Mocenacagi’s impact
Sevuloni Mocenacagi is like a bottle of wine. The older it gets, the stronger it becomes. In my letter titled “Big shoes to fill” (05/04), I stated that Mocenacagi had a huge role to play if Fiji was to do well in Singapore, and I’m glad he did his part. He stood out with his sublime performance, leading like a true and brave captain. He is humble and soft-spoken. He prefers to do his talking on the field. His presence makes an impact. Mocenacagi has been with the 7s team for a decade and has won numerous titles, including a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, gold medal at the RWC 7s and silver medal at the Commonwealth Games. Having played over 50 tournaments on the HSBC WRSS circuit, Mocenacagi has scored more than 70 tries in the series. In 2018, he was named the HSBC Player of the Final at the Vancouver 7s after Fiji beat Kenya 31-12. Despite age catching up with him, Mocenacagi has been in fine form, threatening the line going forward. He shows determination in attack and defence, making countless tackles and turnovers. He is a threat whenever he gets the ball. Mocenacagi is a big, powerful and influential runner, and he is an asset with his offloads. He will be our key player, heading to next month’s Los Angeles 7s. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Clean up please
I have noted the surge in dengue fever cases and even deaths have occurred in certain areas within Fiji. Nadawa is a populated area and now with a major project underway, the drainage system is clogged with stagnant water and overgrown grass. I hope the relevant municipality will do their rightful duties in cleaning the drains along Borete Rd in Nadawa. I have noted partial cleaning done by the relevant authorities. As a ratepayer, we are obligated to pay the annual full amount and not partial payment. Juki Fong Chew Nadawa, Nasinu
Dengue outbreak
With more than 5000 cases recorded and counting, why isn’t the MOH not declaring this mosquito-borne disease an outbreak? Are they waiting for the cases to reach 10,000 and beyond before an announcement is made? And with the West recording the highest number of casualties, there has been no sign of spraying campaigns in targeted geographical locations being launched by the Lautoka City Council. What are they waiting for? Is the council facing budgetary and resource constraints as usual to carry out this much required exercise? The lack of action by local authorities to contain the spread of this lethal virus is disappointing indeed. NISHANT SINGH Lautoka
Illegal waste dumping
The Ministry of Environment permanent secretary laments that there isn’t enough manpower to stop illegal dumping of waste. He further states that he has only eight officers for waste pollution control. With such meagre numbers, should it even be a ministry at all? Should it have remained a department? Anyway, that’s not the argument here. It’s the manpower issue. The solution is, involve the police and a few soldiers with loaded guns. The culprits can be given a good old-fashioned kuita by the cops and the guns can be used to puncture tyres if they flee. Or maybe we can establish a team that goes around loading the redhand caught offenders and transporting them in caged trucks to Naboro. Not to prison but to be offloaded in the middle of the landfill. They will have their phones so they could arrange their pickup from there if it becomes unbearable there. Our littering and waste dumping habits have become culture now. It will take extreme measures to reverse the culture. I could assist, with the buturaki part. Donald Singh Suva
Pom-pom boys
If I am correct, the zonal meets are underway and soon they will converge to decide the national winners. During these times, I understand that many male students are spotted shaking buses. I think they are protesting for not being considered to take the centre stage during competition breaks. I mean as the cheerleading squads for their respective schools. The pom-pom boys! Mohammed Imraz Janif Natabua, Lautoka
Thank you PM
My sincere and heartfelt thanks must go to our Prime Minister for the promptness he undertook to personally inspect the overgrown grass at Enamanu Cemetery on Tuesday morning. Thank you for immediately making swift arrangements for the Fiji Corrections Service to attend to it. For this, I cannot thank you enough. The people of Nadi deserve no less in our final resting. Additionally, please provide at least six acres of Crown Land for a new Nadi cemetery. My efforts over six long years have been in vain. Three acres for Nadi’s iTaukei and general community members; an acre for our Muslim community, an acre for our Hindu community who also chose burials and an acre for my Chinese community. These six acres, should be managed by the Fiji Corrections Service. (My dreams for my beloved Nadi before the Lord’s calling). For the records, in my humble view, in my total existence in Nadi all these three-score-plus 13 years, your prompt inspection of our cemetery and making clearing services, must be a “first” by any prime minister. Vina du riki na Momo. Kalougata vali. In life, we can only persist to serve our community to the best of our ability. Our critics are always lurking. It is almost impossible to please everyone, every day. Additionally, on a separate note, I do have my share of ardent critics from Martintar nightclubs. Someone recently posted on social media, “He is a pain in the b#m”. To all my critics, please know I have strived hard enough as the “voice of the silent majority” in Nadi. I am able to take criticism as I stand up for a better Martintar and Nadi. My shoulders are broad enough. As a strong advocate for poverty alleviation, I fought hard to reduce our nightclub trading hours. Patrons need to handle alcohol responsibly. A dollar less spent at the bar means a loaf of bread for their children and family at home. Nothing more. Nothing less. Finding drunkards sleeping on footpaths during my morning walk is never a pleasant sight. For the drunkards’ loved ones, this can be humiliating, disrespectful and shameful. People need to handle alcohol responsibly. Long nightclub trading hours until 5am are not the recommended way forward for poverty alleviation. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
