Fiji has Singapore 7s In sight
While we are engrossed in the festivities of the jolly season, the Fiji Airways Fiji men’s national 7s team, under the watchful eyes of head coach Osea Kolinisau, is training for this month’s Singapore 7s. Fiji is ranked second on the 2025-26 HSBC SVNS WRSS circuit with 32 points after getting back-to-back bronze medals in Dubai and Cape Town, where Fiji beat France 24-7 and 26-19, respectively. Fiji lost to the All Blacks 7s and Los Pumas 7s, 21-24 and 21-29, in the semi-finals respectively. We could have won both matches, but simple mistakes and missed tackles cost us victories. Kolinisau is racing against time, and pressure is mounting on him to win a gold medal. He has a lot of work on his plate. Communication, winning restarts, taking conversions, connecting passes and offloads, giving away unnecessary penalties, missed tackles and teamwork must be a top priority heading into the third leg. It’s important that we include some fresh legs and give a rest to those ageing legs. Let’s start with a bang in Singapore where we face Cape Town champions, South Africa, an improving Great Britain side and Spain! Teamwork and a disciplined effort will take us through. Enough of bronze — time for gold! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Bye 2025, welcome 2026
I just hope the new day of the new year will be celebrated and enjoyed by everyone and not otherwise. Leave 2025 with its pain and regrets and let’s embrace 2026 with what’s on offer as we start the journey on day one. Happy new year everyone! PITA SOROAQALI Tavua
Young now old
Once they were young, active and lively,
now they’re old, frail and needy.
Once they were the breadwinners in the family,
Now in need of support and assistance daily.
But they don’t need your tears,
after they are gone from here.
They just need your hugs and love
right now, in their sunset years.
As 2025 fades into a distant memory,
a new year will soon rear its head loudly.
Meanwhile, the young, age each day steadily,
joining the old, the frail and the needy.
So, to the elders, be always respectful,
while you still able and can.
Be always loving, kind and helpful,
coz one day you’ll be just like them. EDWARD BLAKELOCK Pacific Harbour
Volumes of trash
Key result areas or KRAs are like barometers of success, that is, how much was achieved in the various defined aspects of a project. The Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF) might want to shed some light on their KRAs for 2025. PRF founder Amitesh Deo has reportedly talked about some “sustainability” award they have received for two consecutive years. Here’s the result for everyone. We ended 2025 with unprecedented volumes of trash on our streets, alleys, in culverts, drains and waterways. Until we have seen significant reductions in this epidemic, there’s nothing to talk about. Believe me, brutality is the answer. I have given my suggestions already on that in my letter on Apri 10, 2025. 2026 should see no talking, only action. I’m still ready to help. DONALD SINGH Suva
Ratepayer’s concern
Costly oversight. A streetlight on Andrews Rd opposite my residence is burning day and night which I believe is a huge waste of taxpayer’s money besides energy being unnecessarily drained. Its maintenance, as I understand, rests with the Nadi Town Council unless it is an issue the EFL has to deal with. During my time in council, it was the engineering department’s responsibility to carry out inspection and have the bad lights fixed on a monthly basis. It seems this practice has been done away with, hence the problem. In my view, there is no better way than to have the streetlights checked and those requiring attention to be fixed in accordance with a set timetable. It’s not a massive boundary and the council has the resources to easily and promptly address a problem of this nature conveniently as per budget. It seems there is no check-and-balance that is why the ratepayers have to intervene. Since the ratepayers are the ones who provide the needed funds for the council to run effectively, they have every right to question if something is amiss. Honestly speaking, I have not seen our town slip down to this level before, especially when it was governed by elected councilors who served voluntarily, unlike the present special administrators who are paid handsomely working part time. As soon as possible, this additional budgetary constraint on ratepayers put by the governments who have been running the country from 2006 needs to go. Enough damage has already been caused and the ratepayers cannot bear it anymore. Please make sure the municipal elections are held next year as announced without using any last-minute dilly-dally tactic which we have often seen to be the case. SURESH CHAND Nadi
Gloomy street
Fiji Roads Authority electrical team, your attention please. The Hedstrom Pl junction, the entry to our street is a gloomy and an unwelcome sight during the night. Entering the street in pitch blackness can elicit feelings of dread. Seeing a motion activated security light faintly flicker up ahead only to dim periodically leaving dark shadows can enhance the paranoia surrounding this area due to the nearby cemetery. The darkness causes a strange feeling that the Lord has forsaken the street and entry is forbidden for outsiders and exit was not an option. Sobo! WISE MUAVONO Balawa, Lautoka
