Congratulations Anuragh
Congratulations to Anuragh Chandra for your achievement in going to Scotts Base in the South Pole (FT 19/11).
Wow, what an achievement indeed for a Lautoka boy. Anuragh, please do take a Fiji flag with you and take photos of the expedition, fly Fiji’s flag over there.
This brings to mind my nephew Jason Murray who also went on a similar kinda expedition but not to Antarctica. ALLEN LOCKINGTON Kava Place, Lautoka
Wrong message
Talk about confusing: on the one hand we are all asked to maintain a social distance, to regularly wash our hands, and so on to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
On the other hand, however, there is a TV commercial shown every evening at news time that is everything contrary to what we have been encouraged to do.
It shows a whole lot of people jumping up and down, spinning around and dancing. Now that might seem acceptable but they are also hugging, kissing and embracing as if an announcement has just been made about a safe and effective vaccine. But no, unfortunately that isn’t the reason. It is a commercial and the motive is just that, for commercial gain.
The motive holds no ethical merit at all and is, in fact, nothing less than offensive in the light of what the entire population is trying to do to contain COVID-19.
Authorities and media watchdog agencies need to be more vigilant about allowing dangerous messages to be aired. Julie Sutherland Tamavua, Suva
Welfare of children
In a recent news report the Minister for Women Mereseini Vuniwaqa says Fiji is failing to protect the welfare of children.
The most recorded cases are child neglect including lack of supervision, medical neglect, and failure to provide food, clothing or shelter.
It is my firm belief that the minister has stumbled across one of the main causes of drug use. This is where it all begins and the result is that the little ones who were once abused turn to drugs to numb the pain. Then we put them in prison for drugs and turn a blind eye to the cause.
Ask why people do drugs instead of just tossing them in prison. RUSELL FONG Raiwai, Suva
Hard work pays off
“Any person who believes in hard work and has the determination to persevere will always succeed.”
This was the message by Parnita Nair who made Wednesday’s People column, which has been running motivational and inspirational real-life and original stories.
Ms Nair, in her interview with Shiraz Kasim, shared her parents’ strong words of wisdom: “Age is just a number. The tough ones fight until the end to taste success while the lazy ones sit and moan.”
Ms Nair, who is 53-years-old and is a businesswoman selling fruits at the Lautoka Municipal Market for more than two decades, shared her life’s journey with Kasim via The Fiji Times.
She shared about the challenges that she went through with the support of her parents and how she started her business.
She shared that being a victim of a daring daylight robbery three months ago did not pull her down but made her determined to succeed.
Ms Nair is a role model for many of our women who are feeling the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and her story is set to motivate and cheer-up those who are down and especially to our students who are preparing for their examinations.
Vinaka vakalevu Ms Nair and The Fiji Times for the timely motivation! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Licence renewal
Applying for a driving licence renewal the other day, admittedly 36 days late, I expected to be fined — that would be fair. But, I had to complete an application for a learner’s permit, pay $9.50 for it, and must wait for an appointment to take a theory exam and a driving test.
Having had a clean driving licence since 1962, I found this highly insulting, but of course could not say so.
Bureaucracy run mad?
Yes, I was remiss but being demoted to learner driver status is surely excessive. Shouldn’t the punishment fit the crime? SUE CAUTY Sevua Circle, Pacific Harbour
COVID-19 curfew
I believe the necessary limitation of our human rights in the Constitution are the two words for the COVID-19 curfew.
Fiji has COVID-19 in the country regardless of where it is. We are not COVID-19 free yet.
In medicine, nothing is 100 per cent accurate.
The word “never” is not used. Those who stumble and use this word soon learn of their grave mistake and are proved wrong.
There is always an exception that creeps in when you least expect it.
Presently COVID-19 is found at our border in Nadi, proved by testing. Does that mean that it can’t come into our communities?
Given the hard work done by our COVID-19 task force and the number of tests done throughout our hospitals and health centres, this is highly unlikely.
But the only way we can truthfully answer this question is to test every person in Fiji, about 900,000 people.
Is this a wise use of our resources? Has any developed country overseas tested their entire population?
A resounding no. Prevention is always better than cure. If anyone has flu symptoms, please visit your nearest health facility.
They all have proper guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health, who are reviewing things regularly.
I respectfully disagree with your letter writer (FT 18/11), that the legal fraternity “challenge this never-ending curfew in favour of our constitutional rights”. This is not the time to dwell on theory and test out our laws. COVID-19 is very real and has killed millions of people worldwide. Now is the time to support our authorities, our government in handling this COVID-19 problem.
We are all in this boat together. Putting a gun to the captain’s head is not the answer, because we will all go down together. Crime continues regardless of whether there is a five-hour “house arrest” (curfew) or not. People break curfew daily.
If there is an intention to commit a crime then people will continue with the crime. KORINA WAIBUTA Knollys St, Suva