50c increase
What can you get for fifty cents to feed you or your family on this newly-raised national minimum wages? A big disparity to your self-raised salaries? AREKI DAWAI Suva
Cycle of blame
I fully agree with Dr Eminoni Naveno that “people need to take responsibility for their own health, because hospitals were not designed to reverse illnesses that start at homes, kitchens and through daily lifestyle choices”. So, my good doctor please explain why we have very valuable doctors over the past few months just collapse and die. Perhaps, the good doctors themselves should heed their own advice. The hospitals can’t reverse the severe exhaustion and stress they bring on themselves by serving in two or more medical facilities in search of the mega dollars. Tai Smith Kinoya, Nasinu
Lautoka market
I make reference to the letter published on April 7. I fully agree with Mr Geoffrey Chand. I stopped going to the market and the surrounding areas in fear of catching some disease. Urine smell and smell of rotting vegetables in the bins really put me off. I now buy my veggies from the roadside stalls. Hoping someone from the municipal council reads this letter. Ajay singh Natabua, Lautoka
Ex-PM’s pension
$250,000 in pension for our former prime minister is excessive. Even one hour of prime ministership can earn you a hefty pension. Could Mr Daniel Fatiaki and his review team stop all pensions, please consider this as my submission. Thanks. Sukha Singh Labasa
Education laws
If you don’t like to attend school on any day of the week, yes, you can and no problems with teachers not having to worry about their whereabouts whatsoever. Children can roam around wherever and attend to any mischief they wish to but at the end of the day their school performance and results is for them to personally address. That’s a father and mother’s headache, but grateful our Coalition Government and the Ministry of Education have seen it fit to review school laws to suit this day and age. Tukai Lagonilakeba Nadi
LTA message
There have been clear messages of speeding, improper crossing and drink driving from Land Transport Authority CEO to curb road accidents. He should strictly focus on LED lights on vehicles, seriously, distracting drivers coming from the opposite direction. DAVID SUSHIL LAL Lautoka
Be neutral
I tend to agree with Ajai Kumar that the members of the Fiji Law Reform Commission should refrain from making premature commentaries on the proposed changes to be made to our electoral laws.
Such pronouncements can influence the thought process and consequently the views of the voters. Thus undermining the integrity and independence of the consultation exercise. This could be one of the reasons behind the dismal attendance at the public meetings. The role of the FLRC is to facilitate the information gathering process. They should not pre-empt the outcome by putting words in others’ mouths. As Ro Filipe Tuisawau has said, let the people decide. They must be given the space to speak for themselves. Otherwise the proposed changes or amendments could be seen as being imposed upon the people like the 2013 Constitution. SELWA NANDAN Lautoka
ECE Week
It’s that time of year when our tiny tots dress up in their favourite cartoon or comic characters to take part in the week-long celebration of Early Childhood Education (ECE). ECE is a crucial pathway to education and upbringing, where students are nurtured into formal education. They learn social skills by making friends, moral values, sharing and caring and other skills that enable them to foray into full-time learning mode in the following year. While we appreciate the teachers and parents for their hard work and sound upbringing so far, we must remember the important role spoken language plays in the lives of these scholars. At their age, language development focuses on essential language skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing and communication. These skills are crucial for their emotional, cognitive and social growth. As parents, guardians and carers, we must always speak to them politely and positively. Using profane language around them will only result in them becoming foul-mouthed individuals later on. We must listen to what they have to say and allow them to say what they feel. Speaking in the language that they understand is highly important as a strong foundation of mother tongue will help them in acquiring a second language. However, we, in our obsession with English, expose them to a foreign language at an early age when they have not yet fully grasped their mother tongue. This later leads to a poor grasp of the second language. I humbly request parents and guardians to teach your children vernacular and then proceed to introduce a new language. Vinaka. Avitesh D Kumar Ba
Energy CEO
A new boss has been appointed for EFL and it seems he has so much experience as an employee and an energy consultant, with relevant qualifications, in my opinion. What’s the story of the former CEO? Is this an election ploy? Let us hope EFL’s original intent, the renewable energy mission target and the power outages will somehow be addressed accordingly. If the previous trend remains, there needs to be a review of EFL’s overall operation, in my view. A government that can not provide for its people, does not deserve to lead. Samu Silatolu Nakasi, Nausori
