A first for the Old Capital!
I salute the Fijian Media Association (FMA) for partnering with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Action Plan in hosting its fifth Town Hall Dialogue at a packed Levuka Town Hall on Wednesday night. The residents had the grand opportunity to engage directly with senior government members. The FMA started their dialogue platform giving residents a platform to raise issues affecting their communities and seek answers directly from national leaders. The sessions in the North and West last year attracted a good response from the audience. Through this wonderful initiative, people’s voices are heard, and decision makers answer direct questions. The role of the media is critical, and such initiatives foster transparent dialogue and democratic discussions. It demonstrates the media’s commitment to providing a platform for a meaningful public discourse that highlights challenges and proposes solutions. Our prolific writer from the Old Capital, Anthony Sahai, has been vocal, raising issues related to poor roads on the island, water and electricity infrastructure, under-resourced hospitals and a community waiting too long for government agencies to respond. On Wednesday night, the residents talked about a permanent solution to fix roads on the island and urged the Government to consider resuming commercial flights to Bureta Airstrip and to give Levuka, the only UNESCO designated World Heritage Site in Fiji, the prominence it deserved. Hats off to our editor-in-chief Fred Wesley and his team for being part of the event that facilitated interaction between government and citizens. The session empowered and enlightened. I also thank Wesley for engaging with the students of Levuka Public School and St Johns College on the importance of media literacy. How blessed the students were to hear directly from our courageous editor-in-chief who is a symbol of truth, strength and a beacon of hope for Fiji’s oldest and most reliable and trusted brand! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Power outages
Recent prolonged and repeated power outages in Savusavu have left many residents and businesses frustrated. Tourism operators have been forced to explain to disappointed visitors why there is no electricity. Small businesses have lost income, refrigerated goods have been put at risk, and families have had their daily lives disrupted. For a tourism destination such as Savusavu, dependable power is fundamental to maintaining its reputation as a welcoming and reliable destination. While we acknowledge that faults and emergencies can occur, what communities appreciate most is timely communication, transparency, and confidence that every effort is being made to restore services as quickly as possible. Equally important is investment in maintaining and strengthening the electricity network so that repeated outages become the exception rather than the norm. For a frustrated customer to say on one of our local social media platforms that he is beginning to wonder what the F stands for in EFL, speaks louder than words! Come on EFL it’s really time you get your act together in Savusavu! NOLEEN BILLINGS Savusavu
Island in crisis
A writer has rightly questioned whether anyone is paying attention to the unfolding crisis in Taveuni (FT 02/07). Judging by the deafening silence from those in power, the answer appears to be a big “no”. Rather than tackling bread, butter, jam and roti issues affecting ordinary Fijians, many of our so-called leaders seem preoccupied with other critical issues such as declaring Fiji a Christian state, maintaining Christian values and principles, restoring the Great Council of Chiefs (an archaic institution) to constitutional status, reviving a Sunday ban, and other such impractical distractions which will transform Fiji back into the 1800s era. Meanwhile, thousands of Taveuni residents are grappling with fuel shortages, food scarcity and suspended shipping services. They need fuel, food, reliable shipping services and decisive leadership. It is time our leaders got their priorities straight. I also cannot help, but wonder whether our Prime Minister, “Stee”, is even aware of the disaster devastating the Garden Island. NISHANT SINGH Lautoka
Drugrehab
I fully support the Commissioner of Corrections’ proposal for a separate facility for drug dealers and users. Our vanua is hurting, Fiji is hurting. Drugs are tearing apart families in villages, cities, towns and across Fiji. Locking drug offenders with other inmates only breeds more crime. We need a place focused on rehabilitation, restoration, and reintegration. A dedicated facility will allow targeted programs: Counselling, skills training, and most importantly, faith and church-based healing. Our churches have long been the first to reach the lost, to pray with families, and to walk with young people back to the vanua. With proper support, chaplaincy and church partners can be central to recovery inside these walls. For users, this is a lifeline to be made whole again. For dealers, it is accountability with a real chance to change and return as fathers, sons, and citizens who contribute. This is not being “soft on crime”. It is being wise for Fiji’s future. It protects our children and lightens the load on our main prisons. I urge Government and all Fijians to stand with the Commissioner and our churches, the vanua on this. We will see the greater good– the good is in restoring lives. MIKAELE LEAWERE Galoa Village, Batiwai, Serua
Glaring neglect
