Open letter to the PM COLIN DEOKI MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA I WRITE to you today, not to criticise you or your Government, but to appeal to something far more powerful than politics —your humanity. This matter has no bearing on my own personal circumstances. I write solely on behalf of the approximately 1400 elderly pensioners who continue to wait for the restitution they so desperately need and deserve. Many would argue, they’ve earned this through a lifetime of hard work and contribution to our nation. Mr Prime Minister, throughout your public life you’ve shown a willingness to do what you believe is right, even when it’s invited 28/06/2026, 07:15 The Fiji Times https://edition.fijitimes.com.fj/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=e4fad093-33c6-4e8c-8f9d-b19c68c8b31a 1/3 criticism. It’s that sense of compassion and moral courage that gives me hope as I respectfully ask you to intervene on behalf of these vulnerable senior citizens. Many of them have reached a point of quiet desperation. Through personal conversations, I know some are living under immense mental and emotional stress and strain. The constant burden of financial hardship has stripped away not only their security but, in some cases, their dignity and hope. There are individuals who’ve confided thoughts so heartbreaking that I cannot, in good conscience, repeat them publicly. No elderly person who’s spent a lifetime building our communities should be left wondering how they will survive their final years. These are our mothers and fathers, our 28/06/2026, 07:15 The Fiji Times https://edition.fijitimes.com.fj/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=e4fad093-33c6-4e8c-8f9d-b19c68c8b31a 2/3 grandparents, our former teachers, labourers, nurses, farmers and public servants. They deserve to spend the twilight of their lives with dignity, not anxiety. Mr Prime Minister, I respectfully implore you to make this issue a priority. Your intervention could bring relief, restore hope and lift an unbearable weight from the shoulders of hundreds of elderly Fijians and their families. History often remembers leaders not only for the policies they introduced, but for the compassion they showed to those who had no voice of their own. I sincerely hope this will be one of those moments.
Integrity within police force RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU POLICE Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu shared that bad apples within the Fiji Police Force were acting out of personal greed rather than a lack of institutional support or poor pay (FT 23/06). Tudravu rejected claims that low wages drove rising corruption and stressed that comprehensive ethics training was already standard within the force. He maintained that individual choice ultimately dictated an officer’s integrity. The editor-in-chief of this newspaper penned a well-articulated editorial (FT 23/06), and I agree with Fred Wesley that if you want to be a police officer, then one must uphold the laws of the country. Wesley nailed the editorial with these lines: “That is the nature of the job. There can be no compromises. If you cannot handle that responsibility, then perhaps policing is not the profession for you.” While I thank our police officers for their sacrifice and the work they do, they must remember that the public places a lot of trust in them and they must return the favour by upholding laws, protecting lives and serving with integrity, fairness and courage.
Climate calamity RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA SCIENTISTS say Europe’s heatwave would not have been possible without humancaused climate change (DW News, 27/6/26). It’s nature’s way of reminding the human race that showing disregard and disrespect for environmental equilibrium and integrity has catastrophic consequences. Will the human race heed the reminder?
Zero VAT WISE MUAVONO BALAWA, LAUTOKA GOVERNMENT seems proud of the 2026- 2027 National Budget, especially the continuation of zerorated VAT on essential items, household goods and prescribed medicines, which is supposedly meant to help ease the cost of living. Not even the slightest help, because shelf prices continue to rise as international supply chain costs, global inflation and local retailer mark-ups often outpace the tax savings. Dou bula!
Nothing new JAHEED BUKSH KOROLEVU AN election budget or a failure budget? Time will tell. But for hotel workers and those paid by the hour, this is a failure budget.
Retirement funds DAN URAI LAUTOKA LEGISLATION must be considered to prevent governments from misusing and abusing members’ retirement funds. The former prime minister set a bad example during COVID-19 when he directed that members be allowed to withdraw up to $5000 of their hardearned savings, instead of the Government finding alternative ways to assist those facing hardship at the time. Today, reports indicate that the majority of workers do not have sufficient balances to provide them with a reasonable retirement.
