Semis to light up Capital City!
When the dust settled at the HFC Bank Stadium on Sunday, four teams went home smiling, knowing they would be back at the stadium, ready to take a shot at the first silverware. Lautoka and Rewa made it from group A, while Suva and Labasa pulled through group B. The two cities remained unbeaten when the pool matches concluded. While Nadroga and Ba were eliminated, I salute both sides for playing their hearts out. The Stallions beat the Babasiga Lions 2-1, but were unlucky not to score more goals, missing numerous sitters. Ba, having been knocked out from pool play, beat Navua 1-0. They could have given the game to Navua, who just needed three points to qualify, but the Men in Black played for their district and beat Navua, enabling Rewa to enter the eliminations. The semi-finals will be a different ball game and I’m expecting the four teams to do a thorough analysis of their performance in pool play and come out firing. To the Babasiga Lions, all the best — don’t let the loss to Nadroga affect the momentum and team morale! To the sports team (The Fiji Times) thank you for the coverage! To Raymond Stoddart, Gyaneshwar Pillay and Irfaan Khan, thank you for the commentaries. You all deserve a pat for the good media coverage! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Poor officiating
At the first soccer tournament of the year, poor officiating has spoilt proceedings. No wonder, Fiji soccer urgently needs the Mickey Mouse referee from Australia to uplift standards. This plea is not a joke. Thousands of dollars have been allocated for this important soccer event. In my view, this tournament has much more glamour in comparison to matches played between family and friends in the Australian backyards. I hope Fiji FA endorses a formal approach before the finals this weekend. No one would prefer a repeat of what transpired during the pool stages. Mohammed Imraz Janif
Natabua, Lautoka
Road safety
Enforcement officers are busy monitoring drivers and subjecting them to greater scrutiny but I feel the same is not done to pedestrians who use our roads carelessly. We see it daily, the many instances of people crossing anyhow and anywhere and also those who utterly disregard road safety rules risking their own lives and those around them. Drivers have to exercise precautions because they know the blame will ultimately fall on them if an accident occurs, simply because somebody else chose to ignore the rules. If I remember correctly, at one point there used to be a penalty on pedestrians who were found jaywalking. Please understand that road safety is a shared responsibility and it is not fair on drivers who get into road accidents because of careless pedestrians. Please bring back those awareness campaigns and also subject pedestrians to greater scrutiny. We all are road users and it is only fair that we equally educate pedestrians to utilise the designated crossing spaces safely. Kartik Nand Makoi, Nasinu
Internal issues
Within the first year of the coalition holding power, internal issues arise within, in my view. SODELPA’s kingmaker status ignited the chain of events. Then FICAC’s Malimali version, the 2013 Constitution’s legality status, the electoral review, the Nakarawa couple’s entanglement and recently, the COI report. What has become of our nation’s democratic stability? Almost all of the national issues we are confronting today, one way or the other, originated from the 2013 Constitution, in my opinion. Do the Fiji people deserve such a crisis? Has the coalition been a solution or is it problematic? Government failure is always an excuse used for government expansion. In fact, incompetence is the true crisis and it is hidden behind authority. And I believe, authoritarianism and secrecy, breed incompetence, for the two feed on each other. They are highly regarded in government circles and the problem is its inability to recognise itself. Isa! o Viti. Samu Silatolu Nakasi
Road chaos
Our rush hour traffic congestions are lasting longer. We only need to open our eyes to see that our system of road network system hasn’t changed very much to keep up with the influx of vehicles we are importing every month. However, if the number of cars on our roads is not controlled, the indicators of an over supply are deteriorating road conditions, increasing road accidents and offences and worsening roads I believe. As the population gets more affluent, people demand more conveniences for themselves, I believe. NAVNEET RAM (TD) Lautoka
Stop excuses
Local government PS Seema Sharma should get serious (FT 1/06/25). Telling local councils to plan 50 years ahead. Councils have trouble planning for today. By her own figures, the major problem is confined to the Suva-Nausori area with over 16 per cent of that area’s residents living in informal settlements. This is a problem for the Central government, not local government. A breakdown of those numbers as regards iTaukei and non iTaukei might be informative and might raise questions of why land-rich iTaukei can’t afford houses. Government might also look at getting into the modular home manufacturing. Done on a large scale it would bring down costs and provide decent accommodation to all. Alternatively, how about massively scaling up the Koroipita program of building decent cyclone proof homes for typically $13,000? Terry Hulme Russell St, Eastwood, NSW, Australia
Sacrificial lamb
