Different versions of Qiri kapa
I enjoyed watching the different versions of the “Qiri kapa” posted on social media, especially the drum beating performances. These videos highlight an important aspect of our community’s way of welcoming the new year. Many of the “Qiri kapa” clips display humour, creativity, and impressive skills. The dancers’ ability to sway with the changing rhythm of the drums, along with their clothing and costumes, were admirable. However, with due respect, I must express concern that some of the dance movements and attire in a few videos appeared questionable. They raised important questions about the level of respect our male dancers show towards the women in our community. As we continue to enjoy “Qiri kapa”, let us also remember to uphold consideration and respect for our women — our mothers, sisters, aunties, grandmothers, and guardians. As the celebrations wind down, may we shift our focus to the priorities ahead, including preparations for the upcoming school year. FLOYD ROBINSON Micronesia
Free and fair media
In Saturday’s Fiji Sun (January 17, 2026) a commentary of how the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has influenced the media to the point that it threatens a free and fair press. There is no free and fair media in the world today, except for The Fiji Times and we are thankful for that. For millennia, governments and rulers have understood the power of information and if you can control the narrative, you control a power of sorts. That President Trump has successfully sued a number of media organisations for billions of dollars just proves the point that the media is now a major tool to suppress the truth via print and televised media to whatever narrative the left wishes for the masses to read and see. Print and televised media are both compromised and we thank Elon Musk for his “truth social” media platform “X” whereby anyone can get the truth and fact-check current media content. A lot of the US and world media platforms, and recently the supposedly “truthful” BBC, are all compromised. That the BBC’s two top executives have resigned for altering a specific televised speech by President Trump and caught out by fact checkers, have left even the British considering the veracity of their own media platforms. During the recent Gaza war, the BBC would televise and advise information by Al-Jazeera and the Palestinian Hamas freely on the crisis and yet when the Israeli government or its media platforms would share facts, the BBC would say that they have yet to verify the information. For 16 years the FijiFirst government controlled Fiji’s media narrative. Today, our only truth media, The Fiji Times, stands tall in the Pacific region and we can only hope that this continues for many more years in the future! Epeli Rabua Suva
Pumping Polytech
Give credit where credit is due. The “In Depth” piece (FT 19/1) by Cheerieann Wilson certainly deserves accolades. The article is worth reading as she has compiled views of the interested parties, listed factual information and left it to the readers to dissect, digest and conclude. I cannot fathom the fact that Pacific Polytech operated under provisional registration from November 2022 and attained full registration in August 2025 but the government grants were being paid since 2023. Pardon my ignorance but my understanding is any institution which operates under provisional registration does not qualify for full benefits. That institution must meet the compliance standards and get full registration and then, only then, that institution qualifies for funds etc. The million dollar question, after reading “In Depth” is the legality of the grants disbursed to the Polytech when it was not fully registered. No one doubts the Polytech’s operations, the need for it, the number of people trained by it etc. The million dollar question needs to be answered and we can not deflect it by stating that 90 per cent of the students are iTaukei. That’s a secondary matter, in fact it has nothing to do with the question of grant eligibility. Can someone in Finance Ministry (as the grants were directly applied for with them) answer the burning question of eligibility, kerekere. Arun Prasad Dilkusha, Nausori
Pulse of the nation
I refer to the letter titled “Letters to the editor” (FT: 19/01) by veteran writer and schoolteacher Rakesh Chand Sharma of Nadi. Firstly, thank you so much, Mr Sharma, for your beautiful letters. Just like our other letter writers, I appreciate your writing, and I salute your efforts in disseminating important information from this “robust” section of The Fiji Times to the students under your care. I agree that our students need to be informed of what’s happening around them. Not every student buys a copy of the newspaper and not every student has access to The Fiji Times e-copy. Hence, teachers play a vital role in sharing contents of letters as they are tested in English even up to Year 13 level. To my fellow writers, continue writing. I also urge us to respect each one and avoid personal attacks. We are a great family and respecting each other’s opinion and view is the way forward. Finally, I once again congratulate big brother and long-time letter writer, Donald Singh on making it back-to-back wins. Fane Ledua penned an interesting piece titled “Singh doubles up in letter awards” (FT 17/01). I echo the sentiments of the editor-in-chief, Fred Wesley, “They (the letter writers) are playing their part in holding power to account. It’s a great way to feel the pulse of the nation as well”. Apart from Donald, I salute Nishant Singh and Ashwini Basant, for their letters were part of the top three! Bravo, bravo! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Wake up lazy ones
