Letters to the Editor: letters@fijitimes.com.fj
Beauty queens
Since the Hibiscus festival is the mother of all festivals in Fiji, I see it rather unfair for the beauty queens of other carnivals not being part of it.
Hibiscus committee should make provisions for other crowned queens to compete at a national level.
This is to allow them to voice their concerns from their hometowns and it would be a good opportunity for them to experience the joie de vivre of bigger competitions.
With all the smaller carnivals rounding up their festivities around August, it would be only wise to let the queen contestants face a bigger crowd.
Presently, the contestants are all confined to the Suva area with unhealthy competitions.
Having them from all around Fiji will showcase myriad cultures that are prevalent in different parts of Fiji and the support of their local fans from each town will be a delight to watch.
Avitesh Kumar
Ba
A new chapter
The selection of Dame Meg Taylor as secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is historical.
How often does the Pacific get to hear of a female heading such a large and important institution?
She is perhaps the first female to lead the regional organisation.
With her professional background and experience, one can be assured of a stronger and smarter sense of leadership as Pacific nations embrace numerous development challenges and seek innovative solutions.
All in all, a new chapter for the Pacific. One looks forward to the leadership and inspiration of Dame Meg Taylor.
Floyd Robinson
Nasinu
Rejoicing and festivity
The crowning of Bula and Charity queens tonight at Prince Charles Park in Nadi will mark the culmination of one week of great rejoicing and festivity.
Everybody comes together in festivals where peace and tolerance is promoted and cherished.
Like always the 2014 festival was also quite well organised and run. All behind the success of the festival are praiseworthy.
We also recognise the willingness and courage of the beautiful contestants without whom no festival is lively and entertaining.
No doubt these young pretty lasses will have achieved immense self-confidence through participating in such public benefiting charity contest.
You have not only made your families proud but the whole town.
Even the losers will go home happy as they know they are part and parcel of the festival’s continuing contribution towards poor and needy.
The Nadi Hospital we see today is a living testimony of Bula Festival’s financial support over the years.
The Nadi Civic Centre is another such beneficiary.
We pray that Bula Festival grows in leaps and bounds and their public support remains intact.
We bid farewell to 2014 festival today and wait one year for the next one in 2015.
God bless all.
Suresh Chand
Nadi
Country or school
If the RKS players who were selected to represent Fiji at the Youth Olympics next week decide to put school first than country, then I guess FRU should put their foot down hard on the players.
Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby come under the FRU banner and without the head body, Fiji Secondary School rugby can not function on its own.
I wonder what players are being taught at school about being patriotic.
No wonder our national holiday on Fiji Day is just a holiday. If people are not so patriotic about our national day like those overseas then it should also be scrapped.
In other countries people put their country first.
Tagi Vonolagi
Nausori
Bus overload
Several weeks back, I wrote regarding bus services here in Savusavu.
During peak hours men, women and children are packed in like sardines by rude and inconsiderate bus drivers and its happening on a daily basis.
Population growth has increased over the past two decades yet the bus service provider is still running the same number of buses ever since?
Instead of providing extra buses during peak hours they continue to squeeze people in for the sake of making extra profit!
What is most concerning is that most of these buses drive straight past LTA office in Savusavu town.
Either LTA personnel are in cohorts with the bus service provider or we have lots of blind bats around!
Or are we waiting for an accident to happen before we take action?
Simon Hazelman
Savusavu
Lots of waste
Neha Kumar claims “a billion tones of waste of all kinds are produced every minute by several industries in Fiji” (“Threats to atmosphere” FT 3/8).
I think that this claim needs some sort of definite figures to ease the boggling of at least my mind.
Peter Rodda
Lami
Common name
What is all this fuss over a common name, citizens being called Fijians?
I remember my maternal grandmother telling stories about the early iTaukei who had landed here and saw smoke rising from the Nakauvadra hills (sign of occupants).
They made their way from Viseisei towards the top and broke tree branches since they were without tools, as they made their way through the thick vegetation towards the mountain ranges.
This action called vitiviti, thereby bore a new country.
When the early Europeans came, with their tongue twisters, couldn’t pronounce viti and thus, the name Fidji. Now Fiji.
So for the politician claiming naming rights, Fijian was never ours to begin with. Let’s rename this beloved land to Vitiviti, or should we follow the Israelites who renamed Canaan.
