Star of the night
I warmly congratulate McDonald’s Fiji Fijian Drua star performer Josivini Naihamu, who walked away with three major awards, at the Fijian Drua Women Awards Night. Naihamu starred for the Drua Women, scoring five sensational tries. She walked away with the Encore Players’ Player of the Year Award, Fiji Airways Try of the Year Award and McDonald’s Fiji Player of the Year Award. Naihamu has a bright future. She is a dedicated player and took pride in representing the Drua Women. Her professionalism, passion and determination enabled her to adapt to the demands of the tough Super W competition. I salute Naihamu for her outstanding discipline and leadership. I also congratulate the executive for organising this get together and for bringing together the players, staff, partners and supporters to celebrate a successful 2026 season.The Drua Women looked elegant in their finery and outfits. Vinaka vakalevu Drua! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Independent journalism
Colin Deoki puts it so succinctly when he says “In any conflict, truth is often the first casualty, making independent journalism more important than ever”. He goes on to elaborate “the public deserves facts that have been independently verified, not narratives filtered through governments, militaries, or interest group “and that public trust depends on accuracy, integrity and fairness”. Colin reminds us these “aren’t merely ideals for journalists. They’re expectations we should have of every government, every military and every institution that exercised power” (FT 29/7/26). But that does not happen. In fact, when Colin’s fellow Melbournian Wikileaks founder Julia Assange revealed the truth about the war atrocities committed by the US military he was hounded by the American government. Three governments — the US, UK and Australia — did not bother with the truth when they waged the fictitious “weapons of mass destruction” against Iraq. For several weeks the mainstream media in India, which supports PM Modi, did not report on the Cockroach Janata Party mass protest by the Indian youths against the Modi government and the brutal police crackdown on the protesters. I can cite many more examples where state authorities deliberately hide or distort the truth but I believe the point is made. It is naive to think the public will get the truth from governments and the military everywhere. That’s why we need truth tellers. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Our elderly
The calls to protect our elders are getting louder and being heard in many quarters. It is today acknowledged that Fiji is facing a heartbreaking crisis behind closed doors. The elders are becoming increasingly forgotten. There is a designated World Day for vulnerable grandparents and the elderly. The Fiji National Provident Fund today leads the way in its continuing and festering ill treatment of the 1400 surviving senior betrayed pensioners from 2012. Shame on all of you from the chairman of the board downwards. Your betrayal will have consequences. Prophet Isaiah emphatically reminds all Christians and better law-abiding citizens: “I will never forget you.” Draconian Decree 51 must be shown the door. There is no place for it in a caring society. The heartless inflicted all this pain and suffering on the elderly. They lack empathy, compassion and general respect for the betrayed senior citizens. You will reap what you sow. Justice will prevail. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
Larger war
It is becoming apparent now that both the Republicans and Democrats want to control the world’s oil trade. Both parties together have brought a bill to impose 100% tariff on India, China, Slovakia, Hungary Azerbaijan and 25% on Brazil. With Russia’s refineries severely damaged by Ukrainian drone attacks, India is refining Russian crude and selling to Russia now. I believe renewed US attacks on Iran is an indication of controlling oil exports from the Middle East. Today, USA has become the largest supplier of oil and petroleum products in the world. I believe if they continue on the same path, China and Russia will not accept this situation. I believe we are walking into a larger war in the near future. Rakesh Chand Sharma Nadi
Shortage challenge
Teacher shortage, sugar shortage, fuel shortage, water shortage, nurse shortage, food shortage. Have I missed any other shortage this year? RODNEY CLARENCE RAJ Naleba, Labasa
Fijian pride
I felt so proud to see a vehicle number plate marked “kaiviti” in Hamilton, New Zealand. That was enough for our identity. We had a good talanoa session that took us back to Fiji down memory lane. Kaiviti or kaindia, we all are Fijians. Kaivata! Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Guest players
Trying to get six guest players from another school lowers morale, team spirit and pure stupidity. I guess, when any guest player represents another school and that school wins, they will say, ‘hey look, had it not been for me/us, this school wouldn’t have won’. That’s my half cent point. It’s no harm in trying out the format or concept. Sir, that is only one side of the coin. But, please at the end of the day, let rugby win every time! Jioji O. Toronibau Navetau, Tunuloa
Prayers for babies
The Fiji Times heart touching news with pictures of 10-month-old twins (FT 28/7) emotionally inspires us to pray for their surgery and recovery and safe return home. Let’s say prayers and shower blessings for the good hands of the medical team. I believe doctors are willing to do more than what they are paid to do. Eventually they are paid more with hidden blessings. God bless. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Three times
There is a saying that bad luck comes in threes but does that also include catastrophes? President Trump, at the correspondents’ dinner, has said that he wants to return for a third time as President. The Constitution prevents this but it also contains other matters including birth right citizenship that he is trying to get rid of, so it might be time to panic. It will affect everyone given his enthusiasm for wars and tariffs. Dennis Fitzgerald Box Hill, Vic., Australia
Search warrant, penalty
Another wasteful expenditure
The previous fine for littering stood at $40, but recent amendments have steeply increased this on-the-spot penalty to $200. Initially, this marks a substantial rise that presents the opportunity to generate significant revenue from these fines, potentially amounting to millions of dollars if the regulations are enforced consistently and rigorously. The primary objective, however, is not merely financial. We aim for this law to effectively address the underlying problem of littering. By doing so, we hope to reduce the frequency of littering incidents and ease the burden of cleaning up environmental waste. While at first glance, the increased fine seems like an effective deterrent against littering, I carry some doubts about achieving the desired outcome solely through higher penalties. The adjustment appears somewhat irrational when considering that the core issue has never been the size of the fine alone. The real challenge lies in the inconsistent application and enforcement of these penalties, which has historically limited their effectiveness. Without a strategic overhaul in enforcement practices and a commitment to applying these fines uniformly, merely raising the penalty may not effectively address the root issue of littering. Instead, a comprehensive approach that includes consistent enforcement and public awareness campaigns should be considered to ensure meaningful progress in reducing littering behaviour. Another wasteful expenditure, I believe. Suresh Chand Nadi
Judicial oversight
I fully support the Rakiraki villager who urged the Parliamentary Standing Committee to reject the proposal allowing Justices of the Peace (JPs) to issue search warrants (FV 12/07/26). Having recently written a detailed opinion article on the Police Bill, I must admit that I overlooked this particular provision. Had I noticed it earlier, I would certainly have included it among my major concerns. A search warrant is one of the most significant legal powers available to the State. It authorises police to enter private homes, businesses and other premises, potentially interfering with the constitutional rights to privacy, liberty and property. Such an important decision should only be made by a legally qualified judicial officer who understands the legal tests of reasonable suspicion, proportionality and constitutional safeguards. Most JPs are respected members of the community who perform valuable public service by witnessing signatures, certifying documents and undertaking other administrative duties. However, they are generally not legally trained to determine whether the evidence presented justifies the invasion of a person’s privacy through the issue of a search warrant. Independent judicial scrutiny is one of the fundamental checks and balances that protects citizens from arbitrary exercises of State power. That safeguard is weakened when such authority is delegated to persons who may not possess formal legal qualifications or judicial experience. Parliament should amend the Bill so that search warrants are issued only by magistrates or judges. This would strengthen public confidence in the administration of justice while better protecting the constitutional rights of every Fijian. Dr Sushil K Sharma Lautoka
