THE spirit of the festival of lights makes the message from the Minister for Women to care for the senior citizens more meaningful. As we approach the festive season, our elderly continue to be neglected.
Reading the poem titled Please do not despise me by Konai Helu Thaman reminds me of a grandmother’s plea to her children not to neglect her because she was inadequately schooled and that she was not wealthy. She begs her grandchildren to accept her the way she was.
How many grandparents and senior citizens are out there without the much needed love, care and support from their families? How many elderly suffer at the hands of their children and grandchildren?
How many elderly are forced to live in a condition unsuitable for human survival? How many elderly go without the basic necessities of life?
These are questions we need to answer truthfully. Respect for the elderly must come from within our hearts.
Mrs Akbar has been instrumental in raising awareness of the need to look after our parents and the elderly members of our community. She delivered her address at MGM Primary School and the cornerstone of her speech touched on the importance and contribution of our elderly towards Fiji.
She also paid tribute to the elderly in the presence of members of the Samabula Senior Citizens Home. I am confident the message must have reached the primary schoolchildren in a positive way.
Furthermore, it is quite disturbing to hear and read about home fires, rape and child abuse despite all the awareness work carried out.
Your reporter, Sikeli Qounadovu highlighted important statistics in yesterday’s newspaper report titled Children suffer.
It gives me pain and despair when I read about the suffering of children. The fact that seven out of 10 children in Fiji have experienced some form of violence is alarming. It’s a pity that our children have become so vulnerable to violence.
While my attention shifted to the beautiful and smiling faces of innocent children from Namataku District School on page 3 of yesterday’s newspaper because it gave me joy, I was saddened to read that violence had toxic impacts on learners resulting in lack of concentration, absenteeism and withdrawal from activities. It is important that violence against children be immediately addressed.
However, while the child land line is useful, it could also be used by children for wrong reasons.
As Fiji celebrates Diwali, it’s important that attention is paid to children and the elderly who have been neglected. This would be the real essence of Diwali.
Let us share whatever we have with our friends, neighbours and our iTaukei brothers and sisters.
We can forever boast of a true multiracial Fiji if we all join hands to eradicate violence against children and the elderly.
Happy Diwali!
