Tears of joy!
I warmly congratulate this year’s Bula Festival Queen, Miss Nadi Town Council Fifita Bauleka, for walking away with the crown on Saturday night. The emotions on her face showed her joy after walking away with the prestigious title. She delivered a heartfelt message to her supporters and the contestants (FT 27/07), “The crown is simply an opportunity to be able to amplify my voice on behalf of you all too. To be able to speak for those that are voiceless.” In an encouraging closing address, Bauleka urged the audience with a thought-provoking message, “Allow your dreams to soar; never limit yourself, never give up and always put God first”. I salute Bauleka for the timely message as we look forward to the Mother of all Festivals! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Warped logic, blurred lines
Ro Teimumu Kepa says that laws over the past 16 years, almost 20 now, have “hurt iTaukei rights”. How so, madam? I do my basic homework before I put pen to paper, and according to my findings on the ground, people are unable to explain these claims. As I wrote a few weeks earlier, neither here nor there type claims don’t land anywhere. It is absolutely normal for politicians to campaign on certain points, whichever they believe they are a bit better at. They would normally be expected to go some distance in justifying their point (s). I believe this iTaukei rights slogan has been a constant feature every four years, beginning from 2014, and every five years between the late 80s and mid 2000s. All this while the two major ethnic groups have lived together like brothers and sisters, like family. Political players continue fanning the flames though. A few among my own ethnic group are also doing it. Donald Singh Nausori
Sugar shortage
There is a definite shortage of brown sugar. After attending Mass on Sunday, July 26, RB Patel Jetpoint supermarket shelves did not have any local brown sugar. Upon enquiring, an attendant, stacking shelves pointed to imported white sugar – a commodity not preferred by majority of Fijians. Fiji’s sugar cane industry boasts far too many stakeholders. The ongoing problems have festered far too long. Our century-old sugar mills need to be retired without further delay. Politics play inherent problems. Privatise all sugar mills. Productivity will return. The Fiji government has many more important things to worry about. Leave sugar cane farming to the farmers and millers. Peace will prevail. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
Lautoka swimming pool
We thank the Government for processing some unfinished projects inherited from the previous government. However, talks are on about the priorities in terms of completing the Lautoka swimming pool. We are reminded that the swimming pool is not a priority at this stage although it’s considered important since its pending and clogged in the pipeline for way too long. Let me remind the authorities, this project has not come to surface just overnight and we don’t have to be a genius to know where it stands in terms of priorities. Although we are glad this discussion is in process, the timing seems limited now as the next elections are approaching. This statement follows by discussion about the lack of funding for this project. The question is, if all the governments being formed after elections, will keep stating the same thing, then who will take the initiative to finish it. The swimming pool will never be on top of the priority list but the fact that this project started, consuming so much of taxpayers’ money, increasing rapidly from its initial amount of $2m is a major cause of worry and concern. It would be much better finding funds for the project then to just throw the topic around and coming up with all sorts of reasons when the elections are looming. After all there was no reduction in the size of the Cabinet during the global crisis. So much for talks on priorities. Please get priorities right. Kirti Patel Mohan Singh Place, Lautoka
Learning from mentors
What an article by Rigieta Taka in The Fiji Times published on July 27. This article on Film Fiji chief executive officer, Mr Robertson, a Yet Sen School alumnus. What inspired me was his beliefs and attitude towards embracing family bonding that taught him humility, hard work, and service. His path leading towards continuous learning is an inspiration that most of us need to walk on. The leadership attribute on staying calm and being a solution finder has full merits. We need such leaders in this beautiful country at all levels. Just a thought regarding such a leadership stance creates a desire to transform ourselves into such humble and positive personalities. I recommend this article to all our leaders, students, and people who can think about ways to embrace such qualities within themselves and their family members. I do not believe that all these qualities are not difficult to obtain but we need to be consistent in our approach towards our life ahead. Keeping our environment pollution free (pollution of all kinds one can think about) and teamwork with honest philosophies in life would lead us towards enjoying our life without all the fuss and fury of dissatisfactions in life. We need contents about such inspiring and exemplary personalities in our curriculum which must be taught at all levels. Yes, we do have citizens within our country from whom we can be mentored to shape not only our selves but the nation overall. Dhirendra Prasad Lautoka
Avoid the punch
In Anthony Joshua’s comeback fight we can see Joshua can’t take the punch. Had the opponent kept the pressure, Joshua would have lost the fight. Anyway, when you can’t take the punch, avoid getting hit. Sukha Singh Labasa
Standing up for teachers
The Fiji Times editorial comment that “teachers should not carry their burden alone” (FT 23/7) should be taken seriously. I believe many of us have taught in rural remote schools when teachers are expected to be “Jack of all trades”, education mentors, counsellors and administrators in the community. We all are responsible for the education of children and teachers and parents and community and dedicated teachers in the noble profession are always expected to put their “service before themselves. Child our hope”. Teachers are there not to carry their burdens alone. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
