Ban of Tassa – RONALD PRATAP VATULAULAU, BA
IT’S about time Fiji FA ban the use of Tassa during major tournaments because it’s a complete nuisance which affects players on the field and spectators watching.
Football drug tests – AMINISITAI TORA NADERA, NASINU
ACCORDING to the news in The Fiji Times, 10 football players have been found positive after drug tests. I personally believe this is something very good Fiji Football is doing. Especially when our beloved Fiji is fighting a drug crisis. It shows Fiji Football is trying their best to assist the country in this. I guess it’s a good assistance for the Fiji Police Force also. We have young players who have dreams in the game and drugs is a very bad example. Thank you Fiji Football, you seem to be trying your best for football fans to watch loyal
and honest players playing on the field. We all want to see a football star loyal and honest in the name of the sport.
Good for you Reshmi – DEWAN CHAND NAMADI HEIGHTS, SUVA
ASSISTANT Superintendent of Police (ASP) Reshmi Singh of Fiji Police Force has recently been appointed the Contingent Commander for UN Interim Security Forces in Abyei, South Sudan. She is the first Indo-Fijian woman officer who has been appointed to a peacekeeping mission overseas. For Reshmi, this is a remarkable professional achievement on a global stage. This has been possible because of her outstanding performance and the support of her colleagues and seniors in the force. Her parents (schoolteachers) and husband Ajit Singh (also a police officer) have given her tremendous support. Reshmi has served the Fiji Police Force for thirty-two years in various capacities. Her leadership qualities emerged through her integrity, dedication and resilience in whatever task she was assigned to. In her overseas missions Reshmi has served in volatile regions such as Kosovo, East Timor, Liberia, South Sudan and now Abyei, Sudan. Reshmi is a highly skilled and trained officer in various aspects of policing. Her specific training under the auspices of the United Nations has now made her a trainer. Each overseas mission has its own challenges and she has to be adaptable to face these situations through cultural sensitivities and listening to others.
Reshmi’s achievements are a great motivation for younger women police officers who aspire to reach these heights in policing. It is empowering women to play leadership roles and contribute positively towards helping to resolve domestic violence issues and be great role models. Reshmi hails from the sugarcane belt of Vanua Levu and received her primary education at Savarikarika Catholic Primary School and Khemendra Bhartiya Primary School in Savusavu. She received her secondary education at Laucala Bay Secondary School and entered the police force directly. Her command of the Fijian language is admirable. For her tertiary education she pursued her studies at the Fiji National University in International Relations and Psychology at the University of the South Pacific. For Reshmi, this year’s Diwali festival will be celebrated away from home and I am sure that fond memories of Diwali will flash through her mind. As Reshmi’s former geography teacher, I am deeply proud of my students’ unimaginable achievements. She truly has been a trailblazer! May I wish Reshmi Singh every success in her career and safe return home.
Nobel Peace Prize – DONALD SINGH SUVA
IT made interesting reading, reading that the Nobel Committee overlooked Trump and awarded the gong to a Venezuelan pro-democracy activist. Honestly speaking, I also couldn’t understand why some believed Trump deserved it. How was Obama awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? What did he do to qualify, let alone be
awarded? Scams know no limits.
Beyond the celebration – LOSENA SERU-MUNNIE WAILADA, LAMI
FIJI Day commemorates our independence, but celebration without reflection risks forgetting the deeper purpose of self-governance. Fifty-five years on, are we truly honouring the ideals of justice, equality, and unity? Despite our diversity, divisions — political, ethnic, and social — still run deep. Have we built a system where all communities feel equally represented and empowered? Independence should mean more than sovereignty; it should guarantee dignity and opportunity for all. As we mark this milestone, let’s ask harder questions about inclusion, equity, and the kind of Fiji we are really building for everyone.
Drink driving in Levuka – ANTHONY SAHAI LEVUKA
DRIVING under the influence of alcohol is rampant in Levuka. Are we waiting for an innocent life or lives to be lost prior to reacting? The Levuka Police needs to be urgently equipped with breathalyser kits to assist with their responsibilities and with the festive season looming, we need ‘24/7 visibility” of police officers on the streets. If Government can afford to splash out thousands of taxpayer dollars to pay additional government minister’s and PS’s, I see no reason as to why the Levuka police cannot be provided with breathalyser kits.
Teachers shape minds, hearts – RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU
WORLD Teachers Day was celebrated on October 5. It’s important to acknowledge the endless sacrifices, commitment, dedication, and hard work our teachers put in, looking after our children inside and outside the four walls of the classroom. Times have changed and so has the role of a teacher. Teachers face challenging times with the changing behaviour and attitude of children and societies. Social ills and technology are having a grappling impact on our children. However, despite the changing tides, our teachers have done well to disseminate knowledge to the children under their care. Being a teacher is not easy. Teaching provides teachers with the unique opportunity to make a transformative and lasting impact on the lives of others, contributing to shaping sustainable futures and offering personal fulfilment. The migration of teachers from Fiji is having a negative toll on the education system and it is important to retain our qualified and experienced teachers. It’s important to advocate for a dignified and valued teaching profession, analyse challenges, and showcase inspiring practices to attract, retain and motivate teachers
and educators. There is a need to examine the ways in which education systems, societies, communities, and families recognise, appreciate, and actively support teachers. I thank our teachers for standing tall despite the turbulence. I urge everyone to give our teachers the respect and love they deserve. Thank you, teachers, for engineering lives, for without you, many of us wouldn’t be successful!
Mangrove planting – MOSES FONG SUVA
AS young kids growing up near the coast, we spent a lot of time trying to catch fish and crabs; with the fishing lines and the spears. In punts, on reefs we went, and into the mangroves bush we would venture.
This bit was tedious and dangerous but fun when the tide is high, for some fish meander through the roots to feed. The branches of mangrove trees join up above, so do the roots below. The tree trunks stand generally three to five fathoms apart is how they have grown over the centuries. While the idea behind the planting of mangrove seeds along our shores to protect them is wonderful, I wonder how the trees we see hand planted will eventually grow: some are just a few inches, some a foot or so apart. For sure they will grow up fighting each other, pushing, shoving and grumbling for space will they also grow.
Amazing scenes – JAN NISSAR SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
AMAZING scenes as we all watch the people of Gaza, walk back to Gaza City to rebuild their lives. It is like watching a horror movie except it is all very real. Men, women, children and the disabled streaming for endless miles on donkeys, cars, trucks, trailers, wheelchairs and on foot with whatever little possessions they have. Most would be hungry with no idea when and where their next meal will come from. I wish I was there to share their horror and experience their reality. It would definitely give me a better understanding of humanity and human suffering. All this in the year 2025 when we all are supposed to be civilised.
From teaching to fabric! – RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU
SALOTE Qalubau, via her piece titled “From teaching to fabric”, shared a story of resilience, determination and courage. Her story focused on former language teacher, Loraini Bula, who makes a living by combining her diverse interests. Ms Bula has showed that we all are blessed with different talents, and it is important to
use these God-gifted talents to meet our needs and wants. Under the banner of Loraini’s Creations, Ms Bula’s business combines fabric printing, a busy nursery and home crafting. She does fabric printing and has a nursery. Miss Bula sells flowers and fruit trees, alongside her handicraft items. Her eagerness and willingness to shine and succeed are indicated by her hard work patience, especially when dealing with high demands from her customers. However, she is honest and frank in managing expectations. Ms Bula encouraged women to look around and plant. She also encouraged resourcefulness and recycling. Her story was beautiful and an inspiring one. It also teaches us to build a positive relationship with nature!
