Miracle at sea
I read the story titled ‘Miracle at sea’, and I was touched by the story shared by Lomaiviti Princess XII captain Adriano Rabolabiu (FT: 03/08) regarding the mysterious light that guided the search vessel directly to them. Ironically, the stranded crew had no flashlights or signaling tools on board. It comes as a surprise that after nearly 37 hours adrift with only life jackets and a wooden plank, the medical team was rescued after a mysterious flashing light appeared in the darkness, guiding rescuers to their location. This is the testimony of the power of prayers and having faith in the Lord during the most trying and difficult times. God’s blessings resulted in all the team members surviving the ordeal. The story of the medical team that was rescued is one of dedication and resilience and the power of unity. It also reminds those in power of the need to support not only health infrastructure but also the people and systems delivering medical services. While I applaud PM Sitiveni Rabuka for taking out time to visit the survivors at the Twomey Hospital, I believe as leader of the Coalition Government he must take responsibility to ensure that our medical personnel visiting communities on the islands are safe and secure. The mode of transportation for these medical personnel, who are frontline workers, must be a topmost priority before disaster strikes. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Ovalau champions
Ovalau’s born and bred, Eileen Cikamatana and Dan Rainibogi, both scooped weightlifting gold at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. Eileen not only snatched gold for Australia but also created a new Game’s record, while Dan smashed three Game’s records on his way to clinching gold for Fiji. Both Eileen and Dan, together with a host of other champion kai Ovalaun lifters, namely Olympians Joe Vueti, Manueli Tulo, Maria Liku, Apolonia Vaivai, Poama Qaqa, Sade Vira, Eremasi Qalibau and many more others, were nurtured in the Jungle Gym, nestled at the foothills of Ovalau’s highest Peak, ‘Na Delai Ovalau’, up in Baba, Levuka, Ovalau. The Jungle Gym is no state of the art gym. Only a tin shack with a mud surface and only basic weightlifting equipment such as simple weight plates and bars. No fancy equipment. Period. The controversial appointment of Iranian Olympic gold medalist, Hossein Tavakoli, as national coach in 2018, instead of our very own Joe Vueti, led to a major fallout and boycott by the Ovalau based lifters. The dispute resulted in athlete suspensions, internal friction within Fiji’s weightlifting community, which resulted in our golden girl, Eileen, severing ties with Weightlifting Fiji and flying across the ditch to represent Australia. I am definite, if Joe Vueti had remained as national coach, we would have had more kai Ovalau decked out in Fiji colours, scooping medals and proudly standing on victory podiums across the globe. In 2023, our very own born and bred kai Ovalau, Petero Kaniliwa, not only won powerlifting gold in the deadlift discipline at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, Germany, but also managed a bronze in the squat discipline and achieved a fourth placing in bench press. When questioned why he’d missed out on a potential third medal, he said that he’d eaten too much before the bench press event. Another legendary born and bred kai Ovalau, Paula Vidi “P-Dee”, was also part of the Special Olympics World Games qualifying event as a swimmer. He was leading way ahead in the pool and would’ve been on the same plane with Pete had he completed the race but with approximately only four metres to the tape, he decided to quit and eventually got out of the pool. When questioned about his decision, he said the water in the pool was too cold. But yes, my humble request is to the Government of the day, through the Sports Ministry and other stakeholders, to please assist us kai Ovalau, in setting up our very own public gym. We are not asking for a massive gym but an adequately sized state-of-the-art one. I reckon, a section of the Levuka Community Centre, which was recently renovated/refurbished and currently lying idle, could be utilised for such. Trust me, if such is realised, as in the past and currently, our home island of Ovalau will continue to produce champion athletes in various sports. Yes, Ovalau has proven such without gym. Imagine. Anthony Sahai Levuka, Ovalau
It’s my ball
The potential sell off of parts of FIFA’s World Cup program seemed to be an odd idea and the link to the Trump family’s in-laws didn’t clarify anything but money seemed like a likely contributor to the need for the sell off. Now there are reports that Gianni Infantino’s salary was to be £22m plus bonuses. I would be willing to do it for just the £22m because bonuses mean I would have to meet some standards. Given that google reports that the average teacher’s salary is about £44,000 this would be the equal entitlement of 500 teachers who could teach him some lessons and maybe coach a few school football teams. This is, and always was, a disaster. It was however good to see many football organisations refusing to play his game. Dennis Fitzgerald Box Hill, Vic., Australia
Compassion misdirected