To the Christian politicians, let’s prepare for the new Jerusalem and let Caesar do his thing.
As it is written in Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven — and we also await a saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Edward Kumar
Lautoka
Big day
AS we countdown to the big day of election, one can sense the spirit of excitement in the air, or maybe it’s because of the festivals that’s going on and not counting the mother of them all, the Hibiscus Festival.
Either way you can almost sense something very new and exciting is just around the corner. You know it because you can feel it in your gut, right!
Well, now is not the time to complain about the amendments in the electoral decrees.
Now is the time to activate plans B, C and even D. See how quick you were able to get new candidates, it just shows that the people of Fiji all want to stand and be counted.
So just knuckle down and cross all your “ts” and dot your “is” because in this race there is no second chance.
Come on guys, Fiji is waiting for that moment after September 17, make it happen, and to all my fellow citizens, now is not the time to sit back and not to care, make the effort to find out about the different parties and their manifestos and make the right decision.
Toso mai Viti.
Lawrence Wara
Suva
Number fuss
TO avoid all the unnecessary chaos and religious bashing created at political rallies and on social media websites regarding the allocated candidate number 135, why can’t the Electoral Commission chairman do the logical thing and change it to some other number?
If Mr Young strongly maintains that the number was randomly selected with no religious connotations, I guess then switching the number will have little or no effect at all on the election process.
The spew of hatred displayed by some politicians is just overwhelming, to say the least.
Nishant Singh
Lautoka
Election time
AS a registered voter in the up coming general election, I believe it is only fair that all ministers including the Prime Minister should step down from their post to allow a free and fair election.
If top government officials can resign from their post to contest in the election then I believe this must also apply to the current ministers.
As done in the past, the permanent secretaries should be given the responsibility to run the affairs of the government until a democratically elected government is voted in.
Rajesh Lal
Labasa
Neutral prayer
IT is sad that Viliame Gavoka has defended what I called the confusing argument on neutral prayer made by the former PM as the result of our current status as a secular state. (FT 27/7, 31/7)
My point was that today, I have not heard of a Christian or an iTaukei complain in the media that they were not allowed to pray in the school they attended and that even though we are a secular state, we all conduct our different religious worship as if we are a Christian State.
Mr Gavoka has quoted Deuteronomy 11:18-20 to support his argument but he has taken the scriptures out of context, as Moses was not talking about prayer but God’s commandments to be ever before the Israelites in their daily lives.
This was way before Israel decided to follow other nations by choosing a human king to rule after them and having what we now call a constitution.
I believe to preach that a secular state denies us of a vibrant prayer life and supports neutral prayer is a lie.
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa
Nasinu
German way
I AGREE with Etuate Uluinaceva of Christchurch that Germany should be proud of its World Cup victory but in a non-threatening way.
Germany, a country that has caused so much pain and misery twice in twenty five years, has worked so hard to change its image as the frightful sadist hun.
Being champions in soccer will go a long way towards this effort.
There are old generations especially the Dutch and Polish who will never forget the German doctrine of hate during Nazi Germany.
Only the Soviets and the Allies had the guts to stop that bestial frightfulness.
Fortunately world peace is now under collective security where the Germans are supposed to adhere to and not subdue them like they already did on two occasions
His reading of the German psychology is correct as long as the hate doctrine is not forced down their throat.
Amenatave Yaconisau
Delainavesi
Unacceptable incident
IT is indeed shocking and unacceptable to read about students who went on a drinking spree over the weekend in Labasa after the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby games.
A female student was found lying unconscious and intoxicated near a tramline and was then taken to Labasa Hospital and admitted.
Some male students were made to stay back and undergo police interrogations and investigations.
This incident is totally unacceptable by all means to any right minded parents.
Imagine what could have happened to that female student lying near that tramline?
My immediate question to those teachers who should have been responsible for the behavior of these students is where and what were they doing at that point in time?
Next is what, if anything, will the Ministry of Education do regarding this episode?
Furthermore, what will it be like if that female student was repeatedly raped or run over by a locomotive laden with sugar cane.
A thorough investigation must be carried out by the authorities and teachers who should have been responsible be held accountable and be taken to task as well.
