firm. Please, FRU, liaise with World Rugby so that fans are not deprived of watching Fiji take on the Dragons, Roses and Bravehearts here at home. We have already been deprived of watching Fiji play the All Blacks 15s away from home numerous times. I leave that to FRU, but the Nations Championship will be huge as it will reshape the foundations of our rugby. Competitions like the Deans, Kaji rugby, provincial rugby and Super Rugby will lift itself to another level, raising standards of coaching, strength and conditioning, and refereeing standards. I conclude with these lines from Wesley’s editorial, “The countdown to the next RWC suddenly feels more exciting, more promising, and more within reach. The stuff of dreams, and the beginning of something truly special for our rugby!” Golden days ahead! Simply exciting for rugby lovers! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
To Dr Geraghty
I want to acknowledge Dr Paul Geraghty for his thoughtful letter (FT 17/11) and the important reminder it brings. His insight into the loss of the Macuataiwai language struck me deeply. We often speak about sea-level rise in terms of land and relocation, but rarely do we consider the silent disappearance of a people’s unique voice and identity. Dr Geraghty’s long commitment to Fijian linguistics has helped many of us understand the value of these languages before they fade. I appreciate the way he continues to shine light on stories that would otherwise go unnoticed. His work does more than inform — it preserves memory, culture, and a sense of who we are. Vinaka vakalevu, Dr Geraghty, for keeping these truths before us. Peceli Alistir Waitolu, Naitasiri
Unmarked police cars
Thanking the police officers and the COMPOL of Fiji for doing their work and going above and beyond their roles to be always available for the people of Fiji. But then, there is only so much they can do. With the new cameras moving around for speeding, the results will show slowly. But to be really effective on the roads, please use unmarked vehicles and book drivers who break road rules. This will be the best deterrent especially during the coming festive season. There is never any extra cost using an unmarked vehicle and results will be seen sooner. To the Police Commissioner, we appreciate your work ethics and efforts, and ask you to consider using unmarked vehicles to make our roads safer. Stay safe Fiji. Rikash Deo Auckland, New Zealand
Enrolment practice
As we approach the end of another academic year, many parents and guardians are facing an unfair challenge, the challenge of enrolling their Year 8 child into a suitable high school. This should be a simple transition but has instead become a complex criteria and restrictive process of admission that leaves many families stressed, worried, confused and disadvantaged. A growing number of secondary schools are giving priority to students from their own affiliated primary schools under the same institutional body, which may be deemed as being fair, while other secondary schools are selecting students from a selected pool of schools only. To add to the burden, many schools have limited their intake to top 10 performers only. A lot of these primary schools under the same body have lesser student capacity in Year 8 but have greater capacity to cater for students in Year 9, yet they want top 10 performers only. This practice is happening in the Central Division, and I am not sure if the Ministry of Education is aware of this. We can’t be sending our children to schools outside of our residential vicinity or to schools in Lautoka or Nadi or Labasa or to any interior part of the island because we couldn’t secure a place for our children in Suva. While I understand that schools are free to manage their capacity, this practice of having top 10 performers is simply not fair. High schools are limiting accessibility and equal opportunity for students. They are pressuring parents to look for schools outside of their residential vicinity. There will be other economic disadvantages associated with this issue. Academic performance for Year 8 students is simply not a reliable predictor of a child’s performance in the later years. They develop at different paces and many who may not make it to the top 10 could excel in Year 10 and beyond. I feel that by having such a narrow criteria to enrol students may be a risk overlooked by high schools in enrolling capable students. Secondary schools may also perpetuate the entrenchment of inequality across the education system. We as parents and guardians are left scrambling. We are not sure whether our children will secure a place in a suitable high school. And if these unscrupulous practices remains unchecked, many of our children will end up not having access to quality education and good learning environments, not because of the lack of ability but because the system allowed selection barriers to go unchecked. I would like to ask the Ministry of Education to step in with clear and transparent enrolment guidelines and ensure that every child gets a fair shot at a secondary school. This should be an exciting milestone for families and not a competition filled with anxiety, stress and confusion. Kartik Krishneel Makoi, Nasinu
Live coverage
FBC TV have finally decided to air the live coverage of the Flying Fijians third autumn test this Sunday. Against Spain, a team six spots below us on the latest world rankings. They might as well don’t since they didn’t air the first two test matches that Fijians really wanted to watch. Dou bau oca! Wise Muavono Balawa, Lautoka
FMF personnel
I have always wondered what the Republic of Fiji Military Forces personnel do at their camps all day. Are they productive in any way? Vijay P Madhavan Borron Rd, Suva
Sukuna Bowl
A couple of years ago, I’d penned in an LTE to the FT, suggesting to the ‘powers that be’, that the Sukuna Bowl competition be hosted by other centres nationwide and not only confined to the Capital City — Suva. I’d specifically requested that Levuka, Ovalau, host such but Labasa was given the nod. Who knows, Levuka could be next and it would certainly boost our ‘forgotten’ local economy. How’s the ‘Vunato Dump Fire’ in the Sugar City, Geoff and Wise? Anthony Sahai Levuka, Ovalau
Pension raise
