Best counsellors
During the live Facebook consultation, there was a recognition from the Economy Minister of the massive shortfall of qualified counsellors in the country.
Students have also spoken about the lack of professional counsellors.
Have students ever asked themselves why there is a need for professional counsellors?
A counsellor holds face-to-face discussions with another person to help him or her to solve a problem or help improve that person’s attitude, behaviour or character.
I gathered synonyms for counsellor.
Advisor, consultant, guide, mentor, instructor, confidant, tutor, therapist, psychologist, analyst, mind doctor and healer.
When I blend this dozen together, I get three groups of people who are collectively present in a couple of hundred thousand in Fiji.
Teachers, elders and the best counsellors of all, parents.
Students who think there is a need for professional counsellors, have they ever listened to these people?
If not, they will not listen to anyone.
Students don’t need professional counsellors, they need values.
Mohammed Imraz Janif, Natabua, Lautoka
Bong find
I WAS on my morning walk the other day, on Tuesday 5/3 when I spotted a plastic drink bottle that had a cigarette butt embedded on the bottom half.
I knew it was a makeshift bong.
I picked it up and took a whiff, yes it had the remnants of marijuana odour!
The drug trade is getting out of hand and I for one know that it is being smoked on the streets of Lautoka.
Now I find a bong in my area, soon someone will be planting it (in my area), oops, did I just say too much.
Allen Lockington, Kava Place, Waiyavi, Lautoka
Transportation woes
AS if we don’t have enough problems with e-transport cards, now they want to introduce ferry boat services.
Let’s wait and see.
Only time will tell.
Simi Kuruvoli, Cunningham, Suva
Road entry
THE entry of Nepani Rd at night, especially travelling from Laqere Bridge end to Nepani.
It’s so dark, no sign or road mark to indicate the entry to Nepani Rd.
It seems hard on so many drivers and could possibly end up in the ditch.
They have recently erected a lamppost but this still has a wide gap from the entry.
Hopefully, the relevant authority can just mark the road at the entry which would be a lot of help.
Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu
Tarsealed roads
IN 2017, residents of Naqere were celebrating that finally our road was sealed.
In late 2018, our road went back to pre-2017 — gravel.
Once a politician in his maiden speech at a rally mistakenly said: “If I get elected, I will gravel all the sealed roads.”
I hope this is not the case here.
FRA is quoted as saying that they want all the roads to be NZ standard.
May be that’s the main reason they scrapped the tarseal on the above road.
I would love to know if there are other reasons.
While we are at it, can the minister please inform us of the reasons and the total cost of the previous tarsealed work?
Who is footing the bills this time around and why?
While still on Savusavu, can the minister make it public, the cost of maintaining the road from Montfort Boys Town to Savusavu Town over the past six years?
I believe all they have done is patching.
A. Shariff Shah, Savusavu
Tree cutting
IT does not mean that we can cut those trees which were planted by us.
They are not similar to vegetables in the garden.
It was planted by man is not enough justification.
Mohammed Imraz Janif, Natabua, Lautoka
Man planted trees
A minister referred to “man planted trees”.
Then who else would have planted them madam minister?
They are still important and need to be left alone; don’t you think?
They are not natural?
Wow!
And you worked for the department of environment?
I can only say – Isa!
Kiniviliame Keteca, Nausori
Decent work
When a worker is employed by the same employer for 10 years but continues to be called part-time worker, I believe it limits the worker’s opportunity to progress, contributing to the high number of working poor.
Dan Urai, Lautoka
