33-year-old ghost buried RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU 1993 was the year in which Queen Victoria School last won the Fiji Finals boys title. After 33 painful years, the boys in blue bagged the overall boys title amidst tears of joy and emotions running high. A lot of credit goes to the athletes, their families and teachers, and the coaching panel of QVS. I salute the Pacific Track King Banuve Tabakaucoro for his distinguished efforts with the Tailevu school. QVS dominated on the tracks and the relays. QVS old scholars were emotional as the Coca- Cola Games boys title headed to Nukuvuto after three decades plus. Banuve is an old scholar of Marist Brothers High School and his service to QVS will be talked about, but the boys in blue gave everything that they had in the tank as they rewrote history, storming back into the schools athletics limelight. On the other hand, as predicted, MGM High School recorded a hattrick, while Adi Cakobau School finished second. This time around, the girls division was a bit more competitive. Congratulations to both QVS and MGM for the sterling and brave victories! I’m so happy for QVS!
Land lease VIJAY P MADHAVAN SUVA THANK you Ro Naulu Mataitini (FT 2/5) for your enlightening article on the land issues in Fiji including lease payment amounts, the iTLTB and the lessees.
2026 Nobel Prize RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA SOME 287 candidates will be considered for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, with US President Donald Trump likely to be among the nominees (Reuters 2/5/26 ). How can Trump not be when the megalomaniac narcissist has compared himself to Jesus!
Legislation review DAN URAI LAUTOKA REVIEW the laws to strengthen the fight against drugs. Singapore is a good example of enacting laws to protect its people against drugs lords and drug pushers.
How much is enough? PAUL FORREST SAWENI, LAUTOKA I HAVE a simple question. If over 10,000 signatures, 1283 submissions, the deputy PM, cabinet ministers (some willing to lose their jobs), landowners, tourism leaders, community residents, and diaspora from around the world, (AKA the largest environmental protest ever in Fiji), cannot stop a waste import and burn project dead in its tracks, what can?
Child and drug abuse ARVIND MANI USA IT is common knowledge that half of all child abuse cases in Fiji are carried out by immediate family members when we would like to think that children are safest in their own homes. This was revealed by Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, during the opening of the National Action Plan on the Elimination of Violence Against Children validation workshop in Suva on April 29. She said the high incidence of child abuse demanded urgent action. Also, violence against children continued behind closed doors in both rural and urban communities. The data showed 50 per cent of perpetrators were immediate family members, while 68 per cent of reported cases involved neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. The statistics also revealed that nearly 5000 cases of child abuse were reported between 2021 and 2023. More than half of the victims were girls, and many were under the age of 12. She said that the systems meant to protect children were not always working together. She made a very important point when she said – “Our children are not being failed because people do not care.” “They are being failed because systems do not always connect. And when systems fail to connect, children fall through the gaps.” The workshop aimed to strengthen the national response, bringing together government agencies, civil society groups, and community leaders to develop a coordinated plan to end violence against children. But Ms Kiran said even though laws such as the Child Care and Protection Act 2024 and the Child Justice Act 2024 had provided stronger direction, mere legislation alone was not enough. While Ms Kiran is to be commended for her concern about this serious matter, what really irks me is that there is never any follow-through — as with other problems like drug use in schools and domestic violence. In 2010, 67 per cent of women were victims of domestic violence. There have been numerous meetings and workshops about reducing domestic violence. Now about 70 per cent of women are victims of domestic violence. Drug use is rampant in schools. About 10 years ago, I was discussing this with my niece and she said that a worldclass university in California was offering a solution to this urgent and pressing problem. She sent me a comprehensive program provided by this university that could be adapted to the high schools in Fiji. I contacted the Ministry of Education in Fiji about this. I even offered to prepare a PowerPoint presentation on preventing drug abuse which could be shown in all schools. I was disappointed that they did not even bother to respond. What I do not understand is that we have all these meetings and workshops and act like we are going to solve all issues the next day. Ten years later, it is the same or worse. All talk and no action. But I am an eternal optimist and hope the present government would be more action-oriented. I am in the US now and have contacted the university that is willing to help as drug abuse is an existential and consequential issue. Upon my return, I want to approach the new PS for Education and see if he shows any interest.
Silent killer DEWAN CHAND NAMADI HEIGHTS, SUVA FIJI has the grim distinction of being the most diabetes-affected country among the fourteen island nations of the Pacific. This is no small matter. One in every three Fijians is diabetic. Soaring limb amputations, at 1,200 per annum, are mind-boggling. Diabetes has been branded a lifestyle disease. Increased economic prosperity has led to immense changes in eating and drinking habits. It has encouraged a sedentary lifestyle, reduced physical activity, and being glued to sofas and armchairs, air-conditioned offices and bedrooms. Travelling by luxury vehicles instead of walking or cycling, getting hooked on mobile phones, and playing video games instead of going out onto the playing field and into the open air. Children too quickly get attuned to lackadaisical lifestyle – reduced physical activity, eating processed foods loaded with salt, sugar and food preservatives which contain chemicals. Consuming processed fast foods and drinking sweetened aerated drinks has led to obesity in children. Thus high calorie foods & drinks lead to diabetes. The advent of television, smart phones and rapid increase in digital communications technology has enabled the multi-national companies to use high powered advertisements to brainwash children. They sponsor sporting events in their name and get the children to consume their processed foods and sweetened drinks. This leads to habit formation and children get hooked to these unhealthy products. The family unit has the responsibility to set standards of good eating, drinking and active lifestyles. Parents and elders in the family must become good role models. They must educate their children early in life. Pampering and listening to all their tantrums must not be encouraged. Diabetes management is not easy. We have witnessed sad stories of people having their limbs amputated, kidney failure, high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes etc. All these conditions apply huge pressure on families and the healthcare systems which in many cases cannot cope. Gestational diabetes rising amongst young mothers is a matter of great concern. More and more young people are getting obese and diabetic. This is not a pretty picture. There seems to be a lack of political will to treat the diabetes scourge as a serious matter. Look at the NDC (National Diabetes Centre) at the CWM Hospital. It is housed in a dilapidated wooden building lacking in proper facilities for the staff and patients. No proper toilets, no proper seating arrangements, no proper parking for vehicles. It is simply a disgrace. Fiji faces many risks: escalating healthcare costs, high cost of hospitalisation, increased amputations, high cost of dialysis, loss of productivity and intergenerational impact. Diabetes in Fiji has reached epidemic proportions and the government must deal with it urgently. We are looking at a national health crisis – diabetes the silent killer.
Self-serving lot RAJEND NAIDU SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA WHEN it comes to paying civil servants for overtime, the government claims it has financial constraints. When it comes to paying themselves a 130% plus pay rise, hefty travel allowances, and other perks, there are no financial constraints. Is it any wonder they are described as a self-serving lot?
Price hike MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF NATABUA, LAUTOKA WHEN I recently saw the long lines near the fuel outlets due to the fuel price hike, I could hear silent shouts of “mayday”