The GCC
It has been over three years since the GCC was reinstated. With utmost respect, could we be told in detail what the institution has done for the ordinary iTaukei and the others since its reinstatement? Mohammed Imraz Janif Natabua, Lautoka
Cane farmer
It is pleasing to witness the northern cane farmers’ positive attitude towards cutting their cane during such trying times. That is why they are called the “friendly north”, they are “legend”. Please, harvest all your cane for your family’s well-being. Let the northern sugar be taken by the whole of Fiji, so that they can learn to have a good heart and not listen to greedy politicians promoting their dirty tactics. Go northern cane farmers, go…oi ei tou ena! Maika Tabukovu Cunningham, Suva
Embracing change
The Fiji Times – LTE writers on the downfall of the sugar industry — I feel it’s time to go for some other crops like rice and root crops that suit all Fijians for self sufficiency and trading. I recall when the CSR mill closed in 1959 in Nausori when people lost jobs but managed with alternative crops with the support of entire families. Those days were sweet without sugar. It’s my wish if Rewa Rice irrigation scheme could be reactivated with well-maintained scientific technologies in this climate change environment. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Cane farmers and politics
Cane farmers deserve respect
I write as an independent cane grower with no affiliation to the NFU or former PM Mahendra Chaudhry, and I must state plainly that MP Biman Prasad is categorically wrong in blaming former PM Chaudhry for the problems facing the sugar industry today. Biman’s comments, reported in The Fiji Times (FT 26/07/26) “He is the man who was responsible for the destruction of the sugar industry institutions”, are not only categorically false, unfair — are outrageous, and a deflection and distract from the real failures occurring today. His comments can be challenged in court and he should take this allegation back. Mr Chaudhry is correct to highlight that the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sugar has been largely inactive. As reported, “He hasn’t called a single meeting of that committee since it was formed”. The committee only emerged in recent weeks when the industry was already at breaking point, and even then, the Prime Minister’s visit to Lautoka was brief and overshadowed by other official openings. Farmers in the mainstream cane belt did not receive the attention they deserved. Mr Prasad’s repeated claim that the Government has delivered “the highest cane prices in the country’s history” is misleading. The truth — known to every grower — is that global sugar prices have been exceptionally high for the past three years. The elevated payments are a result of market conditions, not any special intervention by the current administration. To suggest otherwise is political spin. What is most disappointing is Mr Prasad’s persistent narrative that farmers are being misled by “a politician going around spoiling the industry”. This is insulting. Cane farmers are not naïve. Our children are lawyers, doctors, scientists, engineers — educated because the kai-India have no land security and invested everything in education. We are perfectly capable of forming our own judgements. We do not need to be lectured or belittled. Mr Prasad should also explain why the Select Committee did not meet formally for an entire year. Why were growers’ concerns ignored until the situation became critical? Why is every criticism deflected by blaming one individual? This pattern of behaviour does not reflect leadership. Given the ongoing court case surrounding Mr Prasad, it would be honourable for him to step aside from the NFP leadership and allow an untainted figure to lead the party founded by cane farmers themselves. The former AD Patel and S M Koya, I am sure if alive, would not have been amused for the leadership chair to be tainted like this. Of course a person is innocent till found guilty, but just as Mr Prasad did for his ministerial position, he should have done the same thing for the NFP leadership. It reflects badly on him, the party, government of the day and has repercussions for the forthcoming 2026-27 General Election. Finally, let it be clearly understood: neither any FSC CEO, the SCGC, the SCGF, Sugar Minister, Biman Prasad, nor Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka will decide the future of the sugar industry. They do not hold that mandate. The 300,000 Fijians who rely on sugar — and the growers who are 70% shareholders in the industry — will decide its future collectively with all the stakeholders, in the national interest, not in the interest of the Coalition or a few individuals still gridlocked in governance paralysis. Farmers deserve respect, honesty, and genuine engagement — not political deflection. The Coalition on its way out of government soon should leave with respect and grace and not to get to this gutter level politics. DR SUSHIL K SHARMA Lautoka
Political split
It will be interesting to see what the People First Party and the One Nation Party will be preaching to voters. Many of their MPs were once part of the now-deregistered FijiFirst Party, and they have now gone their separate ways to form new political parties. Will they end up criticising each other? Or will they continue defending the same record they stood behind for 16 years? More importantly, what new ideas or policies will they offer the people of Fiji beyond their past political association? Fijians will be watching closely. Please sing the tune that people want to hear, not the one you want to hear. And perhaps it’s time to be singing “Rai Mai Mate o Au”. Avenai Serutabua Nabukelevu Village, Serua