Surely no parent will be sending their children to play and later get heavily intoxicated with alcohol at such sporting occasions and be exposed to life-threatening situations.
If the students were allowed to have some free time then they should have been supervised and monitored throughout the night and ensured their safe return to camp.
Therefore, I am calling on the Ministry Of Education to immediately instigate a thorough investigation.
Allan Jesoni
Nasinu
Good hosts
I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank Vineel Nand, Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Robin Ali of Nadi Town Council for organising the Senior Citizens Day and Eid Celebration for the people of Nadi.
It was an opportunity for us to meet Prime Minister of Fiji who was the chief guest on July 30 in Nadi.
Also we had free medical check ups, lunch and free giveaways.
We lived like a millionaire for a day.
Vinaka Vineel and the team
Inia Yagobeci
Nadi
Sky TV
I WISH to thank the gentleman from Sky who called yesterday to invite me to a meeting with management to discuss programming this afternoon, August 8.
He wanted to know exactly which programs I would wish to have returned.
I told him, “all of them” but he politely insisted that I choose, and I chose two, while insisting that all of Sky’s previous content should be replaced.
The point is that when signing up for Sky, one considers the channels on offer.
I am not really interested in sport, I do occasionally enjoy a Hindi movie, I do not watch televangelists and so forth.
But I am very fond of BBC, CNN, ABC, Discovery, and more.
One decides whether or not there are enough channels on offer to make it worthwhile paying for, and at the time that I signed up a good many years ago, I considered it worthwhile.
At the same time, I appreciated the fact that other people would sign up to watch channels that I would never watch.
Sky offered a wide range that would appeal to just about everybody.
Now they have arbitrarily altered our channel choices and left many of us disgruntled and feeling cheated.
Truly Sky there is nothing to discuss.
You were doing a good enough job. Why spoil it?
Sue Cauty
Pacific Harbour
Charity work
IT is good to see people of Ba enjoying the carnival going full swing there.
Many queens are contesting to raise funds for better causes. And it is really appreciated.
But it is a sad day when people put up support for a charity queen and then demand a fixed amount of contribution from their employees.
It would be nicer for the employer to request for contributions and leave the amount to be decided by the person who is giving.
People tend to give more when they give from own free will.
When it is made compulsory and a fixed amount is dictated then it becomes a cause for resentment, and it also impinges in the rights of individuals too.
One may have pledged his or her support for some other charity queen.
People should understand when one is forced to donate, it kills the spirit of goodwill and the feeling of charity.
All the best to the queens
LALIT MAHARAJ
Vatulaulau
Ba
Television program
SKY Fiji says that it carried out an extensive survey and applied user feedback in selecting its new set of programs. Really? One word that comes to my mind is baloney.
Be that as it may, and much as all this shift in programs has caused a major disturbance in my life, and in the lives of those around me, we all might make adjustments and live with it, even to the extent of cancelling our subscription to Sky, not a remote possibility in the circumstances.
But to deprive us from Mishal Husain and Yalda Hakim?
Now, that is a real low, real real low.
How could they conceivably do that?
It is absolutely inhuman. Remove all the programs you want, but bring back Mishal Husain and Yalda Hakim.
Subhas Parshotam
Suva
Code of conduct
ON Sunday while travelling to Rakiraki via Kings Rd, we were stopped by a police officer with a radar in his hand.
The taxidriver says “oh my god, I have been nailed on speeding”.
The officer approached the driver and said his speed limit was OK, but I have to book you for careless driving, reason being your right arm was leaning on the door.
Well one of the passengers arm was also leaning outside the door, so why was he spared?
I reckon there are more than 20 code of conducts for passengers as well clearly stated in the Transport Act.Just wondering if the abovementioned officer is also aware of conduct of passengers as well.
Shamal Chand
Kuku Bau Rd
Nausori
Proportionate pricing
I TOO was frustrated when, most of the time, the price controlled medium loaf was out of stock and had to pay more money for less bread.
Then in April I learnt of proportionate pricing, from ComCom.
When the medium brown (PC, $1.20, 600g) is out of stock, then I can expect to pay 80cents for a small brown(400g), normally $1.30.
The medium price $1.20, multiply by 400grams, divide by 600 grams, equals 80 cents. Since April I have always received a medium.