Dewan Chand claims the exit of Graham Leung as A-G is “certainly a great loss to the nation ” (FT 2/6/25) Is it? I am certainly not certain. After his installation as A-G the rot in Fiji’s justice system and the debasement of the institutions of state continued. Even the former communications chief in the FijiFirst government, Graham Davis, who praised Mr Leung’s appointment when it was made went on later to say he was thoroughly disappointed with Leung’s performance in that role. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Legal officers
Now that a distinguished judge from Fiji is the head of the ICC, I believe the next ones in line will be a few distinguished people in the Office of the DPP and indeed in the higher echelons of the judiciary. These legal officers are the most distinguished with all the right qualifications, integrity and personal character to represent Fiji on the international stage. Perhaps some prominent lawyers in Fiji will qualify as well. The rest of the world should learn from Fijians. Jan Nissar Sydney, Australia
Malimali suspension
I believe some question the PM’s decision based on what they hear. Dan Urai Lautoka
Truth and reconciliation
Telling the truth amongst many, sometimes is never easy. Around the bati ni tanoa and behind the scenes, much liu muri can be a very common occurrence. Amongst some circles, this practice is perfectly exercised. Am I wrong? Walking the talk is a mountain that’s harder to climb… for some. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
Filthy toilet
The award for the most urine stinkiest public convenience goes to the Suva City Council’s men’s toilet opposite the bus stand beside the bean carts. Entering you either have to literally hold your breath or use an oxygen mask connected to a portable oxygen tank. Qai mi ni qase eh, kemudou! Wise Muavono Balawa, Lautoka
Appoint an A-G
To keep the Government afloat, respected and stable PM Rabuka must appoint an A-G asap. I remember very early in 2023, Rabuka was interviewed on Fiji TV live where he was asked the question about who was his lawyer or legal advisor? Our PM Rabuka answered he was his own lawyer, but can we all agree he becomes or appoints himself as our next A-G. Tukai Lagonilakeba Nadi
Politics and housing crisis
Outright winner
Here’s sharing an honestly frank and respectful opinion. After having had the special privilege to govern Fiji for the best part of almost 16 dictatorial years, losing is never easy to take. Every single effort will be made to return to rule again. Or am I wrong? Fiji needs to move away from all rancour, favour and fear of the years gone by. They were uncomfortably suffocating years. Now is the perfect time for younger, energetic and upcoming brains to capably take us forward, in my view. No disrespect, it is time for older hands to take back seats now. Give up-and-coming younger folks a chance. More women fire power too. They have perfect eyes for detail.(Remember, too many cooks spoil the soup). Coalitions always struggle. An outright winner is preferred. Ronnie Chang Martintar, Nadi
Suva’s housing crisis
The housing crisis in Suva and Nausori is getting worse. More and more people are living in informal settlements (squatter areas) because they simply can’t afford proper homes. This isn’t just about housing anymore, it’s about the kind of future we are creating for our children. Families are doing their best, but they are living in overcrowded homes, without proper toilets or clean water, and with growing health and safety concerns. For too long, our leaders have avoided hard conversations, especially about land. But now is the time to speak honestly. Land is limited, and if we don’t use it wisely, everyone will suffer. We need leaders who are willing to sit down with the vanua and landowners to find solutions together. Land is not just a traditional or personal asset, it’s key to our nation’s development. We must look at it from a bigger, long-term perspective. We also must admit the truth, the last 16 years were wasted. There was no proper planning. No real listening. No strong vision. Because of that, our towns and cities are under pressure. Rubbish is piling up, traffic is out of control, drains are blocked, and our environment is suffering. At the same time, mental health issues, unemployment, drug-related crimes, and social problems are growing, especially in crowded and poorly developed areas. The current government is trying to clean up the mess, but it’s not easy. Many people who were protected by the old system are still in positions of power. They got used to doing things without rules or accountability. Getting rid of those bad habits and rebuilding trust will take time and strong leadership. But it’s a step we must take. If we want a better future, we need proper housing developments, with working toilets, clean water, access to roads and transport, parks, and schools. We need to stop people from just building anywhere and everywhere. We must have a plan. This includes working closely with landowners and the community, using land wisely, and protecting our environment at the same time. Our town councils should also be given more power and resources to manage growth and services. We lost 16 years. Let’s not lose any more. To fix this problem, we need at least two full terms of a stable and honest government. But it’s not just about politicians. We, the people, must also understand the seriousness of this issue. We must support smart planning, speak up for cleaner and safer towns, and work together for real change. This is not just about housing, it’s about our health, our environment, and the kind of life we want for our children and grandchildren. Let’s stop pointing fingers and start building a better Fiji, together. M Nadan Melbourne, Australia
