Fairness and justice
I WRITE as someone who deeply values both justice and the role of a free press in our society. Recent events surrounding Charlie Charters has stirred strong opinions across Fiji. While legal processes must be allowed to unfold without interference, it is equally important to affirm that journalists who act in good faith to expose possible wrongdoing deserve fair treatment and the full protection of the law. History shows that courageous reporting plays a vital role in safeguarding democracy. When information raises questions of governance, accountability, or conflicts of interest, the appropriate response should be careful examination of the facts — not any action that undermines press freedom or public confidence in due process. At the same time, allegations must be tested in court, and no individual should be presumed innocent or guilty in the court of public opinion. My intention is not to prejudge the outcome, but to uphold a simple principle: fairness must be transparent, proportionate, and even-handed. If wrongdoing has occurred, let it be proven through evidence. If the information disclosed reveals matters of public concern, those matters deserve thorough and independent review. And if the law has been breached, it should be addressed in a manner consistent with accountability and fundamental rights. We must be careful not to create the impression — intentional or otherwise — that those who raise legitimate questions will face harsh consequences. Public trust depends on scrutiny, integrity, and courage. Equally, we must uphold the law. These principles are not in conflict; they coexist in any mature democracy. In the end, justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done — with fairness, transparency, and humanity. NOLEEN BILLINGS Savusavu
Protecting whistleblowers
AS an independent institution FICAC should be protecting whistleblowers. It should not scare them from speaking the truth. DAN URAI Lautoka
Bad governments
CITIZEN journalist Charlie Charters reckons “Rabuka’s Fiji is still better than Bainimarama’s Fiji” ( FT 7/3 ). He is entitled to hold that view. Partisan supporters of either the Rabuka gang in government or the Bainimarama mob tend to gloss over the serious wrongdoings of their favoured government and the harm done to the country. I am of the view that both have been bad governments led by former military men who thought they had the panacea to all the ills of the country. The people of Fiji deserve having a good government. That has been conspicuously absent for quite sometime now. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney
Out of order
MAY it be known that on Saturday morning, March 7, 2026, the Westpac ATM at RB Patel Jetpoint in Nadi was out of order for the third time this week. I am not kidding. I am no MPAiSA or MyCash fan. Just simple and old-fashioned. No cash, no go. Full stop. As a struggling retiree, this is most frustrating. RONNIE CHANG Martintar, Nadi
Learning site
In reference to the recent accident at QVS, no school compound, designated public parks and playing fields nationwide, should be used as a learning site for intending drivers. In this regard, the Ministry of Education must send out a directive to all schools to ensure that the previous week’s mishap is not repeated. I believe, the safety of all students must be paramount. Subsequently, all municipalities should install notice boards within the vicinity of public parks and playing fields and/or erect barricades at entry points, to prevent vehicle entry. They must also allocate a specific vehicle entry point. Those who breach such directives, should be reprimanded, charged and penalised with hefty fines and/or face a custodial sentence. Finally, all those learning to drive, must obtain a learner’s permit, engage a certified driving instructor and learn on the road. Meanwhile, looking through our kitchen window, I witnessed a vehicle drive into a school compound that did not have a designated road. Are we waiting for another similar accident to occur before stringent action is taken? ANTHONY SAHAI Levuka, Ovalau
Broken record
The headline “Total immunity or guaranteed death ” ( FT 07/03 ) by Trump sounds like a broken record. The Iranians are Persians with more than 3,000 years of civilisation. Before the advent of Islam, Iranians followed Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion. Today, about thirty per cent of Iranians and a small minority in India, still follow this religion. The USA was born in 1776. RAKESH CHAND SHARMA Nadi
Village library
A LIBRARY for village school (FT 7/3). This is good news at a time when good news is increasingly in short supply. The library will instil a culture of reading and expand school children’s intellectual horizon. Children growing up with the habit of reading and keeping an open and inquisitive mind is good for the country. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, Australia
What went wrong?
THEY were allowed to rule for 16 years. Now they are dragged to the court periodically for various breaches of the law. Where were their advisers? DAN URAI Lautoka
Prominent lawyers
When all is said and done, it would appear to me that all the “prominent lawyers” and the best legal minds in the world who all seem to live in Fiji are a law unto themselves. But one thing remains unchanged – the people of Fiji remain truly blessed even though they are all oblivious. JAN NISSAR Sydney, NSW
Moral compass
I have been wondering abut the status of our Minister for Youth and Sports, Jese Saukuru. What happened to that famous response — every sinner has a future and every saint has a past. Seems like it is applied selectively. God bless Fiji. PAUL SEFORANA Ba
Best leaders
I’VE read some diehard followers of the former prime minister and former attorney general commenting and praising them for being the greatest leaders (others don’t matter) this island nation has ever had. I wonder what becomes of the followers now when they hear that their so-called leader has been charged with a count of inciting mutiny. Embarrassing I guess! AREKI DAWAI Suva
Time to detox
Castor oil. Epsom salts. Layalaya. Dabi. They are the four horsemen of the Fijian childhood apocalypse. No child ever leapt for joy at the announcement: “Come here, it’s time for your clean out.” There were no celebrations. No ribbon-cutting ceremony. No national address. Just a spoon, a grim-faced parent, and the dreadful knowledge that your insides were about to experience a regime change. And yet, as awkward and painful as it was, every few months we endured it. Why? Because apparently something inside us needed…clearing. Purging. Detoxing. Removing the rubbish that had quietly accumulated while we were happily living our best life climbing mango and guava trees. Which brings me to a rather delicate national question. When was the last time Fiji had a detox? Not a reshuffle. Not a “we take full responsibility but will continue as usual.” I mean a proper, old-fashioned, no-nonsense detox. The kind that makes everyone uncomfortable but leaves the system lighter, fresher and less likely to explode without warning. Because let’s be honest – something smells. You can light all the scented candles you like. You can issue press releases longer than a Sunday sermon. But when institutions start creaking louder than the wooden floors of the old Suva Town Hall, perhaps it’s time to ask whether the “pipes” are blocked. A detox is never pleasant. It’s disruptive. It offends the system. It forces accountability. It may even cause a few dramatic sprints to the political bathroom. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: without periodic cleansing, systems decay. The rot spreads. Then it stinks to high heaven. We Fijians understand this instinctively. We clean our yards before visitors arrive. We repaint faded fences before weddings. We clear drains before the cyclone season. Yet when it comes to institutions, the very structures that carry the weight of our democracy, we sometimes prefer perfume over plumbing. Satire aside, the issue isn’t about tearing everything down in dramatic fashion. It’s about standards. It’s about competence. It’s about ethical leadership. It’s about remembering that public office is not a lifetime spa membership. It’s a stewardship. The danger is not merely corruption. The danger is complacency. The quiet belief that “this is just how things are.” That’s how blockages become permanent fixtures. Imagine if every major institution had a mandatory “national clean out week.” Transparent audits. Independent oversight. Clear reporting to the public. Leaders answering questions without legal gymnastics worthy of the Olympics. Would it be uncomfortable? Absolutely. Would it restore confidence? Almost certainly. Because the public isn’t unreasonable. They don’t demand perfection. They demand honesty. They demand competence. They demand that when something smells, someone opens a window instead of blaming the weather. The old Fijian detoxes of childhood had one redeeming feature — afterwards, you felt lighter. Refreshed. Slightly traumatised, perhaps, but healthier. Maybe that’s what the nation needs. Not vengeance. Not witch-hunts. Not dramatic midnight arrests for the evening news. Just a firm, principled, systematic clean out of inefficiency, opacity and arrogance wherever it hides. COLIN DEOKI, Melbourne, Australia