M. Hill
Lautoka
Local shows
WITH the Kula Film Awards ending on a high note and talents recognised through awards, it would be worthwhile watching our local shows on screen.
Kula Film Awards was an avenue to promote and cajole local talents and it seemed that the country film industry is slowing gaining momentum.
The many schools that participated and showed their zeal and passion towards film-making was indeed gratifying and impressive.
While we are doing all in the means to make the future rising stars of Fiji, it will be a good opportunity to let the entire public show their hidden talents.
One way in which we can do this is by producing local shows with local stars and technicians.
I remember being engrossed to a Vanuatu TV series Love Patrol some years back.
Watching that was a sheer excitement and I would cling to each and every episode that was aired.
I’m sure that these shows will be much better than some of the ones being shown at the moment.
Avitesh Kumar
Ba
Joining Hamas
WE read in the first paragraph in the article Latin America comes out in force against Israel (Yahoo! 7 news 2/08) the following :
Montevideo (AFP) – Latin America’s leaders are among the most vehement in condemning Israel’s Gaza offensive, labelling the Jewish state “terrorist”, recalling ambassadors, and offering near unanimous,unwavering support to Palestine. ” I can’t remember another similar situation where (all the countries in the region) have reacted practically as a bloc”, said political scientist Reginaldo Nasser, a professor at the Pontifical University in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
I wonder what Steven Singh of Sydney (Fiji Times 17/7) makes of that?
Should all these Latin American leaders also join the Hamas?
Rajend Naidu
Sydney
Sin and sins
MARICA Koroitanoa (FT 20/7) has rightly pointed to scriptures that all humans are under the curse of original sin inherited from Adam but to say we humans are not responsible for our sins is not biblical.
Although Adam served as our federal representative and we have now inherited original sin, we are every bit as guilty.
Firstly, we are guilty sinners because Adam sinned – Romans 5:12-14 and secondly, we are guilty sinners because we have sinned – Romans 3:23. We are condemned on both accounts.
“People sinned even before the law was given but it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
“Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned…”
Adam’s one sin led to condemnation but through Jesus we are made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.
For all who receive God’s gift of salvation will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ – Romans 5:1-21.
Lawrence H Narayan
Suva
BOG soccer
THE removal of the nine channels from Sky Pacific has certainly aroused a lot of debate.
Majority of people I came across said they may disconnect Sky Pacific.
However, I am planning to stick with Sky Pacific.
I have a request to make to Fiji TV. Can the broadcasting of this year’s BOG be done at pay per view channel?
As a diehard soccer fan, I would like to plead to Fiji TV to broadcast the Battle of Giants this year.
I was very disheartened after Fiji TV failed to broadcast this year’s first major soccer tournament the Fiji FACT.
Please solve the matter with Fiji Football Association and at least put a smile on the people’s faces.
JASHNIL KUMAR
Lautoka
Unbalanced reporting
I BELIEVE the news media in Fiji is finding it safe to praise some people, but very risky to question or criticise them.
I believe there are too many unbalanced reporting that is beyond the comprehension of the ordinary man.
One has to be a very critical thinker to get the facts right.
If you are reporting that someone is giving you too much than before, then you must also have the guts to report how much more that someone is taking from you.
BHUPENDRA PRASAD
Labasa
Recycling waste
CONCERNING the recent spate of litterbug letters in this column lately, I can feel the frustration and anger that mounts when someone blatantly and with no conscience litters.
I am a 90 per cent recycler, but my family, and tenant are both about 10 per cent recyclers. I just cannot get them to follow suit. I have this arduous and meticulous task of separating recyclables from their trash.
I work as a janitor, at a temple and the recycling of waste and trash, is more tedious, but I make sure they’re 90 per cent recycled.
One of my heros is a man “Frank Schiavo” who is a 100 per cent recycler and he doesn’t have trash services, at all.
My goal is to be a 95 per cent recycler and a water, and electricity miser to the bone.
I use about 7-9 gallons of water a day, excluding laundry.
If one is environmentally concerned, it’s satisfying to recycle and conserve, and it becomes a craving. Recycling and conserving is the answer to littering,
SUSEN SAKAL
USA
Enforcement lacking
IT was encouraging reading in FT (5/8) that 186 smokers have been booked by authorities for smoking in non-smoking zones.