It is high time that ratepayers take a stand and question the Nadi Town Council about its apparent inability to fund the much-needed repairs of the market car park which has languished in a state of decline for years. How can such a vital facility, operating at full capacity six days a week, be left in such disrepair? Surely, the revenue generated from this heavily used car park should more than suffice to cover the costs of grading, rolling, and sealing. Could this ongoing lapse be a glaring symptom of financial mismanagement and administrative incompetence? Furthermore, why does this neglect extend beyond the car park to include poor maintenance of the main drain and public washrooms? Not to mention the condition of the bus stand which has fallen beyond recognition and become a challenge for the users. Clearly, these are not isolated oversights, but signs of deeper administrative failings. The time has come for a thorough audit of the council’s funds and overall operations. Ratepayers must demand accountability from a leadership that seems to be steering the council in an unproductive direction. How much longer will this pattern of neglect be allowed to persist. SURESH CHAND Nadi
Rising stars
Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham Hotspur football manager, now the head coach and manager of the US national team, has groomed stars in 2026 World Cup. US has beaten Bosnia Herzegovina 2-0. US Soccer has presented Pochettino with a proposal to extend his tenure through the 2030 cycle. Good luck to him. RAKESH CHAND SHARMA Nadi
Bitter start
The already troubled sugar industry suffered a double blow as the 2026 sugar crushing season was delayed. It was sad to see that the three mills were grounded to a near-halt because of a severe shortage of sugar cane and sudden labour unrest. While seasonal mill workers in Ba and Labasa protested against the Fiji Sugar Corporation after weeks of salary negotiations collapsed, a historically low turnout of cane trucks left processing largely idle. For reasons known, growers actively withheld their harvest, refusing to deliver crops to the mills. The sugar industry is struggling. This is a major blow to its survival! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Gaza’s children
The United Nations has just issued a shocking report on the fate of the Palestinian children of Gaza. Since 2023 more than 65,000 have been killed or wounded by Israeli troops. Many of those killed were shot in the head or chest by snipers. They were deliberately targeted. Overall, 27 per cent of the people killed in Gaza were children, and about 40 per cent were women. Unfortunately, our PM, for political reasons, has taken a tolerant view of the Israelis conduct. I am sure that most Fijians would not agree with that attitude and would protest the fate of these innocent children and their mothers. FERGUS GARRETT Vatuwaqa, Suva
Nuclear Iran
An Israeli source familiar with Iran’s nuclear program described PM Netanyahu’s claim that Iran had already obtained nuclear weapons as a “complete lie”. Netanyahu told Channel 14 earlier Wednesday that he decided to attack Iran twice to save Israel “from annihilation by atomic bombs, which were already in their possession” (Haaretz 2/7/26 ). The two warmongers, Trump and Netanyahu, have one thing in common: They are both lying leaders of the worse kind – the extremely dangerous kind. RAJEND NAIDU Australia
Christian state, rugby
Christian State
I don’t know what’s the obsession with calling Fiji a Christian State. Will Christians become more Christian? Will they stop smoking? Will they stop abusing alcohol and kava? Will they stop domestic violence? Will they stop drug dealing? Will they stop having sex before marriage? Faith is at an individual level. I think all those calling for a Christian State need to go and read the Bible first. The Bible gives no instructions to the State. It gives instructions to the followers of the faith. The State will not go to heaven or hell. The people will. Let this be God’s country. The supreme God is beyond any religion. KIRAN KHATRI Samabula, Suva
Time to deliver
This Sunday, the Fiji Water Flying Fijians kick-off the inaugural Nations Championship as they battle Wales on Sunday morning in Cardiff. The last time the two sides met in 2024 in Cardiff, Fiji outmuscled the Dragons 24-19 in a thrilling battle in their Autumn Nations Series clash. Our man-of-the-match, fly-half Caleb Muntz scored 19 points as the flamboyant Flying Fijians sealed their first win on Welsh soil. This bit of inspiration is the strongest motivation for the boys to open their 2026 Nations Championship on the strongest of notes. In front of 61,587 spectators, the Flying Fijians clipped the Dragons wings and sent them packing back to the drawing board. We have the armoury in the team for another victory. The boys need to believe in themselves and play with pride and passion for 80 minutes. A fearless and physical battle is the way forward to beating the Dragons who will not run short of support. Toso Viti! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Balgovind Rd, Nadawa, Nasinu
Constitution and the president
The Constitution and the Supreme Court agree, if you are born in America, you are an American citizen but why not the President? It appears President Trump is heading off to Congress and will ask them to defy the Constitution and the Supreme Court, although there are comments that they might not support his wishes. When will he and his support team, usually pictured standing behind him, realise the President of America has to support the Constitution as he promised to do on his inauguration day? There are many laws people dislike or want to ignore but that’s the way the normal world works. Is President Trump seeing the world, not so much with rose coloured glasses, but with his own orange coloured ones? The principals are simple, lead the country following all of its laws, do the best for the people and not yourself, also be humble. This applies to many countries around the world. DENNIS FITZGERALD Landale St, Box Hill, Vic, Australia
