The festival of Eid!
Yesterday, Fiji’s Muslim community joined hands with the iTaukei, Hindus and other denominations to celebrate the festival of Eid, the most widely celebrated festival in Islam which means peace, purity, acceptance, and commitment. Muslims completed one month of fasting which was about self-control, purifying behaviour, giving charity, and doing virtuous deeds. Yesterday, Muslims thanked Allah for having given them the will, the strength, and the endurance to observe the month of fasting. I thank God for the provisions that he has made for Fijians. I count it a blessing to have celebrated Palm Sunday and Easter with my Christian brothers and sisters, Holi and Ram Naumi with my Hindu brothers and sisters, and Eid with my Muslim brothers and sisters. These religious events brought the diverse races in our beloved Fiji under the roof of unity and love. I am confident this will strengthen mutual goodwill, peace, and harmony! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak to all our Muslim brothers and sisters in Fiji and abroad. I am always amazed to see my students abstain from food and water throughout the day. It is a testament to the upbringing of their parents, instilling strong faith in Allah. May this Eid bring joy, peace, and blessings to you and your loved ones. RODNEY CLARENCE RAJ Naleba, Labasa
Night flight
To my brother Sukha Singh, I understand how frustrated you are that no one is answering your queries that you have time and again posted through this column. I would love to add another to the growing list of yours. I did write about the above but never got my answers too. I wonder what happened to the above night flights at Waiqele Airport. A SHARIFF SHAH Savusavu
Water disruptions
Was approval granted by the utility service providers (EFL, WAF, FINTEL etc) before that recent drilling was done? If yes — then the driller would also have access to the location of utility lines — how is it that the driller drilled straight into a main water supply line? Now, on top of the current inlet blockages, Suva residents, businesses, schools etc., will have to suffer even longer without a regular water supply. Something seems really amiss here. Whenever the supply of a basic necessity of life is disrupted by irresponsible or unlawful actions, someone should seriously be taken to task. Edward Blakelock Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Quality test
It is really promising to hear from the Minister for Public Works, that road construction materials have to be “quality tested”. Within the past years, in my view, the road deterioration time, after construction and maintenance, has been shocking. Even the road surface demarcation was substandard. And with the inclusion of quality assurance to monitor the specifications, our road quality standards should be reinstated, accordingly. The FFP had this in place during its tenure, but the process was not professionally administered. There seemed to be no regulation and boundary to uphold the process. In the taking of responsibility, the ball is now in the Coalition Government’s court. Samu Silatolu Nakasi
Tougher laws
The three-legged government needs to immediately introduce tougher drug laws if it is to attempt to hold back the tide of supercharged opioids swirling through Fiji’s illicit drug supply. What else are they waiting for ? The return of Christ? Dou! Wise Muavono Balawa, Lautoka
Column contributions
In this digital age, contributions to this column regularly comes from (Fiji) Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Ovalau and Taveuni only. Mohammed Imraz Janif Natabua, Lautoka
Water woes
FCCC denied the submission from WAF to increase water rates last year. Is it mere coincidence that we are having so much disruptions in water supply especially to the main highly populated Suva area along with CWM Hospital? A whopping $3b is needed to cater for the water woes and guess who will pay for it now if not for smart borrowing? Vikel V Lal Nasinu
Crocodile tussle
What do you think of Mahendra Chaudhry writing a letter to our PM Rabuka to advise him on who should be replacing Acting SoE Ana Mataiciwa when the Barbara Malimali allegations surfaced? When a person is not asked for an opinion, one may call that a delusional malfunction. Oh, he loves poking his nose into others’ business. Mr Chaudhry should know that anything which involves Government is the prerogative of PM Rabuka and the Constitutional Officers Commission in this matter. FLP has not won any of our last four elections or a single seat in Parliament because he is not worthy as seen by the majority of eligible voters in Fiji including that of Unity Fiji’s Savenaca Narube who is no longer relevant. The big boys in our Coalition are very well placed and are highly qualified in running government so they do not need outside input or interference. Now, our Coalition Government seems to be busy spending more taxpayers monies and this is very sad indeed as time and again a court case after another one in our Magistrate’s Court, Police or FICAC reports and investigations, in our High Court, Appeals Court including our Supreme Court. But what are we trying to achieve Fiji? Or do we see this as the dawn of a new political culture, but interestingly Fiji will soon be subjected to a crocodile tussle during our soon to be National Budget debate session. Very interesting what the outcome will be? TUKAI LAGONILAKEBA Nadi