Fans and celebrities have publicly expressed concern for music superstar Ariana Grande “after her latest music video showed the always petite star looking alarmingly thinner than ever. In one scene, Grande dances in costume as Sandy from the classic movie Grease, her rib bones jutting against her skin in a low-cut, off-the-shoulder top”. We are informed “the music video immediately caused fierce debate on social media” (news.com.au 3/7/26). I wonder how many of those expressing concern and debating fiercely on Grande’s alarming thin look spare a thought for the starving people, the children, in Sudan and Sub-Saharan Africa who look emaciated? Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Diplomatic talk
Donald Singh is a little upset at Australia’s comment regarding assistance and China. (FT 3/8) Please don’t take it personally Donald, that is just the language of diplomacy. Terry Hulme Yadua, Sigatoka
FijiFirst legacy
One newly-formed political party claims to continue the political legacy of the deregistered FijiFirst Party. Another newly-formed political party claims to have an endorsement by the former FijiFirst prime minister. How many more parties will claim to follow the political legacy of the deregistered FijiFirst Party? Do they find the word FijiFirst vote-catching? BHARAT MORRIS Rifle Range, Vatuwaqa, Suva
Glory to the PM
I believe that the hero in the finding of the six lost health workers who were found alive some 36 hours later is the PM. The picture of the PM with the six health workers speaks volumes of the miracle that they all were found alive, and it is obvious at least to me that it is all due to the divine intervention of the PM. Like I have always said, what will Fiji and Fijians do without him? All the glory should go to the PM. Jan Nissar Sydney, Australia
Ba win
Congrats Ba on your superb win in LA. Home or away you have made your way. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Planning platforms
Navneet Ram (TD) raises a matter which concerns us all (FT 3/8), toilet facilities in Ba Town. However, we should be careful in what we wish for. Lautoka has its never-ending saga of the swimming pool site and Sigatoka has its own long-term build of a controversial public convenience on the riverbank. When did basic engineering become so difficult? Terry Hulme Yadua, Sigatoka
FIFA plan
Manoj Lal Patel raises an important point when he asked where was Fiji FA when football federations around the world “rejected outright the ill-conceived plan to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup to private investors” (FT 3/7/26). The top dogs in Fiji FA are adept at rubbing shoulders with the FIFA boss Gianni Infantino who was behind the ill-conceived plan. Given their sychophantic relationship, I believe, Fiji FA fat cats were never going to criticise the Infantino plan. Only football federations that put the integrity of soccer first came out openly to condemn the patently absurd plan. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Certain irony!
Like many Fijians, I’ve been watching the massive political ‘makeover’ that’s taken place where the once invincible FijiFirst Party has been rebranded and become the People’s Party. There’s a certain irony in politics that’s impossible to ignore. FijiFirst built one of the toughest political regulatory systems in the nation’s history. It expected every political party to obey the law to the letter. There were no excuses. No ifs or buts! Then the wheel turned. After losing government, FijiFirst found itself trapped by the very legal framework it had created to make life difficult for others. Unable to comply with the requirements to amend its constitution, the party was deregistered. Whether people celebrate or lament its demise misses the bigger lesson and the bigger questions. When governments write laws, they should never assume they’ll hold power forever. One election can change everything. The rules you create for your opponents may one day become the chains that bind you and come back and bite you on the bum. Power is temporary. Laws have a habit of outliving politicians. Perhaps FijiFirst’s greatest political legacy is this enduring reminder: be careful what powers you give the State, because one day those powers may be exercised against you and come back to haunt you. In the end, history can be a ruthless teacher. Sometimes the most powerful judgment isn’t delivered at the ballot box but by the very laws you once wrote yourself to try and remain in power. Colin Deoki Australia
People First
The People First Party was launched in Nadi (FT 2/8/26). Its leader stated that it has roots in the collapse of the FijiFirst. And above all, it refused to compromise the faith the voters placed in it. What a political declaration! In fact, almost all of its current MPs, I believe, came into being under the FijiFirst leader’s votes. That is, they did not qualify for the 5 per cent threshold, in my opinion. Even some have defected to the Government side. Are they trustworthy? For eight years, the majority of these candidates, in my view, were governing Fiji, with “dictatorial” leadership, under Bainimarama. All the visible scenes of the people’s oppression, government’s corruption and self-enriched entertainment, I am certain, were crystal clearly observed, with records. And I believe, “two terms” of compromising the Fiji people’s freedom, safety, prosperity and development, were the “hallmark” of such leadership. They left a 92% GDP to debt ratio, in my opinion, as their political economical legacy. Do the Fiji people still need such incompetency? The writing, I am certain, is already on the wall. Justice at its best, I believe, is power correcting everything that stands against democracy. Learn to defend our democracy, by choosing wisely. Samu Silatolu Nakasi