Corrupt leadership RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA SOUTH Korea’s former First Lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to seven years in prison for bribery — accepting luxury items and jewellery in exchange for political favours and government job appointments. She is already serving a four-year sentence for a separate corruption case (DW News 27/6/26 ). She was not prosecuted because of her gender, was she? No, she was because of greed and corruption. As a political leader she abused her position of power. That should serve as lesson to all leaders.
Caretaker mode RAKESH CHAND SHARMA NADI AFTER reading through the 2026/2027 National Budget statements and reactions from our Prime Minister, Finance Minister and other Cabinet members, I can safely assume that our Coalition Government has gone into caretaker government mode. I urge the Fijian Elections Office to hasten voter card registration and prepare for the election.
Relief for duo RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU THE High Court has acquitted former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed- Khaiyum and the former Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem. Chief Justice Salesi Temo ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The ruling has brought relief to the duo and their loved ones as they went through a lot. Now that the court has spoken, we must respect the rule of law. We are not the ones to judge!
FSC debt SELWA NANDAN LAUTOKA IT is believed the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s total loan has now exceeded $500million. According to the Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh, the Government is paying $18million every year in an attempt to pay off the debt (FT 26/6). At that rate it may take more than 25 years to pay it off. Will the sugar industry still be there by then?
Christians and Fiji JAN NISSAR SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA THERE are many in Fiji who want Fiji to be declared a Christian state. These same people, along with many others, also want the word “Fijian” to be reserved solely for the First Nations people as their national identity. My understanding is that the words “Fiji”, and consequently “Fijian”, originated from a mispronunciation. They are not indigenous words, but were introduced by the vulagi. What I fail to understand is why both Christianity and the name “Fiji” are vulagi imports, yet many locals have embraced both with great passion. What exactly are these people thinking? Are their views driven by prejudice, or by a failure to recognise this historical irony? Perhaps it is a combination of both.
Please hear us ASISH VINAY PRASAD RAIWASA, SUVA FIJI Roads Authority, Land Transport Authority, and the Occupational Health & Safety Department (Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations), please organise public consultations so that you can hear us.
Rehabilitation centres ARUN PRASAD DILKUSHA, NAUSORI VINAKA vakalevu The Fiji Times for continuously bringing up the need for more modern and improved rehabilitation centres for the needy ones. I have visited St Giles Hospital on many occasions and my heart bleeds whenever I see patients there. Most of them are there because of drugs — young and old, male and female. Many seem to be living in a different world, oblivious to the realities around them. Today, the situation has worsened with more hard drugs being smuggled into Fiji. Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Afia Zahin recently said the problem faced at St Giles was chronic. Many patients now go there with multiple, overlapping challenges, including mental illness, infectious diseases and other serious medical complications linked to drug use and abuse. The Reservoir Road-based hospital seriously needs upgrading to effectively provide rehabilitation services so that patients can go back home and enjoy a normal life. Our church groups, Ramayan mandali, and business houses should earnestly join hands and help build and improve facilities at the mental hospital. The Fiji Times (15/4/23) had reported that the Korean Government had handed more than $22 million to Fiji for a new National Rehabilitation Center. Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu said the funding would cover the design and construction of a new building with 20 admission bed capacity. He had further stated the project would be carried out in five phases from 2023 to 2027. We are in mid 2026, can someone enlighten us of the progress so far?
Homeless people TAHIR ALI HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND THROUGH Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran (FT 19/6), it is heartbreaking to read that many, including seniors, are sleeping on the streets. Whose responsibility is their welfare — the Government, charitable organisations, NGOs, religious organisations, Golden Homes, or our own families? In preparation of our old age, let us start saving as we earn. The older we get, the more we should be able to enjoy our lives in our homes, not on the streets. God bless us all.
Bottom of Form
