Putting it in the bin
The editor-in-chief Fred Wesley hit the nail with another suitable and befitting editorial titled ‘Putting it in the bin’ (FT: 20/05). The felicitous editorial was based on littering and the frustrations caused by people dumping their rubbish wherever they feel like it. Take a walk around our suburbs and residential areas and you’ll be angered to see growing piles of rubbish accumulating by the roadside.
Nadawa, which is a heavily populated residential area, is no exception. The entrance to Balgovind Road is flooded with rubbish which is now occupying space on the road. This is an eyesore and a health hazard to the homes nearby. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday rubbish is picked up but so far Nasinu Town Council has done little to address the littering issue. As I read the editorial, I can understand the frustrations expressed by the residents of Nairai Rd in Raiwai who shared that waste continued to be discarded on the ground despite the presence of an available waste. It is frustrating. I agree with the residents that taking responsibility and ownership is vital. Effective waste management must be a shared responsibility and effort. While we expect our municipalities to do their part, we should be bold and brave enough to do what is right – put rubbish where it belongs to (bin) and do not litter. Together we can help reduce the impact of littering. Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Girmit documentary
Tai Smith makes a very valid observation when he points out the dehumanising treatment of Indo-Fijian during indenture “was not inflicted upon our fellow Indo-Fijians by iTaukei, who themselves were victim of British rule” ( FT 20/5 ). Girmitiya Totaram Sanadhya recounted the generosity and empathy of iTaukei towards the wretched Indian indentured labourers (girmitiya) in his seminal books My Twenty-One Years in the Fiji Islands and The Story of the Haunted Line. Unfortunately all this was forgotten when the Indo-Fijians were scapegoated in the 1987 and the 2000 coups. Many Indo-Fijians are still coming to terms with the pain and trauma inflicted on them. For a better Fiji we must never again go down that debilitating and dehumanising path. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Lautoka soccer
I have maintained that in recent times the more incompetent you are, the more suitable you are to be appointed to certain positions in Fiji. A case in point is the recent appointments of officials in Lautoka Football Association. Does Lautoka Football want to move forward, back to the past with a lot of exuberance, just like the present government? I guess Lautoka and indeed the rest of Fiji lacks choice because there simply aren’t any other suitable people left. These people are the cream of what is left in Fiji. But as always, one thing remains unchanged, Fijians are truly blessed. Jan Nissar Sydney, Australia
Learn English please
The growing presence of foreign workers, particularly from Bangladesh, in Lautoka and nearby areas is increasingly noticeable. Their contributions to our economy are appreciated, and their hard work deserves recognition. However, one major challenge that has become apparent is the language barrier. Many of these workers are still developing their English speaking skills, which can make every day communication difficult — for both locals and the employees themselves. I recently experienced this firsthand when I was unable to help a group of Bangladeshis asking for directions to the “sea”, simply because we couldn’t understand each other. It was frustrating indeed. With that in mind, I encourage any foreigner planning to work in Fiji to learn basic English before arriving. It will make your experience smoother and help foster better communication with the local community. Additionally I’d like to remind all foreign workers to respect the terms of their employment contracts and immigration status. Once your contract ceases, please ensure you return to your homeland in a timely manner. Our country is already facing challenges related to thousands of undocumented migrants. So make sure you go back, acha? Nishant Singh Lautoka
Levuka wharf
A cruise liner, the Sea Cloud, sailed into the Levuka harbour last Sunday (18/05) but unfortunately, had to anchor out in the harbour as 90% of the Levuka wharf has been in a dilapidated state for more than a decade now. The tourists, mostly elders, had to be ferried on rubber dinghies from the ship to the wharf, in windy and slightly choppy seas. As the adage goes, “ports of entry gives a first image of the country”. Obviously, first impression matters a lot. Government ministers and senior government officials have been visiting Levuka since time immemorial but nothing seems to have changed. They visit, they’re welcomed, they’re garlanded, they say their fancy speeches for hours on hand, they enjoy a hefty island meal, they indulge in drinking the best kava in the country and then return. These are the very people, who, as soon as they got into Parliament, voted for an increase in their salaries and other perks. Yet, the Levuka wharf remains in a decrepit condition. The issue has been highlighted/raised during the reign of the previous government, including the current one and even addressed in Parliament on a few occasions but unfortunately, no one seems bothered. The current state of the Levuka wharf, limits the ferries serving Levuka daily, to only load/unload vehicles at a maximum of only 3 tonnage. With the 2026 National Elections looming, more frequent visits by current government ministers and intending politicians are expected, with the Levuka wharf topping their list of gimmicks. Sad. Anthony Sahai Levuka, Ovalau
Patience please!
