Rewa shines in Labasa
THE Champion versus Champion winners, Labasa, suffered another humiliating loss at home. This time it was the Rewa side that defeated the Lions in their VPL encounter at Subrail Park 3-1. What a wonderful victory this has been for the visitors who only a week ago stunned Nadi at Prince Charles Park. I think the players are understanding and playing their parts according to what they have been taught by the coaches. It is not easy for any team to register such impressive wins away from home all the time. No doubt their standing is improving as they play and earn more points like this one. Heartbroken Labasa fans can only hope that the team management and the players themselves will iron out the shortcomings before they lose sight of playing in the OFC. What has drastically gone wrong that the team is performing such badly? I know Labasa will bounce back, but when that remains to be seen. Right now the weather is generally favourable so let the games continue every week. SURESH CHAND Nadi
Sexual crimes
THERE was an attempt in Parliament last week to have pornography banned in Fiji because of an increase in sexual crimes. Some statistics were presented and males were the perpetrators. But where is the link between pornography and sexual crimes in Fiji? Let’s be frank here. Who in his (males) lifetime does not get exposed to pornographic materials? It happens in the exploration years. From puberty to adulthood. But all males in Fiji do not become serial rapists. All males in Fiji do not become sexual predators. Does each and every sexual crime committed in Fiji by members of the male population have a history of prolonged pornographic exposure? I am not advocating for pornography, but do we have the necessary data which concludes without debate that pornography is a catalyst for sexual crimes in Fiji? It could be, but where is the evidence? Has there ever been a research in Fiji which contains two groups of males (first which continually gets exposed to pornographic materials and the second has no exposure) to study their sexual behaviour towards the female population? I think sexual crimes were being committed in Fiji, but they were not being reported as it is happening now. If we combine the views from both sides, we could potentially have a solution in reducing sexual crimes in Fiji. MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF Natabua, Lautoka
New Zealand PM’s visit
NEW Zealand, like Fiji, is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The difference though is New Zealand has commissioned a cost benefit analysis showing the likely impact of this policy on their economy. Fiji has not even spoken of how a carbon neutral policy will impact our economy yet the Fiji government expects bipartisan support in Parliament to a proposed Climate Change Bill that will impose significant costs on the economy. But nobody talks about this, not the Opposition, not business interest groups nor citizens’ consumer groups. Such is the nature of Fiji democracy. According to an article by Danish climate change researcher Bjorn Limborg published in The Australian newspaper of January 31, 2020, the New Zealand study shows a carbon neutral policy by 2050 will cost 16 per cent of the nation’s economy, or $US5 trillion ($F11 trillion) across the century. And It will reduce temperatures by only four thousandth of a degree by 2100. Fiji, as a small island state, has minuscule carbon emissions by comparisons and the effect of our zero carbon emission by 2050 policy will have no impact whatsoever on global emissions yet the government and carbon alarmists expect the public and businesses to absorb all additional costs without protest. New Zealand’s is one of the world’s largest producers of wool and lamb meat. That country’s biggest green house gas emitters are its trillions of sheep who burp out methane gas into the atmosphere. Ms Jacinta Ardern, who will be visiting Fiji this week, has not stood back from criticising Australia for not cutting back on its main export, coal, because of coal’s alleged damage to the climate, It will be interesting to hear her solution to cutting back on her country’s main export, wool and lamb meat to reduce the harmful effect on the climate of methane burping live sheep. And we can only hope our government will follow New Zealand’s lead and commission a cost benefit analysis of our proposed Climate Change Bill and the zero emissions policy so citizens are informed of the costs of such policies on the economy. SEMI TAWAKE Field 40, Lautoka
Disposable eTransport cards
VODAFONE says there is a shortage of disposable eTransport cards and this is because of the coronavirus in China. This may go for three or four months or even longer depending on how quickly they can control the disease. If worse comes to worse, then we should allow people to pay cash to overcome this unforeseen problem. The Government must act now so that the public do not face inconvenience in the last minute. NARDEO MISHRA Suva
A life of opposites
Life always has two sides which are opposites or poles apart, for instance, there is dumb and there is smart, there is also black and there is white, there is day and then there is night, there is happy and there is sad, there is obviously good and there is bad, there is life and there is death, there is always love and then there is hate, there is full and there is empty, there is of course little and there is always plenty, what comes first becomes last. and what comes last becomes first, having opposites, ensures that things are really whole and completed, without opposites, things will never end and often repeated. EDWARD BLAKELOCK Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Sports awards
