Journalist reap rewards for hard work! – RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU
THE Fiji Media Association (FMA) must be commended for rejuvenating the Fiji Achievement in Media Excellence (FAME) Awards after a lapse of 17 years. Now, that’s what I call resilience and progress. Despite the absence of the awards night, our industrious journalists continued working, serving the nation with news, stories and articles. I agree with FMA President Rosi Doviverata that the comeback of the awards night signified more than celebration — the night marked a return of confidence, pride, and excellence for media workers across the country. In these 17 years, our media organisations have gone through so much. have been resilient despite operational, technological, financial and political constraints and the ever-growing popularity of social media. Our media organisations have grown in terms of structure, independent journalism and digital advancements and the public benefits from this growth. I salute the media industry for investing in female journalists and for the growth in female leadership. The awards night encouraged and inspired journalists to move beyond surface-level reporting towards investigations, stronger accountability, and more meaningful storytelling. Saturday night’s excellence award was a significant event, acknowledging the talents of our journalists. It will also foster optimism for the future of Fiji’s media landscape. Hence, my heart beamed with pride as our journalists were rewarded for their creativity and boldness. I congratulate Anish Chand on scooping the Journalist of the Year award. I also congratulate Samantha Rina and John Kamea for their insights. Their achievements show that The Fiji Times works around the clock to ensure accurate and fast news for readers. To veteran Vijay Narayan, congratulations as well for winning the best News Report TV and Video category. As I conclude, I sincerely thank the media industry for serving Fijians here and abroad passionately. Long live our media industry!
Samabula Post Office DEWAN CHAND NAMADI HEIGHTS, SUVA
I WRITE this open letter to the CEO (chief executive officer) of Post Fiji to register my discontent with the manner in which a fence has been erected around the Samabula Post Office. Presumably to prevent the homeless people from sleeping on the post office verandah at night. In doing so you have created other problems such as blocking 24 hours access to the post box by the box holders This curtails our right to check the post office box at any time convenient to us: seven days a week. This right must be restored! Further, the car park has now become a swimming pool as the rain water collects there. The contractors made no provision for rain water outlets. Do you expect the box holders to wade through the pool of water to check the mail? This is preposterous, to say the least. The open drain between the car park and the post office building is a public hazard. One can accidentally step in and break the legs. And this is certainly against the OHS (Occupational Health Safety) Act. Can this situation be rectified with immediate effect?
Short story DONALD SINGH SUVA
THOSE large coffee mugs are becoming thinner around the waist and bottom, effectively making them “mediums” disguised by “large” receipts and wide mug tops. Chilli chicken and pretty much anything chicken or lamb are predominantly onion and sauce, but two dollars dearer. Wraps have plenty lettuce and residues of chicken. Damn, even the milk packet is short by 50 grams now. Examples aplenty, I’d sound like the consumer watchdog if I write all. The mosilevu one though is the skyrocketing price of lamb chops. Someone told me that these days no one is fighting about it. The consolation is, healthy living is the consequence of the above.
FNPF pensions RONNIE CHANG MARTINTAR, NADI
THE exacerbated denial of irrevocable and just pre-2011 FNPF pensions to senior retirees, spanning 14 long and painful years is a clear crime against our human rights and dignity. This is gross discrimination hatched by the then FijiFirst government. Such abuse of dictatorial powers is never tolerable, in my view. (The evil that men do will live on after them. Thou shalt not steal. The Scale of Justice will not tip in your favour, in my view). The current FNPF board is equally heartless; and lacks empathy. You failed us miserably. Wholesale changes are deemed necessary. The whole wide world of finances watches with keen interest such gross betrayal by the keepers of our fiduciary interests. This is a huge blow below the belt to older senior citizens in their twilight years. Absolutely cruel. Restitution is paramount. Restorative Justice cannot escape us now. The time has come for honourable Prime Minister Rabuka to “right this wrong” post haste. The distinct authority is yours. We humbly seek nothing less. We are desperate. Time is not on our side. Tomorrow maybe too late for some of us.