These smoking culprits have been dealt with in accordance with the laws to curb illegal acts as such.
The purpose is served only when the laws are put into practice every time.
No illegal problem is solved if laws are kept in the books only.
It is implemented and enforced at all times without any mercy or favour.
Litter is no different but enforcement is weak or lacking which is leaving our environment dirty.
Enforcement is also greatly lacking in touting areas which is thriving in Nadi despite touting by-laws in force for years now.
The ministry responsible should find out why it’s happening like this here and take drastic steps immediately. I firmly believe that by consistency in punishment of offenders we can control any problem. That is the ultimate intent of laws.
SURESH CHAND
Nadi
Election fever
AFTER reading various manifestos and comments on what each political party intends to do once in power, I am confused as to whether there is going to be truth and reconciliation or the Nuremberg trials after the election.
Please note most of the world’s journalists are already committed to other hot spots around the world, so starting another fire in the Pacific will most likely go unnoticed after the first five minutes.
Those who care don’t have the time while those who don’t care are watching crazy cat doing the gangnum dance on YouTube.
Hopefully progress isn’t held up for the next four years while everyone tap dances around land mines.
PRANEET SINGH
Sacramento
CA
Tax enquiries
COULD I suggest that for the next, 4 the Record program, that a panel be chosen to give an authentic picture of Fiji’s tax and value added scenario.
Perhaps Dr Mahendra Reddy, Dr Wadan Narsey, Dr Biman Prasad and would be the best choice to talk on the topic of value added tax in Fiji.
For the three gentlemen on last Sunday’s program my questions are;
* what benefits has 12.2 per cent VAT for basic food items brought to the public at large? How has these benefits been maximised?;
* how much do we pay for fuel imports every year?; How much savings would we incur if we developed our substitute sugar cane, copra and bio fuel for our local market?;
* how could we better utilise our potato, rice and sugarcane production for our local market?;
* who determines the $200 departure tax increase? Are there other countries with gigantic departure tax hikes?; and
* Why do we need to compare our 3.8 billion debt of 2013 to US and Japan, when our reserves are less limited and economy less developed?
When it comes to taxpayers, let’s consider everyone’s plight and be wholesome in providing transparent and workable solutions to improve economic and social lifestyles.
FINAU TURAGA
Nadi Airport
Safety bands
AN attractive and shiny wrist band made compulsory for our night riders could really be of great use to prevent accidents.
This should be treated as a licence card for those who decide to walk on our dark roads at night and those who fail to wear these bands should be dealt with seriously.
Maybe similar to how drivers are treated for not wearing seatbelts.
Even the idea of every individual made compulsory to own these safety bands will definitely be of better use then the e-ticketing card.
ASHIS KUMAR
Ba
Life for our children
IN a New York subway ad it shows teenagers happily playing volleyball with an inflated condom.
“You can play with them” the ad reads. “Don’t play around with them.”
The campaign now is an approach that gives students no inducement to do any serious thinking about sexual activity and its risk.
The impact of this campaign is to turn sex into something casual and a matter of fact.
Educationist, as we read in The Fiji Times in the past weeks, are worried that teens tend to treat sex as passionate, romantic and meaningful that they get swept away by their feelings.
In trying to teach our young people to be responsible, we have adopted an irresponsible, playboy-style philosophy of sex.
The only controls on sexual behaviour we promote are utilitarian: Don’t get pregnant, don’t get AIDs. Here, have a condom.
The truth is that we adults/educators have abdicated our responsibility for moral training.
We’ve given up. We can’t stop kids from having sex, the argument goes, the only thing we can do is help make it safe.
Just 30 years ago parents could pretty much control their children’s access to unwholesome materials.
Society co-operated by protecting children from explicit sex, drugs and violence.
But today society no longer co-operates. Just the opposite: Everywhere, movies to so called problem literature, children are fed a steady diet of rape, murder, suicide, abortion, incest, you name it. And with the rapid increase in divorce and two career families, there’s been a sharp drop in the amount of time parents spend supervising their children’s activities.
The result is that children are no longer protected from the corrupt and dangerous side of life. In fact, some scholars say we are losing the very concept of childhood as a special and protected place in the life cycle.
It may mean rethinking our priorities so we spend more time with our children.