THE national sports award organised by the Fiji Sports Council in conjunction with the Sports Commission of Fiji and FASANOC needs to tell the public its selection criteria in determining who gets the award, especially the premier award of sportsman and sportswoman. Many, like this writer, would presume selection for the top awards should be based on achievements at the three level of competitions; at national, regional and international competitions. Athletes need to show consistency of performance, either as individual or in team sport, at these three levels of competitions to attain the pinnacle of national sports award. I am afraid, the recent award night, officials, in my humble view fails to scrutinise nominees’ competitiveness and achievements based on the three levels of competitions. I would also suggest for future awards we should try make awards for individual sports and one for those of team sports or differentiate minor sports from the major ones. There is a great disparity in sports achievements among our various sports organisations and they cannot be measured using the same rating scale. Some minor sports only compete in national and regional competitions such as the Pacific Games and Arafua Games and they hardly make it to international-sanctioned competitions, while team sports like rugby, netball and football play year in and year out in international competitions. So to put them all (individual and team sports) in one basket and pick the winner maybe is unfair and unjustified to some sports. I would also suggest, judges for future sports award night should be made public for everyone to know and their involvement in the judging panel should be made well in advance for transparency sake. On the same note, organisers of the sports award night should try and involve sports journalists in your panel of judges. These sports journalists have great in-depth knowledge of all sports played in Fiji and they follow sports more than those in sports administrations. Officials could also see they rotate the master/mistress of ceremonies for the award nights. There is no harm at all to try out new MCs who are out there who can come out with their own style of officiating, instead of watching and listening to the same old commentaries. Maybe try out some of your past winners from yesteryear award nights to do the MC role. I know they have something under their sleeve to show the audience which could create a terrific atmosphere for all sports people gathered under one roof for only one night in a year. Congratulations to the 2019 sports award winners. You rightly deserved to be acknowledged and congratulated for your hardwork and sacrifice. ILAITIA BOSE, Suva
Finance security
VIJAY Naidu informs us that “it took a post-coup regime to deprive FNPF contributors of financial security in their old age” (FT 22/2 ). That’s true. It’s also true that it took a post-coup regime to consolidate some people’s financial security well beyond their wildest dream. A not uncommon phenomenon in post-coup regimes. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, Australia
Military coup
TREASON is the charge for the military personnel who remove a democratic government. What is the charge for lawyers who assist the military personnel. DAN URAI Lautoka
Police dominate
AT the Nawaka 7s tournament over the weekend, it was an all-police final. After Police Blue scored a try, there was a swift reply from Police White. The referee called the two captains and spoke to them. I will rely on hearsay, “don’t make it too obvious”. MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF Natabua, Lautoka
Race card
SO Mr Sudhakar starts to play the race cards again. What happened to the statement where everybody was forced to be called Fijians. Looks like some government ministers still prefer to be called by other races (Indians and kailomas). I am just wondering what the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimation Commission got to say about this outburst. Stop this racism now please. JOHN BROWN Drasa Vitongo, Lautoka
Garbage rates
THERE was an advertisement in a newspaper that about 100 per cent of the 200 per cent extra garbage rates will be refunded to the Labasa ratepayers. I have rang the council and visited them for the past two weeks and have been told that the refund forms are being printed in Suva. Could the good minister, who raised the garbage rates, let us know through this column when will we get our refund. SUKHA SINGH Labasa
Indo-Fijian 7s
I WAS more glued to my TV set during the Indo-Fijian 7s final between Suva and Nadi rather than the main cup final between the two police teams. The Indo-Fijian Suva team really displayed quality rugby and free flowing play that mesmerised the audience at Prince Charles Park. They had it all — fitness, speed and strength — that proved too much for their counterparts. My choice for player of the match would either be the prop forward or winger for Suva. They both were at the top of their game yesterday and their performances were noteworthy. I urge all future 7s tournament organisers to include the Indo-Fijian category in their respective tournaments as it adds fun and excitement. Mate saraga na ilavo. ALIPATE TUBERI Suva
