The Sunday Times
SOUNDS of rustling pages fill the air. Hooray! Sunday is back on track. Vinaka vakalevu to Mr Wesley and the team who made it possible. TESSA MACKENZIE Suva
Welcome our heroes
OUR national men and women rugby sevens teams deserve a heroes welcome for their splendid performances at the Olympics. While our men claimed a second gold medal, our Fijiana side deserve special mention as their semi-finalmatch against New Zealand will go down in the history books as one of the most pulsating of matches. In summary, coach Saiasi Fuli and our Fijiana side have spoken. Let’s hope that our gurus at rugby house wake up and secure more support for our women’s rugby in Fiji. When the situation normalises, let’s ensure that 7s rugby competition at secondary school also includes one for girls as this can become a breeding ground for future talent. Congratulations to our sevens teams and officials, but for now the Fijiana team rocks. FLOYD ROBINSON Toorak, Suva
Meet the ref
I BET 99.9 per cent of the people in Fiji would love to meet “that” referee. ALLEN LOCKINGTON Kava Place, Lautoka
History-making Fijiana
FIJIANA have created history for rugby in Fiji. Their bronze medal win at the Olympics was magnificent as they continued to raise the bar. Playing against tier 1 teams who were well-resourced and also had wellstructured programs, the Fijiana never gave up. To some extent they emulated the men’s team and had that fighting spirit in them. There were only a few who gave them any chance of doing well. They proved their critics wrong and rewrote themselves in the history books. Hats off to Fuli and the team, as against the backdrop of such challenging circumstances they rose to the occasion and set up a winning combination that brought glory to the nation. A win from a women’s team for Fiji in this manner is a first of its kind. Accolades keep on outpouring for the bronze winning women. Go you good thing! We are extremely proud of you. PRANIL RAM Votualevu, Nadi
Upset of the century
I COULDN’T find any other words to compliment or congratulate our valiant Fijiana team for achieving the impossible as punters too predicted the odds as most bet their monies on the Australian women to win gold at Tokyo. The unfortunate blunders made by the referee during our match against NZ in the semi-finals, really sent a message to World Rugby that our team was not there by luck nor to make up the numbers. Our Fijiana team should be recognised as a Tier 1 team and therefore we should be concentrating now on our 15s rugby version. My only hope that Fijian supporters forgive the referee. We Fijians have accepted the decision and moved on with our lives in celebration of a bronze medal. Our Fijiana and the management deserve a reception and reward upon their return with their medals. I would have loved to see them coming back on the same flight with our men’s team. However, according to Rob Vickerman’s Tweeter on Friday night after the defeat of Australian women’s team at the quarter’s as I quote “that’s a far bigger story than the men winning the gold”. Upon their return home, I would like to hear the many untold stories of these women who struggled to reach the Olympics and the daily obstacles they face every day. Most of us Fijians never knew most of these women before they left our shores unlike the men’s team which receives a lot of coverage by the mainstream media. To those men out there who still feel differently about this women 7s rugby achievement, women’s rugby is here to stay. #Go Fijiana Go. JIOJI CAKACAKA Tadra, Votualevu, Nadi
Fijians braveheart
FOR me the Fijiana bravehearts have won gold through the hearts of many. The comeback by the girls showed maturity, determination, sacrifice, sweat and pain on the faces of our bula girls. The opposition still gasping for answers, both NZ and Australia rattled, and the players in shock at what hit them. The Fijiana went top gear in Tokyo and there is no doubt we can now follow the men’s team to victories. I am looking forward to the HSBC women’s competition and I am sure the rest including AB and Aussies will show full respect to the Fijiana. SHALWYN PRASAD Mukta Ben Place, Nabua
Golden girls
I DO not mind paying taxes for another flight from Narita Airport on route to get our golden girls home. TEJAL LAD Lochan Lane, Lautoka
Thrilling performance
A SURPRISING women’s sevens team performance at the Tokyo Games. They thrilled defending champions Australia and if there was and could have turned New Zealand down, but an amazing game by our women. This will be a new seven’s team to watch for during the series. Well done Fijiana. Thank you girls for making us proud. JAHEED BUKSH Korolevu Sigatoka
Flying high
THE Great Britain women’s 7s side fell to defeat 21-12 in their bronze medal match, as the Fijiana made history by becoming the first female medallists in Fiji’s Olympic history. Star-performers Alowesi Nakoci and Reapi Uluinasau’s tries proved to be too much for team GB who saw their quest for a medal come to an end. After winning hearts in a dominant performance against defending Olympic Games gold medallists Australia, the Fijiana squeezed life out of the Black Ferns, who had to rely on an extra time try to make it into the final. Earlier in pool play, the Fijiana upset Rio bronze medallists Canada 26-12. In the final, the Black Ferns went on to beat France, who had narrowly beaten Fiji 12-5 in pool play, but their victory was overshadowed by the fact that they had struggled to beat the Fijiana. The Fijiana defied odds to reach the semis, and then scooping the bronze medal was the icing on the cake, although we were capable of winning the gold medal. I salute Saiasi Fuli, Ratu Timoci Volavola, Tikiko Namaua and the team management, and the Fijiana for the brave effort. You have done our tiny nation proud! Bravo! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Balgovind Rd, Nadawa, Nasinu
Inspirational Lockington
I AM honoured to be part of our letters to the editor guru Allen Lockington. Reading Allen’s piece titled “My Fiji Times story” (ST: 01/08) gave me a sense of pride and I marvelled at this gentleman’s passion and love for The Fiji Times. Allen himself is an archive as he has been part of The Fiji Times for many long years and he does not hesitate to share his experiences. Allen’s story was heart-touching as I remembered my days with the people’s newspaper in Savusavu, dating back to the ’90s. Then, on the next page, I was delighted to see Allen with his central engineer, Navneet Ram, who has also become part of our letters to the editor family. Allen and Navneet have been distributing food packs, sanitary pads and vegetables to needy families in Lautoka, and I thank and commend the duo for their service to our nation at the height of the pandemic. As Allen said: “Just imagine a Fiji without The Fiji Times”. I can never imagine The Fiji Times without our inspirational Allen Lockington. Good on you my Guru ji! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Balgovind Rd, Nadawa, Nasin
Town rates
AS a prerequisite a number of municipal councils have published a breakdown of the various rates that they are going to apply in the new financial year which starts from August 1 2021 and ends on July 31 2022 in one of the dailies recently. Property owners in this way are informed of the amount of rate they are expected to pay in the ensuing year. It is to be noted that rate for first half of this year had been charged in January, so that the old financial year books could be closed. Yearly charged rate invoices are normally sent out to the ratepayers at the beginning of the year. Most if not all, municipal councils here in Fiji provide incentives by way of giving a discount on rates paid within a set time frame. Many ratepayers do take advantage of the incentives given, but the situation has now changed because of the hardships brought about by the evolving pandemic. It is also to be noted that this will be the second Bill to be taken care of in the same year because of the change in the financial year. The financial position of people across the board has been severely impacted hence, whether they would be able to pay their rate on time is something that needs to be considered. I think those ratepayers who fall in this category must make a suitable payment arrangement with councils to avoid any penalty. Councils on the other hand, I think, should think of the situation on the ground and give ratepayers needing time to pay some flexibility. At the end of the day everybody needs to survive in the predicament that we all are in. Thank you. SURESH CHAND
Nadi
