Letters to the Editor – Friday, April 12, 2019

Listen to this article:

Aisea Nasili all the way from Nacavanadi , Gau showing his banner that he took to Hong Kong. Picture: JONA KONATACI

Hong Kong dream comes true

The article by Aqela Susu (FT 11/04) was a beauty.

Aqela reported about 73-year-old passionate Gau yaqona farmer Aisea Nasili who started his journey to Suva in a fibreglass boat to prepare for his much-anticipated trip to watch our boys play in HK.

It had been Nasili’s dream to watch the HK 7s and through his hard work our senior citizen was able to fulfil his dream.

The fact that it was Nasili’s first trip overseas and that to Hong Kong brought back memories of my first trip overseas in 2013 to HK where I attended a workshop organised by ILO at Eaton Hotel.

Indeed HK’s hospitality and the shopping markets are awesome and I’m sure that Nasili enjoyed his stay in the paradise.

It’s also my dream to watch my boys play at the Mecca of 7s and just like Nasili I’m sure that one day I’ll be in HK cheering my heart out for our national 7s team.

Thank you Aqela Susu for the beautiful article!

Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam, Nadawa, Nasinu

Nasili’s dream

If there is one story to narrate for generations it has to be your front page article on Aisea Nasili and his dream come true to visit Hong Kong and watch our boys play and win.

The 73-year-old never lost hope and kept his dream alive travelling in his boat for two hours to reach Suva and make the dream.

The Gau native continues the strong legacy of our wizard of sevens Waisale Serevi and robust speedy winger Marika Vunibaka both true Gau sons that have graced HK and carved their names.

Vinaka Aisea.

At 73 you have proven old is gold just like our The Fiji Times still running strong full speed no brake.

Joka na cauravou mai Gau.

Joka Viti kei na vuravura.

Shalwyn Prasad, Mukta Ben Place, Nabua, Suva

Conscience of the nation

On Saturday, April 11, 2015, my letter titled “Conscience of the nation” appeared in this column of The Fiji Times.

The letter mentioned that “on Thursday, April 9, 2009; and likewise ….on Friday, April 10, 2009, two completely opposing decisions and actions took place in our beloved nation.

“These two opposing decisions and actions are haunting the conscience of our nation so far.

“They will continue to haunt us and affect our positive development and growth in different aspects of life unless we reconcile them properly and in a godly manner.”

These opposing decisions and actions are the Fiji Court of Appeal landmark decision, made public on Thursday, April 9, 2009, on the Qarase vs Bainimarama Civil Appeal No. ABU 0077 of 2008; and the purported removal, revocation and abrogation of the 1997 Constitution of Fiji on Good Friday, 10 April, 2009.

The Constitution which we in our stated conclusion in the Preamble of the said Constitution declared: “With God as our witness, give ourselves this constitution.”

At the conclusion of my letter, I urged the Bainimarama Government to put right our conscience as a nation by publicly stating to us in clear legal terms the current legal status of the two decisions and actions.

No public statement ever made by the Bainimarama Government to date on the matter.

On April 9, and on April 10, 2019, we note the 10th anniversary of the two opposing decisions and actions.

It is also important for me to let the nation know that on June 5, 2016, I wrote to HE the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, Major General (Retired) Jioji Konusi Konrote, to inform me in clear terms the legal status of these two decisions and actions.

On September 12, 2016, I received an interim reply from the private secretary of HE the President.

The reply informed me that my letter had been referred to the Office of the Solicitor-General for an appropriate legal advice for HE the President.

Pita K Nacuva, Namadi, Tamavua, Suva

Wireless technology

The 5th Generation cellular wireless technology or 5G is now being rolled out in cities in the US and Europe and spreading so fast that it is way ahead of schedule.

I understand that Fiji will soon be close to becoming 5G ready.

There is obviously great interest and excitement in the capacity, reach and speed of this new technology and how it will virtually change the way we do things.

I am told that it will be 100 times stronger than the current 4G.

I understand that a much greater number of 5G towers and antennas will have to be installed everywhere to support it, meaning that there will be stronger and more focused transmission waves being beamed all around us and obviously going through our bodies 24/7.

How safe will 5G really be?

I know we cannot stop the inevitability of its introduction, but I just hope that we will have the necessary health and safety precautions in place and that the public is made fully aware of everything about this technology.

Edward Blakelock, Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour

Heartache and memory

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.

Love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Wise Muavono, Balawa, Lautoka

Big reward

Jerry Tuwai played in five consecutive wins at Hong Kong and the FRU wants to reward him and so might the Government and many other people.

Right now the biggest reward for Tuwai is that he is the only player in the world who has played five consecutive finals at Hong Kong and won them all.

