Football and drugs do not mix
WITH this year’s FMF Inter-district Championship (IDC) reaching the final day of pool matches today, the message driven by the parent body must be clear — football and drugs do not go together. FFA must drive this clear message and come hard on players who test positive for drugs. It’s rather embarrassing that two goalies from two prominent districts tested positive for drugs. Apart from suspending the players who test positive for drugs from the tournament, counselling sessions must be organised for them. These players are young and have a long way to go. The use of drugs will demolish their football career and push them into the evil world. Players must not rely on drugs, but their own skills and fitness to survive football tournaments and the national league. Day one of the FMF IDC went well and Labasa fans were on cloud nine as the Babasiga Lions outmuscled hosts Suva 2-1 to win their opening match. A big vinaka vakalevu to our reporters John Tabore, Vereimi Wara, Mereseini Dakunivosa and Alana Elbourne and photographer Jona Konataci for adding spice to the sports pages with the stories and colorful pictures. On the other hand, Raymond ‘The Greatest’ Stoddart continues to touch hearts with those delicious commentaries! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Balgovind Rd, Nadawa, Nasinu
Consultation first
MANY people are criticising NFP’s second reading vote without understanding the process. Supporting the Bill at second reading was not approving the final Constitution, it was allowing the Bill to proceed so the people could be consulted and heard. Had NFP voted against it, the process could have ended there, denying Fijians the opportunity to participate. The real issue is not the second reading vote, but whether the Government will allow genuine consultation or rush the process. If we opposed the 2013 Constitution for being rushed, we should not repeat the same mistake today. AVENAI SERUTABUA Nabukelevu Village, Serua
The illusion of choice
THERE is one important issue voters should clearly understand. Whether Fiji adopts the proposed new constitution or retains the 2013 Constitution, the immunity provisions remain. So, on immunity, voters are effectively being offered the same outcome either way. This matters because a person may support the new constitution, but oppose immunity. Another may prefer the 2013 Constitution and also oppose immunity. Yet, neither choice allows that view to be expressed separately. The RFMF Commander has called for immunity to be removed, and the Constitutional Review Commission also recommended its removal. So the real questions are:
Can immunity legally be removed?; and
Should Fiji’s future constitution contain immunity at all?
These are different questions. A vote for either constitution should not automatically be taken as a vote in favour of immunity. That issue deserves its own clear national discussion. NOLEEN BILLINGS Savusavu
Holding power to account
IN his letter “India’s democracy under protest” Rakesh Chand Sharma makes the spurious assertion that the protesters are undermining India’s democracy (FT 6/10). He says nothing about the reason for the latest protest by thousands of youths and opposition parties. We get that in the report by Aljazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters (Mass protests demanding poll chief resignation shake India for third day, Oct 4, 2026). Protesters say the election commission’s voter-roll revision has removed millions of eligible voters to benefit PM Modi. Now it would seem instead of undermining India’s democracy the protesters are holding power to account to uphold India’s democracy as it was originally conceived by the founding fathers. But as a well-known Modi supporter Rakesh Chand Sharma’s rant against the protesters is understandable. He stands up for India PM Narendra Modi’s political rule which is widely analysed by scholars and political scientists as a form of ethnonationalism rooted in Hindutva (Hindu nationalism), shifting India toward a defacto ethnic democracy. The protesters guard against that shift in India’s democracy. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, NSW, Australia
Questions over legal basis
THE 2013 Constitution is clear. It can not be suspended, abrogated or amended except through the prescribed constitutional procedures. Under the Supreme Court’s 2025 opinion, constitutional amendments require at least two thirds of all MPs at the relevant parliamentary readings and approval by a majority of voters in a referendum. I believe since it is the Supreme Court’s opinion, it has to become law first before the Government can bring Constitution Amendment Bills to Parliament. The opinion is not law as yet. My question is: Has the Government done the right thing in bringing the Constitutional Amendment Bills to Parliament? In my view, clearly not. The Prime Minister and the Acting Attorney-General must explain on what legal basis they have brought constitutional Bills to Parliament and the Speaker of Parliament needs to explain on what legal basis he has allowed readings of the Constitution Amendment Bills. The Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, has said the Supreme Court’s opinion has to become law first before taking amendment Bills to Parliament. I am wondering why the Opposition Leader and others have not raised the issue of the legality of bringing constitutional amendment bills to Parliament by Government. Can we hear from the Fiji Law Society and constitutional lawyers on the issue. This is a serious issue. People need to speak up. Silence is deadly. I urge the Leader of Opposition and other parties to take the matter to the High Court to halt amendments to the Constitution. RAJ KUMAR Vinod Place, Vatuwaqa