It’s time we gave our children back their childhood. What educators say is true: children do need to be prepared for the real world.
But that means being armed with the truth. Edwin Markham said, “We have committed the golden rule to memory.
Let us now commit it to life and life for our children”.
SIMELI DRODRO
Kadavu
Careful driving
I WAS taught to “drive through the windscreen of the car in front”.
This means watching cars further ahead, so that one can get warning of a car applying the brakes before the driver immediately ahead does.
When the back window is made opaque from outside, one cannot do this.
We now have a new type of mafia car. Is it safe?
PETER RODDA
Lami
Application to LTA
I WISH to apply for the position of supreme traffic officer with LTA here in Savusavu for a period of one year.
During that period I guarantee the following:
* I will generate the most revenue for LTA by any single traffic officer Fiji-wide;
* public service vehicles here in paradise will be the safest and cleanest Fiji-wide;
* speeding vehicles will be a thing of the past;
* never will we follow another smoking vehicle again; and
* no unlicensed driver or vehicle will get the opportunity to drive on our roads.
For my efforts I only ask for 5 per cent of the annual revenue I’ll produce.
I look forward to hearing from LTA headquarters!
SIMON HAZELMAN
Savusavu
Deans trophy
WHY aren’t the other secondary schools who were qualified to the semis selected for the Fiji under-18 team? Is it the selection only for a few schools?. Not a very fair selection I think.
TAINA SUKA
Lautoka
Littering habit
NADI international airport being the first port of entry into the paradisaical islands of Fiji is surely kept clean and free from litter. however, as soon as you step out of the airport area, empty bottles, plastics and cane stalks become a common sight.
This sight continues along the Namaka stretch right until the town. I feel sorry for the poor town council workers who brave the scorching sun to get rid of the litter on our streets.
Rubbish lying here and there only justifies the fact that we as Fiji citizens don’t have pride for our country.
We tend to litter without thinking and expect others to clean the stuff for us. Nadi, particularly, as the tourism hub of Fiji should be litter free to attract more visitors to our pristine shores.
Many times rubbish such as empty soft drinks bottles and cans are thrown out of buses, taxis and cars.
It would be wise and sensible to keep the rubbish and dispose it at the right place.
We cannot expect the authority to clean the mess that are created by others.
Let’s be wise and use our common sense and dispose of the rubbish at the right place.
There’s no use calling yourself a true Fijian if you can’t even keep Fiji clean.
Hope common sense prevails to those who are used to littering.
AVITESH KUMAR
Ba
Daylight saving
THE election is right on our heads and time for daylight saving is also approaching. In this crucial time the politicians are promising many things,
I would like to let them know that whichever party’s manifesto will highlight removal of daylight saving system, will have my vote.
There are various reasons I want it to be removed some are as follows:
* Children have to wake up early in the morning and mothers also have to start cooking so early;
* The government department closes at its normal time. They do not stay open for people who wish to go after hours;
* Water authority while interrupting water supply at night, do it as in accordance to their time and not otherwise;
* The city parks close at its normal time which does not allow people to make use of it during that extra hour as many would wish to;
* The town closes at its normal time and not otherwise except for some shops who after a few days end up closing at the same time because of transport problems for consumers; and
* Making use of that extra hour means losing an hour’s sleep which certainly is not good for our health.
I can go on and on but the bottom line is that many departments and other places as I have mentioned do go with the flow of the sun but follows its own time.
I also suggest a quick survey be done before taking it into consideration which can be of help.
There certainly are pros and cons on this matter but am not in favour of it.
I have written on this matter every year and wish not continue on this in future.
I hope this time someone looks into it as I am aware of many people who are just waiting for this decision desperately.
KIRTI PATEL
Lautoka
Health dilemma
TOO often our medical department has made headlines in the media for the wrong reasons.
Even the Consumer Council has commented on our medical and nursing staff members ( FT 3/ 8).
Maybe what we are seeing now is something that we have created.
We need to relook at how we select our students for medical and nursing schools.
Overseas medical schools are accepting students into their institutions upon completion of an appropriate bachelor’s degree.
Their students are older and more mature in their outlook.
We in Fiji have now opted to go for the Toppers’ Scheme. In our scheme only the students with highest marks get to go into our medical and nursing schools.
Unfortunately, I wonder how many of our brightest students have compassion and empathy?