He could have moved on to an overseas club and earned a lot of money but he stayed back for Fiji, what a great guy.

I hope I can just shake hands with him one day and say thank you to him.

Sukha Singh, Labasa

Smarten up

The boys will have to smarten up on the goalkicking as it can make the difference — literally.

In the meantime, they need to score under the post, or as near to it as possible, just to make the kick easier.

Every centimetre towards the post counts.

Score with a stretched out left hand on the right-hand side and with a stretched right hand on the left-hand side.

Try not to aim for the corner flag this time.

Seven is always better than five.

Good luck boys.

No pressure!

Edward Blakelock, Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour

Police officers

I have noticed that police officers are out on the roads in numbers.

They are booking drivers for speeding, other traffic infringements and vehicle defects.

This may make our roads a little bit safer.

This also means much-needed revenue for our government.

Mohammed Imraz Janif, Natabua, Lautoka

Historic moments

The sevens team created history in Hong Kong winning their fifth consecutive tournament, Israel’s PM created history in Israel winning his fifth consecutive election.

Coincidence?

Maybe!

Dan Urai, Lautoka

Sevens team

Whenever I see Serevi near our 7s team, I get worried!

A. Shariff Shah, Savusavu

Congratulations in order

Well done Fiji sevens team for the win in Hong Kong last weekend.

Congratulations Jerry Tuwai for having played in all those five consecutive wins.

I’d also like to congratulate the men behind the scenes.

I’m reliably informed that team medic William Koong and trainer Naca Cawanibuka have also been part of the winning Fiji team in Hong Kong for those five years.

Well done William and Naca!

Kiniviliame Keteca, Nausori

Jerry Tuwai

The performance of Jerry I adore,

Every time I want to watch him more,

For he does his best to give us tries galore,

Whether he is fit or a bit sore.

Cast in stone will appear his name,

Not only for the win but the way he played the game,

Small in stature, he continues to tame,

He has put many giants to shame.

Training, playing in scorching sun,

His work rate is second to none,

To him rugby is a game and something more,

For country and people, his dreams continue to sour.

Every win has made his modesty get better,

Every loss has made his dedication get stronger,

His belief in himself, his coach, teammates and the Almighty,

Provides the catalyst needed to conquer the mighty.

We Fijians are proud of you,

We are proud of the team, for you triumphed five in a row,

To you sir, the team and the coach, we graciously bow,

May you, our little Jerry, prosper in leaps and bounds,

And continue to conquer more hunting grounds.

Go Fiji, go.

Arun Prasad, Dilkusha, Nausori

We believe we will win

The five-year-in-a-row victory in Hong Kong is to be expected.

All of Fiji’s 7s teams have always lifted their game at So-Kon Po.

However, it’s the consistency to reach the Cup finals at every leg of the 2019 7s Series that is the problem.

USA 7s does not have half the natural talent of the Fiji 7s team and yet they have finished in the top three of every 7s leg in the 2019 7s Series so far!

They have played simple 7s rugby — defend diligently and capitalise on all their scoring chances each and every time.

For the Fiji 7s team, we can do exactly what USA 7s is doing by playing Fiji’s brand of 7s rugby in this leg of the series.

We have won the first tournament — Hong Kong. For Singapore, we should now revert to “touch rugby” 7s.

On attack, never commit to be tackled.

Just keep the ball flowing with six players running scissor formations and to score on every possession they have!

Most importantly on defence, every one-on-one tackle must count.

And Baber should rotate and change his players consistently.

The rest of the 12/13 players selected are just as good as the first seven!

Changing and rotating the team at every game will give each player the chance to showcase their talents and instil in them the self-respect that they need to have to be the very best, as all former Fijian 7s players before them.

Just my two-cents worth, noting Fiji’s progress in this 2019 World 7s Series. Baber understands that he has 12/13 of Fiji’s best 7s players and they are the best in the World!

Why constrain the team to only seven or nine best players?

Let all of them loose!

Take up the cry of Marc Antony in that English literature classic of Julius Ceasar, “…cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”

Toso Viti — We believe we will win!

Epeli Rabua, Tamavua, Suva

Array
(
    [post_type] => post
    [post_status] => publish
    [orderby] => date
    [order] => DESC
    [update_post_term_cache] => 
    [update_post_meta_cache] => 
    [cache_results] => 
    [category__in] => 1
    [posts_per_page] => 4
    [offset] => 0
    [no_found_rows] => 1
    [date_query] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [after] => Array
                        (
                            [year] => 2023
                            [month] => 12
                            [day] => 28
                        )

                    [inclusive] => 1
                )

        )

)

No Posts found for specific category