Bark, bark! RAKESH CHAND SHARMA ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
INDIANS claim that a white dog wearing expensive sunglasses and laden with expensive jewelleries around its neck landed at Delhi’s Airport from a rich oil producing Middle Eastern country. The Indians questioned the dog why he left all the luxury, comfort and plenty of good food of that country. The dog replied that the luxurious life and food is excellent, but we are not allowed to bark. With this new found freedom (since end of 2022), FT is full with people barking every day. Last week was no exception. People barked about the TRC, GCC and even RFMF. I pinched myself to make sure I was reading right that RFMF (which menaced people into silence) wishes to bark itself. Its proposition to reconcile with Fijians of Indian descent is noble. But we have to ensure that we do not run into circles while barking as it happened last week. Like the USA’s “State of the Union”, we can have our “State of the Reconciliation”.
The reasons MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF NATABUA, LAUTOKA
WHATEVER were the issues which gave rise to all the coups, have they been resolved?
Falling short WISE MUAVONO BALAWA, LAUTOKA
WITH the hundreds of churches around the country, I doubt the prayers are ascending through the ceiling and the Lord hearing it considering the deterioration of social problems? Isa!
Democracy issue AVENAI SERUTABUA NABUKELEVU VILLAGE, SERUA
DEMOCRACY is like an imported cassava, it rots quickly … interesting to learn
Link storage JIOJI O TORONIBAU WAIRUA, SUVA
BRAND new buses for Interlink herald a splendid fleet to streaming travellers to and from Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Our little carry bags and night bags are strewn under every little spaces available let alone using them as pillows to rest our heads. If overhead decking are available then all is well thus eliminating carry-burden on board buses.
Renewable energy RAKESH CHAND SHARMA ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
IN Adelaide, Australia, I noticed one electronic electrical meter mounted on the wall of the carport which is locked using shutters. Upon enquiry, I was informed by my son that the solar panels on the roof generated electricity and is used by the household. The extra electricity generated is sent through the electronic meter into Energy Australia grid. There are no batteries for storage and meter reading is done in the Energy Australia offices. My son claims that sometimes his bills come in negative. I will be pleased if EFL enlightens us (consumers) if such facility is available for us (without storage batteries). I have seen a Punjas solar powered business entity on Denarau Rd, Nadi but it has storage batteries which I am apprehensive about.
Labasa Airport TAHIR ALI HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND
THE Fiji Times news reported that the airport will be closed for six weeks from February to March (FT 5/11) will indefinitely affect all travellers including tourists. Let’s hope some temporary arrangements are made as we work towards upgrading it to international standards. Keep up with your civic pride Labasa, commonly known as Friendly North — LA
FSC Ba Mill NARAYAN REDDY LAUTOKA
RARAWAI Sugar mill in Ba is finally repaired and it is operational again. Our Sugar Minister honourable Charan Jeath Singh kept his words of December date. The Coalition Government of the day did deliver to the sugarcane farmers. I am told about more sugar market opening up in the United Kingdom for Fiji sugar; if this is true than our growers, millers and our Government must work hand in hand to increase the cane products.
Easily distracted JAN NISSAR VARANASI, INDIA
IF all the high chiefs and the not so high chiefs in the GCC, the politicians and all the others calling for a change in the Constitution or replacement of the Constitution think that changing the Constitution will fix Fiji’s problems, they all are sadly mistaken. How many are there? The Constitution has already been changed four or five times with, I believe, nothing to show for it in the past 55 years. Weren’t all of them implemented and imposed to fix the problems once and for all? Will the next one be the same? Those chiefs in the GCC who are blaming the Constitution for the woes of their people should look in the mirror and they will see the main problem. This tradition and culture of blaming someone else or something else when the problem lies within is a tradition and culture that needs changing. Who else is there who will call for this change in culture and tradition of blaming others. It is a filthy tradition just like grog dopeys. I do not understand why Fijians are so easily distracted by the rubbish perpetrated by their “leaders”.
Termite control NARAYAN REDDY LAUTOKA
THE new way to control termites are being proposed by many, including the Members of Parliament; the sad part is in Fiji everyone seems to know everything and come out with new ideas. Since the first time the Asian subterranean termites were discovered in Tavakubu in Lautoka, many different pest control companies gave their views on how to control it then, but unfortunately those in authority didn’t listen. I was part of the team and had experienced first hand when some in authority laughed about the destructive nature of the Asian subterranean termites. Some years later a termite task force was created in Lautoka which had some police and military personnel, they started spraying and putting termite dust around many houses. Many of us informed the then Government that these termites would migrate to other parts of Fiji because of our inter island vessels and the flying lifestyle of adult termites. In many parts of Australia and many Asian countries these termites are controlled by simple methods. What Fiji needs to do is adopt one of those methods to control these termites, as these termites will never be eradicated.