Who are they fighting for
THE three-wheeler Coalition Government is more focused and tied up on proposing Bills and making amendments they see fit as a priority and to protect those that have committed the highest crime of any nation while the people are fighting and losing to the HIV epidemic, drugs crisis, corruption, costs of living etc. AREKI DAWAI Maharaj Place, Samabula
Secure borders
BORDER security is national security. How secure is our border? Not very secure I’d presume after the illegal entry of Asian subterranean termites in late 2009 and now synthetic hard drugs that is turning our tropical paradise into a narcotics playground. Sobo! WISE MUAVONO Hedstrom Pl, Balawa,
Lautoka Fast-track Bills
THE way Government fast- tracked some Bills to get the things done really baffles me. Imagine if the same can be done to upgrade our health system, roads, water and unemployment. Wow! Many long-standing issues could have been solved within weeks. Maybe some political parties can fast-track ideas to get the things done. NARAYAN REDDY Lautoka
Coalition politics
IT has been clear all along that the NFP has allowed itself to be used as part of the Coalition Government to push the Prime Minister’s agenda. I believe the leader of the NFP is still in denial for self-preservation purposes. What more is there to say about the rest of the NFP? JAN NISSAR Sydney, NSW
Burning fingers
THE PM should’ve understood the idiom “to burn one’s fingers” thoroughly before suggesting to the Electoral Commission to suspend general election campaigning. My 2c advice (without adding any zeroes) is that let us not turn this Constitution Amendment Bill pathways into a messy situation. RAKESH CHAND SHARMA Nadi
Timeless warning
TODAY’S Quote in The Fiji Times (FT 7/10 ) features Mahatma Gandhi: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” His quote is a timely reminder in light of the catastrophic climate change crisis confronting planet earth and humanity. The crisis is ultimately the result of human greed in pursuit of profit over people and the environment. Will the current climate conferences arrest this trend? That’s the big question. It hasn’t thus far. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, NSW, Australia
Missing exhibits
THE recent developments in the missing cocaine exhibit case is a typical reactive approach. It is nothing short of another firefighting exercise. The whole focus is now centered on who is responsible and not why it happened and what allowed it to happen. We are sending people home to allow the investigation to take its course. But even if they are eventually removed can we guarantee that the problem is fixed. And the corrupt elements will not infiltrate the system again. It is very clear that the integrity of the internal systems including recruitment of personnel has been compromised. The security should have been beefed up within the registry immediately after the drug exhibits started disappearing from police custody. If it was another country heads would be rolling now. But then in Fiji we believe in forgiveness. A writer rightfully posed the question: what happened to the money from the sale of the cocaine. It is estimated that something like $30 million could be floating in the local economy. Some will be laundered into clean money through the formal economy. So where is this money. It reminds me of a common Hindi idiom used for such mysterious disappearance. It goes like this: “Aasman kha gaya ya zameen nigal gayi’”. The literal translation of which means: Did the sky eat them up or did the earth swallow them. The public is eagerly waiting to see how much of the loot is sniffed out and recovered. SELWA NANDAN Lautoka
Domestic violence
THE persistence of domestic violence in Fiji remains one of the most serious human rights issues. A national study by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre found that about 64 per cent of women who had been in a relationship experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner. This is among the highest rates in the world. Behind this figure are mothers, daughters and sisters, and children who grow up witnessing violence in their own homes. Fiji has laws such as the Domestic Violence Act and policies like the Police “No Drop” policy. However, many survivors still hesitate to report abuse because of fear, shame, financial dependence, or the belief that such matters should remain private. Some are discouraged by cultural attitudes that tolerate violence or pressure families to reconcile instead of seeking protection. I respectfully urge the relevant authorities and stakeholders to take the following steps:
Ensure the consistent enforcement of existing laws, including faster processing of protection orders;
Increase funding for crisis centres, shelters and counselling services, particularly in rural and maritime areas; and
Expand community awareness programmes through schools, churches, villages and workplaces to challenge harmful attitudes.
Every person has the right to live freely from violence. Protecting that right is the responsibility of all of us. SHYAL NANDANI Makoi, Nasinu