The Commission of Inquiry into the “rotten circumstances” surrounding the appointment of Barbara Malimali as FICAC commissioner presenting the PM and President a document that “spans nearly 700 pages” (FT 20/5) is, I believe, elderly abuse. A seven-page summary is all that is needed for appropriate action to be taken on the COI report. Rajend Naidu Sydney, Australia
Truth commission
When will the Truth and Reconciliation Commission start to uncover the truth? Mohammed Imraz Janif Natabua, Lautoka
Business strategy
Has anyone noticed the changes in a cigarette roll lately? Same size with longer filter extended inside the tobacco reel beyond the outer brown butt mark. Very deceiving but that’s what they call business strategy. Another good reason to quit smoking. Pita Soroaqali Rakiraki
Bullying in schools
I am deeply concerned about the growing reports of bullying in our schools across Fiji where parents have even taken to social media to highlight this. Whether it’s physical, verbal or online, bullying is causing lasting harm to our children’s confidence, mental health, and the ability to learn. We know that teachers are stretched to the limit as in some cases, one teacher could be looking after a class of more than 40-plus students. The Government needs to step in and make schools a safe place for our children. We shouldn’t be waiting for tragedy to act. Shene Nand Ratu Dovi Rd, LBE, Nasinu
Internal crackdown
The Modi Government has begun an internal crackdown with the arrest of Jyoti Malhotra, a blogger from Haryana State for spying for Pakistan. During the Congress Party rule, border check posts were opened at times to allow Pakistani people into India for short duration visits. Thousands of these people never went back to Pakistan and have become grandparents in India. India’s open border with Nepal and Myanmar allowed millions of people to travel to these countries and then enter India. The number of undocumented people in India will even put the USA to shame. Rakesh Chand Sharma Nadi
Children and FNPF
Raising children
Shairana Ali CEO Fiji Save the Children fund on “Where is the money for children?” (FT 10/5) clarifies that parents are most responsible in rearing children in this cost of living crisis. Children are mostly influenced by their peer groups when unsupervised and exposed in the environments they should be avoiding. Misuse of mobile phones and being involved in drug and substance abuse adds more to such problems. How responsible parents are with good role models in this world full of crises is our major concern. Many parents feel that to leave children at school in the good hands of teachers becomes their responsibility to discipline them but the parents should always be working in partnership in the teaching learning process. I read a notice in a car repair garage “all care taken, but no responsibilities”. But it doesn’t suit the children. Make the world a better place for those who will live after we have gone by educating our children. Child our hope. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
FNPF debate
Have you ever noticed that when children are arguing, and one starts to get the upper hand, the others will sometimes put their fingers in their ears and start chanting “liar, liar”? Came to mind while reading some responses to my setting out why FNPF pensions had to be reduced in 2012. I don’t doubt the people disputing the need for those reductions are sincere in their beliefs. And they certainly had a big shock, even though bodies like the World Bank had earlier been warning that reductions were needed. But look, a shock was inevitable. Past governments set pension conversion rates without actuarial input. Ignoring the sound actuarial advice provided in 1993 was the final nail in the coffin. Speaking as an experienced pensions professional, the following seems inarguable: FNPF pensions were massively subsidised up until 2012; the people meeting the costs of the subsidy were the contributors, most of whom did not take a pension for good reason; the way things are at the moment, current FNPF members will be hit if Decree 51 is repealed. Of course, one can reasonably question the manner in which the government in 2011 went about the reform. Nonetheless, the evidence shows that reductions were crucial to protect the innocent parties who would have had to meet the ongoing cost of the subsidy. Jackson Mar and Wadan Narsey have recently written at length again, and I will try and respond to them in due course. For the moment, I’ll just note that Mr Mar is mistaken if he believes there was money in the FNPF in 2011 to continue pensions in full. He seems to overlook the need for solvency reserves; and his analogies with properly run annuity funds are a bit of a stretch. As for Dr Narsey’s comments, the low uptake of properly priced annuities is a worldwide phenomenon, not confined to Fiji. Distinguished economists such as Richard Thaler have referred to this as “the annuity puzzle”. And introducing subsidy in order to correct market failure is something that needs careful consideration, as Dr Narsey well knows; unintended consequences abound. There are a number of other contentions of Dr Narsey’s that I will address with more space. Attempts to introduce somewhat self-serving superannuation policies are not unknown, of course. For example, in NZ in 2013, our government proposed a modification of our basic national superannuation which would have favoured the healthy and wealthy at the expense of the rest of the population. I wrote a detailed paper on this, accessible at https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/4479/3970. The idea was dropped, although I became very unpopular with a certain government minister. May I note by the way that I did not intend to impugn the integrity of the PM, and should I have inadvertently done so, I apologise. But trust in parliamentary democracy requires MPs to ensure their own personal financial interests are managed appropriately. We may have examples in NZ where this hasn’t necessarily been so, but it doesn’t change the principle. So to finish, if the people who disagree with me are truly confident of their case, then why not join me in seeking an independent public commission of inquiry into the 2011 reforms? As well as transparently establishing the facts, properly funded compensation for poor decision-making by governments before 2011 could be looked into. There is time to do this; recommendations can be backdated. Yes? Geoff Rashbrooke Kaitawa Rd, Lower Hutt, NZ
