Painful goodbyes
Five-time World Cup champions Brazil was dumped out of the World Cup by Norway whose inspiration came from prolific Manchester City striker Erling Haaland who struck twice as Brazil suffered their earliest WC exit since 1990. The New York Jersey Stadium was silenced as Brazil’s curse after the 2002 win continued. While Brazil is going home heart broken, The Vikings are charting untested waters as this is their deepest ever WC run. After Brazil, Mexicans broke down into tears as The Three Lions hammered them 3-2 and knocked them out of the tournament. Yesterday, another great football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo bid the WC goodbye as Spain defeated Portugal 1-0. It was heartbreaking to see the football legend shedding tears just as Neymar Junior did when Brazil bombed out. The WC will never see beautiful skills and goals from the duo. Finally, Belgium delivered when it mattered the most. An absolute magical performance from Romelu Lukaku as the Red Devils outplayed the USA 4-1. The WC is just getting exciting! Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Eagles failed to soar
In a twist of fate, all three co-hosts of the FIFA 26 World Cup have been eliminated from the quarter finals, reminding me of the famous western song, “another one bites the dust”. Belgium bamboozled USA, left, right and centre. The Eagles lost their foresight and made a comedy of errors, first the keeper and then the backline. There was ample time for USA to bolster their grip when they were trailing 2-1, but the keeper’s howler broke everyone’s heart. Old horse, Lukaku once again proved that brains are better than brawns, put the final nail in the Eagle’s coffin in the final minute to lead 4-1. The wings were clipped, the Eagles landed outside the quarters and Belgium marched on. Arun Prasad Dilkusha, Nausori
Dr Sushil K. Sharma
Dr Sushil K Sharma continues to be a prolific contributor of letters, articles and op-eds to both daily newspapers. His intelligent well-researched analyses and critiques offer insight and pragmatic, ethical and urgent solutions to important local, national and global issues. His manifesto is clear, broad and beneficial for the people of our nation. My pledge of $5000 towards his election campaign, if he chooses to stand, remains firm. But under our single-constituency, 5 per cent-threshhold De Hondt electoral system, independent candidates don’t stand a chance. So the question becomes: Which of the 10 registered political parties will approach Dr Sharma and adopt his much-needed manifesto ahead of the next election? Aren Nunnink Hooper St, Savusavu
Too many reforms
Professor Steven Ratuva’s warning about pursuing numerous political reforms close to the next general election deserves serious attention (FT 7/7). Rushed reforms risk inadequate public consultation, weak scrutiny, confusion among voters, and poorly crafted laws that may create unintended consequences. Frequent changes to key political and electoral arrangements can undermine public confidence, fuel political uncertainty, and divert attention from pressing national issues. Reforms of national importance should be carefully planned, widely debated, and implemented in a measured manner. Fiji’s democracy will be better served by quality reforms undertaken at the right pace rather than hurried changes driven by political timelines. Indar Deo Bisun Sakoca Heights, Tamavua
Who am I?
Ginger tea, big mug ready, TV humming with pre-match routines, the anthems and then kick off. Portugal versus Spain. Congratulations to Spain though. The cameras, some time during the game, normally show the FIFA president Infantino seated with national leaders, dignitaries and former proponents of the game. The commentators would then acknowledge the FIFA president and the celebrities and leaders around him. The camera did zoom in, and there he was, our own FIFA, sorry FFA president, a FIFA VP I believe. The commentators remained silent, most likely scrambling for their commentary notes, to tell the viewers who the dignitary was. They couldn’t identify him. I was embarrassed, too much. I mean, our FFA president left a more important tournament (Fiji FACT) to be at the World Cup, to sit in for the FIFA president at matches. Come on FIFA, show some respect. Provide his name to the matchday commentators. The viewers ought to know. Donald Singh Nausori
Island fuel and shipping crisis
The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association’s call for urgent Government intervention on Taveuni’s fuel and shipping crisis (FV 7/7) deserves more than sympathy. It deserves a deadline. This is not a sudden crisis. Goundar Shipping Limited suspended services to Savusavu, Taveuni and Rabi from June 26 over an unresolved compliance dispute with the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji. Interlink Shipping says it has chased MSAF for eight months, through two changes of Acting CEO, without resolution, while two of its vessels ran aground near Nabouwalu in four months. Prestige Sealink Fiji then suspended its Lautoka-Nabouwalu ferry this week, citing rising diesel costs and regulatory burden with no matching Government support. Three operators, one regulator, zero resolution. The result by July 4: two of Taveuni’s three fuel stations run dry, farmers unable to move dalo and kava to market, and a Government-chartered vessel arriving with groceries but no fuel. That is not a policy debate. That is Fijian families in Cakaudrove queuing for petrol. FHTA is right that safety and commerce are not opposites. MSAF’s mandate is real, and the groundings prove it. But a regulator that cannot close a compliance matter in eight months, while three operators exit the route it governs, is failing the public by delay, not protecting it by caution. I have made this same argument before, on fuel security exposed by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and on rail collapse driving up sugar transport costs. The pattern repeats: Fiji’s critical logistics chains are under-capitalised, under-supported, and regulated without consequence for delay. If tourism is to be supported the islands need fuel supplied for hotel, motel and backpacker accommodation electricity generation. Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau’s contingency vessel is a stopgap. What Taveuni needs is a Government-convened resolution between MSAF and licensed operators, with a fixed deadline, not another statement that talks are continuing. DR SUSHIL K SHARMA Lautoka
Kala vata
