Lending a hand
Hats off to the youths from Kauvula Place in Nakasi for taking the initiative to clean up the Lighthouse Retreat Centre in Nakasi as a way of giving back to their community!
The youths helped weed the centre’s garden, raked the compound, and cleared all the rubbish. The clean-up was a success in terms of bringing the youths together and teaching them the importance of getting along with people living close to them and in caring for each other. T
he retreat gave them the golden opportunity to learn about working together as a community.
Hence, once our youths are involved in such activities it gives them a sense of ownership and drives patriotism within them. After all, our youths will be tomorrow’s leader. Now that many youths are out from school because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that they be involved in worthwhile activities to deter them from doing otherwise.
The youths from Kauvula Place in Nakasi have set the benchmark for all other youths.
Vinaka vakalevu sirs and madams for the initiative! Thank you Ana Madigibuli and the Kaila! team for continuously motivating and inspiring our youths!
Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam Nadawa, Nasinu
Drowning case
It’s sad to note a 11- year-old student drowned (The Fiji Times editorial on 24/10/21), when police, Water Safety Council and schools are always cautioning parents to take care of children’s whereabouts and supervising them during the in school holidays and festive season. While we may be trying to develop swimming skills for children, they should be well monitored.
At times they are tempted to follow their friends, taking risks to try out activities not suitable for them.
They may be found at odd places, risking their lives. Follow up disasters turn out to be more expensive than anticipated.
We Fijians are surrounded by oceans and rivers which makes children easy to develop swimming skills under parents guidance. But in some cases you don’t have to teach a fish how to swim.
Swim for life. Stay safe and save lives. Tahir Ali Hamilton, New Zealand
Change in weather
In only a few weeks, or just a few days, we will be told to save water each day.
It is getting very hot and sunny, even in the Central Division where it is always rainy
Just a few weeks ago there were flood warnings, with possible landslides and road blocking.
It’s really amazing how things quickly vary, now it’s hot, humid and very windy, recently it was cold, dull and always rainy.
Where oh where! did all the surplus water go? when right now rain is really a “no show”.
We need to always harvest any downpour, to save all the rainwater and properly store for that ironic “rainy day”, which really is a drought, by the way! Edward Blakelock Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Walk the talk
Our champions for climate change have flown out to have our voices heard at the international arena. Great.
While I believe big nations who rely heavily on the coal and fossil fuel industry have silently moved to get some details deleted from the paper at the conference, our warriors have a clear mindset; we need climate funds to mitigate the impending climate crisis. How precise can anyone be?
I am sure our warriors will come back and replace all state vehicles with hybrid vehicles.
Hybrid Toyota Rav4 will make good executive vehicles. They will also provide some good incentives to vehicle owners who would want to change their vehicles to firm out Hybrid.
I will surely do that if given an incentive. Actions speak louder than words Rajendra Prasad Niudamu Rd, Naulu, Nakasi
Handwash mix
I believe some eateries in Lautoka are mixing their handwash with water.
We do understand it’s one of those times, where one has to be very mindful of spending, however, during COVID-19, the handwash is a major component and is in many places.
One restaurant I went to, it seemed the ratio of handwash was 99 per cent water to 1 per cent handwash chemical.
On the other hand, some restaurants are well-managed.
While on that, thanks to those who are well aware of their customer’s satisfaction and adhering to the COVID protocols. Kirti Patel Lautoka
Health questions
I fully concur with Graham Leung’s opinion in The Fiji Times on Saturday, regarding Fiji’s state of the health system.
I, for one, have observed first hand that the state of Fiji’s health system is a pressing need! As a regular at the CWMH during my mum’s battle with diabetes three years ago (RIP mum), I often wondered if our leaders, especially the Prime Minister and Attorney-General, ever took time to visit the hospital and see for themselves the deplorable condition it was in.
Especially the toilets and bathrooms and kitchen areas. I would like to mention the Rewa women’s ward in particular.
Oh dear, I am not sure how it is now but during my late mum’s admission there, it was abysmal! Vakasisila qai duka! I couldn’t even survive inside the kitchen area to wash my mum’s utensils.
I mostly packed it away and washed it at home instead. Even the meals, geez, I phoned home many times and implored my dad and my brother that the food provided at the hospital was questionable! Better order takeaways or just organise home cooked meals.
The longer hours of waiting at the Emergency Department was another issue aptly pointed out. I remembered bulldozing the A&E doors many times when I rushed mum to the hospital, confronting the nurses and doctors, telling them that my mother was dying and that she needed immediate help.
Their reply to me would normally be, “you must wait!” until I raised my voice and then they would listen and act swiftly!
Make it worse, I believe the Health Minister himself, who is all too familiar with the dire straits of the CWM Hospital, seemed to have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the patients’plight!
With all fairness, how about all you ministers get admitted at our local hospitals during your illnesses? How about that? Chiuu! Malo vakalevu sara, Mr Leung! Alipate Tuberi Suva
Some clarification
We, Aussies, need some clarification as neither the staff at MCTTT nor the websites have been able to provide clear answers and information provided seems to be conflicting.
This is what is on the MCTTT website: “From 1 December 2021, Fiji will be open to all fully vaccinated travellers from Travel Partner Countries for quarantine free travel”. On calling the MCTTT, I was advised and the lady agreed that this statement on their website was not very clear.
This is what is on the Fiji.Travel website: “Visitors travelling to Fiji from 1st December can enjoy a quarantine-free trip, provided they show proof of booking with a CFC accommodation for their first 3 nights in Fiji”. So, are we travelling “quarantine-free” provided we quarantine for 3 days?
What sort of language is this? It is like saying that an item is free provided you pay $10. For visitors from Australia (there are some 48,000 booked for December and January, we hear), do we all need to quarantine for 3 days if we arrive after 1 December 2021?
Are there enough CFC-certified hotels which can cater for 48,000 visitors and are there enough staff members to police these many visitors?
I know we will not all be arriving at the same time but still, will Fiji be running the largest hotel quarantine facility in the world during this time, and they do not even know it yet?
Please give us some clear information now so that we are aware of what to expect and we are not herded away into a large quarantine facility which does not exist.
Areh, look after us, Aussies, acha, because we are very important to you so do not upset us, please.
I hope 48,000 (and counting) Aussies have not made their bookings based on misinformation. Forget about all the others. A clear answer from the ministry would be appreciated.
Or else we will not bring Christmas or Santa to Fiji. Jan Nissar NSW, Australia
