Bula
University of the South Pacific (USP) vice chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia should be based in Fiji now that his contract has been renewed.
This is the view of Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) general secretary Viliame Takayawa.
The reappointment was strongly opposed by USP staff unions.
There has also been strong criticism from the public about his salary and the allowance he is getting when travelling to Fiji from Samoa, where he is based.
“Basically, that he needs to be based in Fiji, and make use of the house that’s already here in Fiji,” Mr Takayawa said.
The USP Council and the Ministry of Education have remained silent on the matter.
That’s the lead on Page 1 of The Fiji Times for Wednesday, December 6.
In the second story on the front page, Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr James Fong will exit the ministry on Friday.
Public Service Commission (PSC) chair Luke Rokovada confirmed that Dr Fong was leaving but was not forthcoming with details on why he was exiting the civil service.
Dr Jemesa Tudravu, the ministry’s Chief Medical Advisor, will replace him as of next week Monday.
Dr Fong spent three years in the role and became a familiar household face and name during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the third story, Meli Bainimarama, son of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama, appeared in the Parramatta Local Court today on multiple charges and was refused bail.
According to Australian media reports, Mr Bainimarama was arrested at his Guildford, Sydney, home on December 4 and charged with intentionally choking a person without consent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and property damage.
Australian media reported that just after 3am, he allegedly intentionally or recklessly damaged a woman’s car key, assaulted her and intentionally choked her without her consent.
Here are some headlines:
# INFORMAL settlements are a big challenge for the Coalition Government as this has been an issue for quite some time with no practical strategies put in place for relocation of residents.
# INEQUALITY and the lack of economic opportunities including theft, substance abuse, fighting and brawls sex work being conducted by girls and young women and domestic violence are commonly reported problems among inhabitants of urban settlements.
# THE owners of a barge that ended up on the reef near Rotuma said their vessel dragged anchor during bad weather on Thursday night, resulting in the incident.
# TRANSPORT Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau has condemned – and called for swift action – against those behind the brutal killing of a taxi driver, whose body was found in a farming community in Lautoka. He said those who committed the offence must be caught quickly and severely punished.
# A 19-year-old woman was charged with the abduction, rape and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl last month.
Kaila!
We have the Kaila! edition inside The Fiji Times every Wednesday.
Synopsis
It’s good to know that there is a concerted effort now placed on highlighting safety on our roads.
Now the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is calling on members of the public to report bad driving behaviour as it focuses on what it terms a ‘collaborative approach to curb the increasing incidents of dangerous driving on our roads this festive season’.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Irimaia Rokosawa said they were concerned about the alarming rate of dangerous and reckless driving, suggesting it could lead to an increased risk of accidents and harm to the public.
The safety of road users was LTA’s top priority, he said, and the current trends in reckless driving behaviour during the festive season demanded immediate attention.
He highlighted a few challenges including dangerous driving, speeding, aggressive overtaking, and failure to adhere to traffic regulations.
We may sound like a broken record permanently on replay mode, but the reality is that accidents are happening around the country and there seems to be no end in sight.
To date, we have had 72 deaths on our roads compared to 38 for the same period last year.
And out of the 72, 10 deaths were attributed to dangerous driving.
Speeding, Rokosawa said, has consistently emerged as the leading cause of deaths on our roads, claiming 286 lives since 2013.
This year, 33 deaths happened because of speeding.
The statistics, he said, “underscore the urgent need for a concerted approach to address the root causes of these tragic incidents”.
Joint enforcement operations between the LTA and the Fiji Police Force, he said, targeted bad driving habits, driving under the influence of alcohol, and non-compliance of road safety rules, licensing and registration.
Then there is the important role the public can play in promoting road safety.
We realise members of the public can be roped in to be part of the road safety message, however, there must also be a concerted effort made to get to the root cause of these accidents – the drivers.
That will mean focusing on the base and getting to the driving schools and officers tasked with issuing licences.
But it is encouraging to note the extra effort now put in to make things happen for us all.
That is a good sign. The onus though is on us to be engaged.
That’s the key word! We need that to fight road accidents together.
There must be respect for the rights of other road users, and value placed on the lives of others.
That should be the base for all driving instructors and licensing officers and must be inculcated in every driver.
The consequences of dangerous driving are many, and deadly.
We need common sense, to appreciate life, not be selfish, and be considerate of others.
The LTA and Police need our support to ensure everyone is safe this festive season!