Just wondering: why does the Government continue to pay COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) only to government pensioners and not the FNPF pensioners? Escalating cost of food affects everyone. So why the discrimination? Boy this does remind me of George Orwell’s book “Animal Farm” wherein all animals were declared equal; but some were dubbed as “more equal” than others! It seems we have reached this ludicrous situation in Fiji. Can some legal eagle help! Dewan Chand Namadi Heights, Suva
Truck accidents
With the recent accidents involving trucks on Fiji roads, I can only pass this one message that was passed to me by my instructor in New Zealand before I got my Class 5 Licence – “Driving the bigger vehicle, own the road and its occupants, become a father and give way to smaller vehicles always”. This will always keep you and others safe on the road. God bless, Fiji. Rikash Deo Auckland, New Zealand
Rugby and pensioners
A new dawn for Fijian rugby
The headline is more than just ink on paper; it is a tremor, a long-awaited seismic shift in the world order of rugby. Fiji, the emerald archipelago where the oval ball is not just a sport but a heartbeat, has taken its rightful seat at the grandest table. The historic Nations Championship is not merely a new tournament; it is the unlocking of a cage; the moment the world will witness the awakening of a sleeping giant. For decades, the Flying Fijians have been the world’s favourite occasional fireworks display — spectacular, brilliant, but fleeting. We would light up a World Cup pool, stun a titan in an upset, and then retreat into the shadows of infrequent fixtures. No more. Now, the fire will burn continuously. The consistent, annual crucible of facing the All Blacks, the Springboks, the Wallabies, and the Pumas is not a threat; it is the forge in which our raw, God-given diamond will be polished to an irresistible, permanent gleam. Imagine it. No longer a dream whispered by village boys kicking a worn-out coconut under the setting sun, but a tangible, glittering path laid before them. The iconic white jumper, once a rare and distant honour, becomes a regular uniform of excellence. This is the ignition of a dream that will fuel a thousand village games, where every sidestep, every flick pass, is a rehearsal for the world stage. We are not just a team; we are an assembly line of brilliance, a production line of magic unlike any other. Just as the world watches Brazilian football for its samba-style artistry, they will now watch Fijian rugby for its own unique, the taralala/tuiboto traditional style dance laced with syncopated rhythms, breathtaking symphony of chaos and power. We are born with this gifted DNA. It is in the sway of our hips that defies physics, the hands that can thread a pass as if weaving a mat, and the explosive power that seems to draw energy from the very volcanic earth. What we have lacked is not talent, but the consistent structure to conduct this orchestra. Now, with this permanent place among the elite, we will attract the superb coaches — the master chemists — who can finally mix the right ingredients. They will not stifle our flair, but will give it a framework, a beautiful rhythm and a harmonious melody. They will choose the right players for the right positions, creating a structure that is not a cage, but a launchpad. The result? The extraction of the final, missing ingredient: a relentless winning mentality. The days of being a gallant, “push-over” team are buried in the past. We are the dragon, no longer sleeping in our Pacific lair. We are awake, and we will spit fire. We will play a game that is a force of nature — a hurricane of speed, a tsunami of power, punctuated by lightning-strike tries that will leave stadiums breathless and living rooms around the world in awe. Our fans will no longer be a scattered diaspora hoping for a glimpse. They will queue in lines that stretch around the globe, tickets becoming gold dust, all to witness the magic and wizardry. They come not just to see a match, but to be entertained, to be transported by the artistry of players whose skills seem conjured from another realm. And from this global stage, a windfall will flow back to our shores. The Fiji Rugby Union will prosper, yes, but so will the entire nation. The world will see our warriors in white and be drawn to the paradise from which they hail. Tourists will come, not only for the pristine waters where “time stands still”, but to feel the pulse of the nation that plays this beautiful game with such joyous ferocity. They will come to see where the magic is born. The oval ball will no longer just be kicked on sun-drenched fields; it will light up the night sky over Fiji, a beacon of pride, prosperity, and unparalleled sporting genius. This is our time. This is our era. The giant is awake, and the world is about to feel the ground shake. Seveci Tora Tacirua Heights, Tacirua
Heart of the matter!
Dewan Chand’s commentary (FT 19/11), once again shines a light on an issue that has lingered in the shadows for far too long. His unwavering advocacy for our FNPF old-age pensioners deserves recognition, for he speaks to the heart of a matter that many have felt but few have articulated with such clarity. For years, the former Bainimarama-Sayed-Khaiyum administration denied thousands of retirees the full and rightful value of their hard-earned savings — an injustice hidden behind technicalities, decrees and decisions that pensioners had no power to challenge. These were people who’d contributed faithfully throughout their working lives, trusting that their nation would honour its promise when their time of need arrived. Mr Chand was right to highlight the commitment made in the People’s Alliance Party manifesto, which clearly pledged to repeal the draconian decrees that stripped pensioners of what was theirs by right. Such promises are not mere political lines; they’re moral obligations. When a government says it stands for fairness, transparency and justice, then those values must be demonstrated where it matters most, especially when the wellbeing of our elders is concerned. The FNPF Board now stands at a defining crossroads. I believe it’s both legally and morally bound to restore what was taken and to correct the harm inflicted. Our pensioners are not statistics on a balance sheet. They’re mothers, fathers, grandparents and nation-builders who deserve dignity, not delay. Fiji cannot move confidently into the future while injustices of the past remain unaddressed. Honour must be more than a word in a mission statement. It must be action. Correcting this wrong would not only restore the trust of our elderly citizens but also reaffirm the values we claim to uphold as a nation. Colin Deoki Australia