Held to account
Possible cases against more ministers — FICAC (FT 31/12). That’s good news for the people of Fiji. Corrupt state officials must always be held to account to ensure our democratic governance system works the way it was meant to. Power corrupts. That’s not unique to Fiji. But how we deal with it is the critical issue. So it’s good to know our corrupt ones are on FICAC’s radar. RAJEND NAIDU Hyderabad City, India
New start
Let’s start the year positively and ignore the great orange grinch, Donald Trump. Let’s ignore the bluster and bellowing. Let’s ignore the tariffs and sell elsewhere. Let’s ignore the distractions. But, let’s not ignore the needy people, those facing war or poverty, those subject to any restraint or harassment. Let’s not forget that most people are good. DENNIS FITZGERALD Melbourne, Australia
Poor service
We at Kuku Village are facing internet issues most of the time, especially during peak hours. Upon raising the above matter with relevant authorities, I was given a big questionnaire to fill and return back which I did over nine months ago, but no response to date. Follow-up with consumer council wasn’t fruitful as well. Please change your tagline to “together we can’t”, as I did my share of work and to date you didn’t do your share. SHAMAL CHAND Kuku Village, Nausori
Season of joy
For the new year, I am going to put this sign on my front door — “Every visitor brings joy to this home, some when they enter and some when they leave.” Happy new year to the Times gang. ARUN PRASAD Dilkusha, Nausori
2026 realisation
Instead of a new year’s resolution, some of us need to have a new year’s realisation. Sobo! WISE MUAVONO Balawa, Lautoka
Boat ride and patriotism
Treatment on inter-island ferry
I write to express my deep disappointment and concern over the inhumane and unacceptable treatment of passengers aboard an inter-island ferry owned by a well-established shipping company during a recent voyage from Suva to Kadavu. The vessel departed Suva on 27/12/2025 and arrived at Kavala Wharf in northern Kadavu at approximately 3am. As a direct result, passengers on the ferry were locked onboard until around 8am. After several hours, passengers were eventually allowed to go ashore to purchase food. By that time, many were exhausted, hungry, and distressed after long hours at sea. Even after passengers and cargo for Kavala had been offloaded, the vessel remained docked until 12noon and continued to travel south to Vunisea, where it finally arrived at around 2pm. This meant that passengers travelling to the southern parts of Kadavu were forced to endure an unnecessarily long and punishing journey. By the time the vessel reached Kavala, many passengers had no food left. They were left with no real choice but to buy food from the canteen, where prices were excessive and unaffordable, especially for passengers who had already spent heavily to return home for the new year. The extended delay at Kavala raises serious concerns that passengers were indirectly exploited, as the prolonged wait effectively forced them to spend more money simply to cope. There is absolutely no justification for stranding passengers at Kavala for a total of approximately eight-and-a-half hours, particularly when the majority of the passengers were not travelling to Kavala at all but were bound for southern Kadavu. Once Kavala passengers and cargo were offloaded, there was no valid reason for the vessel to continue waiting. Under humanitarian grounds, this treatment of passengers is cruel, unacceptable, and indefensible. Passenger safety, dignity, and basic comfort should never be compromised for operational convenience or commercial gain. This incident also raises serious questions about the role of the Fiji Government and the authorities responsible for regulating inter-island shipping, as such practices should not be allowed to continue unchecked. I urge the relevant authorities to investigate this matter urgently and ensure that inter-island shipping operators are held accountable and that passengers are treated with the respect and care they deserve. NADE BOSLEY Vunisea, Kadavu
Brave man
I salute Joe Toromai, the elder brother of a suspect in the alleged Wailoku robbery over the weekend for his brave and daring act that helped capture his younger brother. I saw his interview on a video that made social media headlines, and I commend him for his courageous comments when he was interviewed: “Life is hard, but you have to work to earn money. You don’t have to rob people.” He delivered a timely advice to youths who are involved in robberies. I’m glad that he confronted and disciplined his younger brother who was involved in robbing an elderly man. As we head into the new year, we need more youths such as Toromai who are ready to assist police identify robbers. Toromai deserves a reward for his honesty and patriotism. On the other hand, it’s time to be careful and safe. RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
