Incinerator project RONNIE CHANG MARTINTAR, NADI FIJI has far more rubbish to handle each day, every day. Much adult education is needed in great haste. One needs to look at the many informal settlements. Most of their residents are grossly incapable in garbage management and proper disposal. Empty fizzy drink bottles; empty flavoured milk and juice boxes; soiled diapers are discarded with no care. In built up areas, in city and town council boundaries, thousands of residents do not have property garbage bins. Domestic rubbish in single use garbage bag are placed at roadside and kerbside, at will, on nongarbage collection dates. We now hear with absolute absurdity and firstclass lunacy. How real can this really be? A sponsored incinerator project in Vuda, Lautoka? Fiji needs to import waste from Australia to make such a project commercially viable? Will such a project pass its environmental impact assessment? Our people in Vuda do not need such “rot of an investment”. Such an “investment” must overlook Fiji as an acceptable venue. This cannot, and must not happen. Never! Please look elsewhere. We have more than enough rubbish of our own. Even settlements along all our rivers and creeks are rubbish dumping grounds. Let us clean our own environments. Big brother Australia should look after their own in their outback.
Drainage issue SURESH CHAND NADI NADI recently faced one of its heaviest rainfalls this season, leading to extensive flooding on several roads, including the Navakai Bypass Road. A section of Queens Road, right after the Wailoaloa junction traffic lights, was covered by two feet of water, as was the entrance to Enamanu Road from the Bypass. This situation highlights the urgent need to improve the area’s drainage systems. The rain coincided with the afternoon rush hour, causing major difficulties for commuters heading home. I was navigating my usual route along the Navakai Bypass when I encountered flooding that was over two feet deep in some areas, which genuinely surprised me given the severity of the situation. Before going any further, I urge the authorities responsible for road maintenance to prioritise planning and implementing solutions to permanently fix the drainage problem. I’ve observed that authorities often neglect the issue once the weather turns dry. In my view, this needs to change. Additionally, I would suggest that municipal roads currently overseen by the FRA be returned to the councils, as the FRA already has a heavy workload. Can the Nadi Town Council and the FRA work together to improve the condition of the town entrance, which is currently in poor shape? There are many issues that need to be tackled and resolved to make it an attractive tourist destination. Right now, it does not meet that standard. Nevertheless, the work you do or are doing is appreciated.
HIV crisis NAVNEET RAM (TD) LAUTOKA LOW condom use is fuelling the spread of HIV in Fiji. This is bad news in the country’s fight against HIV and AIDS. One of the major reasons why people do not use condoms is trust. Other reasons are fear and age dynamics in transactional relationships between older men and young women, condom fatigue (basically just decreased condom use), unplanned sexual encounters, and alcohol and drug use. Often when one is in a relationship, they start to think that they don’t have to use a condom, assuming that their partner is faithful. People fear pregnancy more than they fear sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There’s an awareness to prevent pregnancy, but no concern that someone can pick up an STI. People have a choice of what they need to do.
Drugs and the ‘big fish’ DONALD SINGH NAUSORI FIVE people earlier arrested (with a larger group) and charged in Fiji’s largest cocaine bust have reportedly been granted immunity. Immunity in this case would most likely be a tradeoff deal whereby they would spill the beans on their partners or bosses, or the “big fish”. How many previous immunity deals have led to convictions of the “big fish”? The “big fish” from that Nadi bust are still at large while we managed to give unprecedentedly long sentences to the local “small fish”. I hope the five granted immunity are given a strict timeframe within which they must lead the investigators to the “big fish”. Failing that, they should be turned into tinned fish. Enough of these immunity deals.
Unnatural events DEWAN CHAND NAMADI HEIGHTS, SUVA WILLIAM Shakespeare uses unnatural events as the moral barometer. Unnatural events symbolise the disruption of the natural and moral order. Nature mirrors human morality. Yes, it is true that unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles. The world is engulfed in chaos and eerie happenings and human created wars. We are tottering on the edge of a nuclear war and nature is sending its signals. Recent unnatural events have taken the world by surprise. Unexpected attack of swarms of locusts in Mecca and Jerusalem left the world speechless. Sudden downpour of heavy rains in deserts, devastating floods, melting glaciers and sheets of ice and hail disrupting normal life are a cause of great concern Thunder and lightning and unnatural happenings in the sky have sent shivers down our spine. Some associate these events with the second return of Christ: cloud formations in the sky showing the face of Christ is not a small phenomena. Millions of deep sea creatures floating on the surface or are being washed on our shores are a ghastly sight. Mount Etna and Mount Dukono eruption with unusual ferocity sending lava high up in the sky and affecting millions of people. Fierce wind storms sending dust storms and ripping through the vegetation collecting millions of leaves and dumping them in unusual places. Wildfires have ripped through forests and settled areas causing immense damage. Many parts of the world have suffered massive landslides causing damage to roads, railways and settlements. There seems to be anger in nature against its ruthless exploitation. The geo-political chaos and the devastating Middle East wars are causing immense human sufferings. Innocent people are being killed but the leaders with inflated egos couldn’t care less. Yes, Shakespear was right when he wrote: “Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles, infected minds to their deaf pillows will whisper their secrets.
Dialogue and peace SAMU SILATOLU NAKASI, NAUSORI WHY are the US and Israel launching airstrikes on Iran? What makes war so bad? In my view, war will not only get us killed, but it also doesn’t let us live. Even those who are not engaged directly. If a country threatens our country, I believe, we have to stockpile weapons, manage an army and have to spend the biggest budget in self-defense. In fact, prior to any single shot being fired, the “threat” itself disturbs life, in my opinion. And that is the worst part of it. Real peace, I think, does not mean no one is shooting, but that no one is threatening. The idea of not being at war until somebody shoots or drops a bomb, I believe, is foolishness. And I am certain, Iran has been threatening very loudly, clearly and constantly. Moreover, it actually acts on it. So, eliminating the threat, I think, is the only way to really have peace. However, having a cease fire is not actually attaining peace, in my opinion. Only, when there is no threat of war. God bless Israel.
HON SAKIUSA TUBUNA Prime Minister’s Office Suva MR Nemani Drova’s short review of my dad’s autobiography in Saturday’s The Fiji Times is warmly appreciated. Thank you for your insight into the book and I am sure that teachers and students involved in the education sector will find this book helpful and resourceful. Vinaka vakalevu Mr Drova and my dad sends his best wishes to you!
DAN URAI Lautoka IT’S time Government advisors review duty on all solar equipment and parts including batteries. $5000 to install solar panels and batteries for a normal house is too expensive for a worker to afford.
JAN NISSAR Sydney, Australia A VERY famous golf player in the USA has been charged for drink/drug driving again after crashing his car for the third or fourth time. I cannot say what is going to happen to him after so many offences. I remember him doing a press conference and apologising profusely after the first time. When will he ever learn? If he was in Fiji, he would be forgiven and given another chance. But the lesson is, even though he is a zillionaire, forgiveness and second chances do not turn a donkey into a horse. He will always remain a donkey.
SUKHA SINGH Labasa GRAHAM Leung is right, you can only get immunity if your coup is successful and you have been able to change the Government because as a successful coupmaker, you are the one that is granting the immunity
JAHEED BUKSH Korolevu, Sigatoka Do we still have time? SO Siromi Turaga is saying that the 2013 Constitution will be changed and that’s the reason they came in power as government. With month’s away from General Election, is it possible to change or not? Particularly when you had four years to do lots of changes. One of my questions is always, why minimum wage is just $5 and you all sitting in thousands. Considering to change the minimum wage rate to $7 ho