Levuka mayor
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud after reading Sukha Singh’s letter in the LTE column titled ‘What about Levuka?’ (FT 11/04) Indeed, Anthony Sahai would be the best candidate for the Levuka Town Mayor come the municipal council polls. Isa, our Old Capital! DINESH KUMAR Ba
Underground pipes
Can the Water Authority of Fiji replace all underground water pipes? Even after a land slide it took a very long time to replace a broken pipe! Sukha Singh Labasa
Students’ behaviour
A concerned citizen raised a valid point when he commented on a social media platform about school students’ unruly behaviour after a zonal athletic competition. He wrote: “Kids born after 2000 and then after 2010 are the most law breakers and uncontrollable”. I do agree with him, but I must also say those behaviours might be from the sins of our fathers of the events of 2000 and 2006 if you get my drift! AREKI DAWAI Maharaj Pl, Suva
Drug issue
So, how good is our control at the border asks my good old mate Navneet Ram TD? (FT 11/04) Well mate, the border control is tight as always with a few holes, rather moles, here and there. Time to patch up with some local culacula! DINESH KUMAR Ba
Special administrator
I refer to Sukha Singh’s letter (FT 02/04), posing a question to honourable Biman Prasad, about why a small town such as Labasa, has three special administrators. Subsequently, our much smaller historical and world heritage town of Levuka, has one so-called ‘Special Administrator’, two assistants and one CEO. Despite such a ‘high profile team’ (sigh), no one seems to even have a clue about how to address the stray dogs issue in town, let alone get rid of them, blocked drains, uncovered manholes, litter issues, potholes, etc. As we love to say in Levuka, “too good”. Anthony Sahai Levuka, Ovalau
Tackle harder
My advice to the Drua team. Tackle harder, in the rib cage when the opposition play dirty and the man in charge is turning a blind eye. This way it is clean, no cards and the opposition will think twice before repeating. Edward Kumar Lautoka
Water money
The Water Authority of Fiji’s estimate to fix the country’s water infrastructure is a whopping, $3billion! With their current record of numerous water cuts during rainy periods, let alone dry ones, I do not think this will fix their current problems. What guarantee do the people of Fiji have that given the money, water cuts will be a thing of the past? This will probably be like our Health Ministry. The Government has spent billions of dollars acquiring MRI, X-ray and all different types of expensive machines and yet when patients show up, one or the other is not working! Even the technicians tasked with working the machines, either have very little knowledge of working the machines or take it for granted that they are the only ones specialised to operate the said machines and usually type out a basic and generic report that tells specialist doctors nothing. We know this because when we take MRI and X-ray reports overseas, we are told to undergo new MRI and X-ray tests and the technicians produce detailed reports with organ measurements down to the minute millimetre enabling the specialist doctors there, to give you the best treatment. And all this could be done here in Fiji if the hospital machine operators had just a fraction of the dedication and pride in their work to better look after the machines they are operating and produce actual detailed reports that will help even a general practitioner give a patient the best options for treatment. What a waste of government resources! They had our water off in Tamavua on Wednesday with the excuse that debris had blocked the Savura water pipe. It was raining all day on Tuesday. This Thursday morning, gallons of water from a burst water pipe on the main road in front of the Vodafone Offices on Princes Rd flowing like a small river. Water engineers overseas have developed mechanisms that will keep main water inflow pipes from being blocked every time it rains. This should never be an excuse this century. In a country that has one of the highest rainfall data in the South Pacific, especially this past three months, the main water level is critical, another excuse. If the Water Authority of Fiji cannot resolve just these two basic problems, then the $3billion will be water down the drain! Epeli Rabua Loloma St, Tamavua, Suva
Rice talks
Agriculture Minister Vatimi Rayalu has revealed that Fiji has a 20 per cent self sufficiency in rice production, FT 11/4. This means that the other 80 per cent is imported rice. The minister also said that local people prefer consuming the imported rice over the locally produced varieties. Well minister, with 80 per cent of the rice market dominated by imported varieties, it’s only natural for people’s preferences to lean towards those options. Perhaps the minister could explore encouraging rice farmers to cultivate the same varieties that Fiji currently imports. This strategy could significantly reduce Fiji’s dependence on imported rice and increase its self-sufficiency levels. SANJEET PRASAD Mani Rd, Bulileka, Labasa