Josaia Votonimoli, a determined person, earning a decent living with his family selling kai, shows the way for those always complaining to find a job (FT 11/1). He has taken up the challenges to live happily by organising his family who always support him. Whatever obstacles we face, the attitude matters. Be like Josaia, honest and crime-free living. If you don’t believe in heroes, you haven’t met Josaia. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Morning walk
Just came back from walking along Airport Rd in Savusavu. Rubbish inside drains from previous rains, side of roads with uncut waist-line grass, cemented potholes and 6.30am buses running at 5.30am! this is 2026 up North. O cei tale, another happy new year people! Luke Kulanikoro Savusavu
The paper
Rakesh Chand Sharma, yes, nothing beats the feel of the hard copy of a newspaper. Even at $2 now, it still oozes that feeling from the time it cost less than a dollar. Let’s just hope the newspaper is going to stay. Funny but anyone going to buy any newspaper says he is going to buy “Fiji Times”! Laying hands on the fresh Monday copy, I read Rajend Naidu’s comment on Pacific Polytech. Rajend could be right with his opinion. I probably feel that because I read it in the real paper! Donald Singh Suva
Saving mode
Many Fijians are now opening new investment accounts in their children’s names with the Unit Trust of Fiji (FT 17/01). While investing secures children’s futures, imparting sound financial literacy from an early age is equally vital. True empowerment lies in informed, responsible financial decision-making. DINESH KUMAR Ba
Kava money
Some preachers in our country preach about the evil in kava whether you drink it, plant it or just selling it. Can they also differentiate money that had passed through the hands of kava dealers and drinkers that slipped into their pockets? Or do they have a money laundering system in their pockets to cleanse money from the hands of kava doers? Maybe they should clear the log first to see the hurdle. Pita Soroaqali Tavua
Tariff, workers and Trump
EFL tariffs
FCEF, in its submission to the FCCC, noted that “despite Fiji’s exceptional solar resource, EFL’s generation mix shows negligible solar deployment”. FCEF also noted “that Island peers (Hawaii, Barbados, Seychelles, Maldives) achieved 20-40 per cent renewable penetration during the same period Fiji maintained near zero solar deployment”. This means that EFL did not take advantage of the declining cost of producing solar energy. In the 1970s, we witnessed full cinema houses with cash dropping into the coffers of Damodar Bros Films Ltd. When videos and TV arrived, cinema houses closed. Div Damodar altered his business model by creating Damodar City Malls with modern cinema houses. In EFL coffers, millions of dollars in cash fall in every month. They took this for granted and kept their head buried in the sand. EFL should cut costs, borrow from banks (glut in the money market/ banks offering 0.75 interest on TD’s) and create solar and wind farms. EFL should also seek assistance from International Solar Alliance (ISA) founded by PM Modi to promote solar adoption across 100-plus nations. Rakesh Chand Sharma Nadi
Foreign workers
After the PALM Scheme and the likes began to draw thousands from our domestic labour markets, most employers import foreign workers to cater for the void that arises within the workplaces. We can’t blame them, however, in my view, this scenario has to be monitored cautiously with the Ministry of Immigration’s help. These illegal immigrants, like Fijians in the US or wherever, have to understand the consequences of breaking immigration laws. The respective government agents have to track down these illegals before the population gets out of hand, in my opinion. And since forged documentation and whatnot are very easy to obtain today, the Government has to provide relevant equipment and manpower, as it sees fit. That is protecting the sovereignty of Fiji and its people. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Samu Silatolu Nakasi
Lots of variations
Trump actually has been involved in a number of wars, an armed war with the invasion of Venezuela, a medical war with so much incorrect information and reduced funding, an education war with reduced funding, book banning and curriculum corruption but now he is involved in a tariff based economic war that will harm his own supporters. The latest declaration of increased tariffs for so far eight countries that have dared defy him by supporting Greenland will mean that US citizens will pay more for imports. This is standard bully behaviour, do what I say or else suffer. Generally the best approach to a bully is to ignore them but rarely has one been so loud. Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia
