Shining athletes
As the dust settled at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, Nadi and Suva 1 walked away with top honours in the two-day intense Tuckers Ice Cream athletics championship. After the completion of the respective primary school zonal meets, athletes were selected to represent their districts in Suva. The weather was unfavourable, but the foundation was set for a successful two-day tough and intense competition, where our primary school students showcased their skills on the field and tracks. The exposure in the Capital City will develop them to become better athletes. Every athlete who took part is a winner, for it required commitment, guts, determination, dedication, and fighting spirit to take part in an event of such a magnitude. The championship was not for the faint-hearted. As we closed the curtains to this year’s championship, I look forward to the budding athletes and their participation in the Fiji Finals next year! One athlete who won my heart was Esther Buliruarua who grabbed a bronze medal in the U12 400m and 4x400m relay. Esther, who hails from Waisere Settlement in Tacilevu, attends Tacilevu Village School in Savusavu, Cakudrove. She made her dad, Nemani Buliruarua, who was also her coach, proud. Esther was disheartened as she missed out on winning a medal last year. That motivated her to take an inch forward and she stepped up preparations. It was not easy. She had to cut down on her meals. She even cried during training as she trained on the steep hills due to lack of training facilities. She was emotional as she walked away with two precious medals. Esther dreams of attending ACS. I salute her coach Roy Pickering and trainers Ravitesh Prasad, Meredani Soata, Rafaele Silivale and Esala Naocolagi. I gathered this information through her trainer Master Ravitesh as I’m also from Cakaudrove, having attended Vunilagi Primary School and born and bred in Vunilagi. It filled my heart with immense pride in Esther’s achievement. Job well done, Esther and team Cakaudrove! Thank you, The Fiji Times, for the stories and colourful pictures! I was touched by the character of our brave, bold, determined and passionate athletes! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa Nasinu
Pay them!
Sukha Singh wants to know in relation to the arbitrary reduction of FNPF pensioners entitled payments by the post coup Bainimarama regime – “Why is it so difficult for the Coalition Government to pay back every cent owed to them?” (FT 29/11). This is a legitimate question given the noise the Coalition Government made about the reduction being “illegal”. But credit has to be given to the Coalition gang in government for promptly giving themselves a hefty pay rise. They are clearly capable of acting swiftly when it suits their own vested interest. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Fiji, forever Fiji
Was just watching Fiji’s win the Rio 2016 Sevens rugby and I soaked in the beautiful unforgettable moments, oh, I wish it would return! The time our happy PM, Voreqe Bainimarama joined the boys in the ground photo session was a time that I will always cherish forever. Can our 7s team do us proud throughout the series? Go Fiji go! Luke Kulanikoro Savusavu
2000 coup financiers
So now we learn, decades later, that the 1987 coup wasn’t triggered by a divine intervention after all, but by quiet encouragement from parts of the Great Council of Chiefs and certain church leaders. Honestly, it’s almost comical. All those years of being told that “God moved” when, apparently, it was just people with influence and ego doing the moving. If this is the revelation, I dread to think what the actual story looks like. But I must thank “Stee” for this bold revelation, although I was hoping for more names to pop up as the chief architects of the 1987 coup. Moving forward, can failed businessman, Ilikimi Naitini, aka Geroge Speight, the “pawn” of the 2000 upheaval step up and disclose the names of those businessmen who bankrolled the overthrow of the Chaudhry government? I believe many are still roaming scot free till date, whereas they should be behind bars for their involvement in this treasonous act. So can those real 2000 coup financiers please stand up? Nishant Singh Lautoka
Waste of time
MR PM, it is just another waste of time and beating around the bush when you can’t name them and let yourself be free from the shackles of non-patriotic attitude leashed around your neck. I guess you’re shamelessly defending the immunity clause because you’re uncertain, period. AREKI DAWAI Suva
Sugar way forward
Sugar Minister CJS seems to have found one of the keys to salvaging the sugar industry. Centralised or head leasing by government and then subleasing to farmers sounds like a good idea, and it would take only the very courageous to implement it. With Minister CJS showing courage and now actually talking solutions, we could be seeing some progress. It may take several years, but that’s the idea that will work. Donald Singh Suva
A lament for modern Fiji
Ro Naulo Mataitini’s illuminating write up on the decadent dancing on the village rara (‘A lament for modern Fiji’ FT 29/11) is a stark reminder of the cultural decay in contemporary Fiji society. It’s a tragic decline of a society once based on respect and dignity in conduct. How is the degeneracy to be addressed? That’s the big challenge in today’s Fiji. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Martintar drunks
Personally, I understand our hard-working Namaka police officers cannot be at every street corner, every hour, every day. On the other hand, the unavailability of adequate police officers, “on the beat” allowed men to gather under a vaivai at Ragg St, Martintar, very intoxicated at 10am Saturday, November 30, 2025… possibly waiting for the next “supply” of booze from bottle shop nearby. They were in their drunken stupor. Such scenes do not go down well for most visitors, local and foreign. It is also troubling for ordinary law-abiding mothers and children who are out grocery shopping. In these columns, I have stated repeatedly, Namaka police station is old; outdated, lacks proper working space for the younger officers. Correct me if I am wrong. Are there enough officers and good working vehicles to adequately cover Namaka, Martintar, Waqadra, Votualevu, Malawai, Kartaram, Carreras, Matavolivoli Stage One and Two; ATS Heights, Nasoso and Legalega? Can I be their “silent” voice, once again? Will someone, “up top” take some serious note? Our hardworking police-women and men, are not geared to performing miraculous feats to maintain the required law and order, when it matters most. What happens in real emergencies when response times are to be sorely tested? I pose my questions out of our concern and respect for Namaka police officers. They need help, now. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
Cancer fight!
I commend Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa for raising $14,331 during their month-long Pinktober campaign in support of the Fiji Cancer Society’s work for cancer patients (FT: 28/11). This initiative truly reflects the heart of the Hilton culture. The passion with which the team carried out their fundraising is worth praising. They organised a morning tea bake and sale, an auction of donated items from Tappoo, a pink t-shirt sales campaign and a walk-a-thon, which reflected the organisation’s pride and dignity in looking after patients in dire need. Hilton organisation champions community engagement through wellness, sustainability and social responsibility. We are in the festive season which is about sharing and caring and fostering goodwill. Hilton’s gesture symbolises the values associated with the festive season. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Summary executions
In the face of criticism Israel has repeatedly maintained it has conducted its war on Gaza in accordance with international norms under the Geneva Convention laws. Then the other day we get the news “Israeli Border Police officers were filmed fatally shooting two Palestinians who had surrendered in Jenin on Thursday. After ordering them to lie on the ground at the entrance to a building, the officers shot them at close range”. Is that in accordance with the Geneva Convention? The UN human rights office provides the answer by “condemning the killing, calling it an apparent summary execution” (Haaretz 29/11/25). Makes a thinking person wonder how many other Palestinians the Israeli forces executed in that unlawful manner during its war on Gaza and the West Bank? Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