It was so nice watching the Fijian and Australian prime ministers wearing the same colour shirts and keeping Fiji’s kala vata tradition alive. I thought the Australian Prime Minister’s shirt looked a bit over-sized. Sukha Singh Labasa
Politics and sports
I wonder whether cash was exchanged, however, the results spoke no place for corruption in sports and at the highest level. Chris Roxburgh Ragg St, Simla, Lautoka
Modi visit
Reuters reports (FT 07/ 07) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand next week. I hope the two LTE writers from Sydney, Australia do not have any objections to Modi’s visit. This visit is too important for Australia and New Zealand’s small economies. Rakesh Chand Sharma Nadi
Comms centre
With all the comms infrastructure we have in place today, it’s about time we have a nationwide Emergency Services Comms Centre, where we just call one number and immediately get the emergency service we require. Nigel Fiu Owls Perch, Lautoka
Two wrongs
The biggest landlord in the country wants the Constitution to bid on their behalf for freehold land which were not rightfully acquired from the native owners. Aren’t the existing laws for land sales and purchases sufficient? There is no par value for land, but if this is what the proposal is about, wouldn’t it make the transaction as wrong as that original ‘sin’? Samu Railoa Vanuabalavu, Lau
Immunity issue
Sukha Singh succinctly reveals the fallacy at the heart of calls to remove immunity provisions. Deletion of the present provision could not affect a future coup but would only remove a bar to the prosecution of the current prime minister, his predecessor and their colleagues. Are such prosecutions really what we want, and at what risk? The insertion of a new clause in a new constitution aimed at preventing a grant of immunity arising from a successful future coup would be ineffective since it would simply be revoked by the leader of the coup who would then, if he thought it necessary, grant himself immunity all over again. Michael Scott KC Morris St, Lautoka
View, politics and reflection
Principle or politics
On June 28, 1997, The Fiji Times front page carried the headline, “Methodists Oppose Christian State Plan”. Then Methodist Church president, Ilaitia Tuwere, argued that declaring Fiji a Christian state would undermine the principle of religious freedom. Fast forward 29 years, and the same church is now advocating before the Constitutional Review Commission for Fiji to be declared a Christian State. There is nothing wrong with changing one’s position over time. But when institutions take a completely different stance on a matter of national importance, it is fair to ask: what has changed —the principle, or the politics? Avenai Serutabua Nabukelevu Village, Serua
Expert view
The Fiji Times served the public good by providing a platform to eminent political sociologist Professor Steven Ratuva to give his expert view on critical issues confronting the nation (FT 7/7/26). I hope the Government of the day and the next one take onboard the insightful suggestions he has made to keep us on the path of democratic good governance. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Reflections 82 years on
I was born on July 8, 1944, at Bulileka, Labasa as the fourth child of Mithu Lal and Jasoda. Being the eldest surviving son, I received heaps of love and care from my parents and other family members. I grew up in a rice growing community amongst animals of all sorts: chicken, ducks, goats, pigs, cows, bulls who sustained our poverty stricken farm life. My parents and grandparents eked out a living when there was no piped water supply, no electricity and no decent roads. We managed our lives with meager living but with plenty of laughter and playfulness. Our’s was a nuclear family and we had many children (cousins). Women of the family were very fertile and bore children year after year and our angan (frontage of the house) was our playground. I am amazed that our mother gave birth to 13 children; a feat impossible for many families. Well, my parents lived without TV entertainment or any other form of it. I attended Bulileka Sanatan Dharam Primary School from Class 1 to Class 3 but was a very reluctant student: missed school, hid under the bed or any convenient place. My grandfather Jogi Sadhu was a great spoiler. He asserted that I would be better off grazing cows instead of attending a school! For Class 4 to 8, I attended All Saints Anglican Mission School at Vulovi, on the banks of Qava River, where my father had obtained a small retail shop. In Class 4, I came in contact with Aziz Rahan, my Class 4 teacher, who changed my life through his enthusiasm and loving care. He appointed me as the class prefect and made me join the scouting movement. He was our scouts master. And what a sportsman he was! For secondary education, I attended Labasa Sangam (KM) High School where I studied for the Senior Cambridge Examination and passed with distinction. This was due to our legendary Principal, Reverend Swami Bhaskaran Iyer. He was the backbone of Labasa Sangam High School. In 1965, I was awarded the Government of India Cultural Scholarship to study humanities at the famous Panjab University, Chandigarh. In four years, I completed B.A (hons. B.Ed.) degrees and came back to serve my Alma Mater, Labasa Sangam (KM) High School. From there I moved to Labasa College, Shri Vivekananda High School, Nadi, Sabeto Secondary School as the vice principal and to Ba Provincial School, Lautoka as the principal. After the 1987 coup I moved to Drasa Secondary School as the principal and subsequently to Bhawani Dayal Arya College (Nakasi) as the principal and remained there for 10 years. I retired in 1999 and joined the Fiji Trades Union Congress as its Publicity and Education Officer. Thereafter, I became the Director of Australia Pacific Training Center, Suva and moved to New Zealand Pacific Training Center as its director. From here I moved to the Parliamentary Opposition Office to work with Mahendra Pal Chaudhry as the Senior Administration Officer. From here I fought on a Labour Party ticket for Laucala Bay Indian Communal Constituency and won with a landslide victory. Voreqe Bainimarama’s military coup dismantled my parliamentary career and I now live in retirement at Namadi Heights, Suva. I have been robbed of my FNPF pension and the struggle is continuing. I sincerely hope that the current Government will do the right thing by giving us restitution! I am thankful to the Lord Almighty for the wonderful and action-packed life he has given me. Dewan Chand Namadi Heights, Suva