Compassion is innate. You either have it or you don’t. It does not grow on you.
A lot of students go to medical and nursing schools for very different reasons. It ranges from high status in the community, parents’ choice, to higher points when they apply to migrate.
Fewer and fewer students now say that they have a concern for human suffering.
In medical schools overseas halfway through their course medical ethics is introduced as a subject and examinable at the end of the year.
This course clarifies and makes clear any ethical dilemmas students have up to this stage of their training.
In Fiji, surely we don’t believe that a symposium on medical ethics will do the job for our students.
I believe when push comes to shove our doctors and nurses whose heart is really not in their calling, buckle first.
I believe we will see more and more of this until we change our selection process into our medical, nursing schools, and also teach medical ethics as a subject.
KORINA WAIBUTA
Suva
Parenting skills
YES, parents have a crucial role in the development and wellbeing of their children.(FT 6/8/2014).
And we shouldn’t commit ourselves to start a family unless we are serious about how we are going to raise our children.
When children go off the rails we always question their parents and their parenting skills!
Parents must be always the guiding light for their children and supportive of their progress and development in every aspect of their lives.
And we shouldn’t keep our children wrapped up in cotton wool. It’s crucial that we allow our children to explore and do things on their own and be their own critic and also the critic of their own immediate environment.
Sadly, we have witnessed in the media an example of parents as accomplices in helping their children to engage in lawlessness. And trusted individuals inside our own homes sexually exploiting our children? Where do we go from here!
TRACY WHITE
Melbourne
Australia
Audit reports
NEVER mind how bad an institution’s audit report is it will be tabled at the annual general meeting.
After the meeting comes the election and most times the position holders retain their posts.
Sometimes I just wonder how many people understand the audit reports or really care about the report. It is like this if you got six bottles of beer last year you should at least get six bottles this year too.
SUKHA SINGH
Labasa
Eyesore sight
AS I travelled to Lautoka I saw rubbish strewn all over the place as you enter the airport. What a picture!
Is this Fiji, the way the world should be?
Some things in this country never get corrected no matter how sincerely you work at it.
RAVI NARAYAN
Nadi
Counterfeit goods
WHILE it’s true counterfeit products are flooding our market, more needs to be done to stop these products from entering our country.
Fake white goods, perfumes and cosmetics along with fake branded products are just some of the common counterfeit items that are found to be sold by shops throughout the country.
What’s common is that some supermarkets are often found selling consumer products which have instructions and ingredients written on the label in foreign language that nobody understands.
I hope relevant authorities look into this.
AVINEEL KUMAR
Nadi
Famous quote
ONE has to be careful when attributing famous quotes to famous persons – dead or alive.
Mr Suhka Singh from Labasa writes in this section on FT 5/08/14 about the well-known phrase “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” and not only replaces “country” with “government” but also mixes up Robert Kennedy with his elder brother John F. Kennedy to whom these words are usually attributed to.
However, it might be interesting to know that JFK himself has been accused by former schoolmates to have cribbed this phrase from the headmaster George St John of Choate School in Connecticut, USA of which he had been a student in his early days.
On the other hand, one has to admit that without JFK, those words wouldn’t have become famous around the world and inspire millions to act accordingly.
HANS B BOERNKE
Savusavu
Poverty free
Poverty can never be eradicated regardless of which part of the world you live in.
It can only be minimised.
It’s simple as that.
And election candidates are making bold promises to end the poverty cycle in Fiji. Who are they kidding?
Nishant Singh
Lautoka
Climate change
While some coastal communities in the Pacific (FT 30/7) are relocating to higher grounds because of climate change, some communities decide to stay and fortify their seaside areas with the assistance of the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) to protect themselves from tidal surges and soil erosion.
I was wondering if our local scientists could design and build a spaceship to transfer seawater, a billion tonnes, into outer space.
But than again the problem up here is how to discharge their seawater where there is no gravity.
We have heard so much about other countries building spaceships and sending them into outer space.
For what reason?
AISAKE DELAI
Suva
Roadside rubbish
Suva City Council advises the public not to put rubbish on roadsides or dump huge piles of rubbish in their compounds.
Now the two main boys of SCC. Chandu Umaria and Bijay Chand. also come on TV on talkback shows saying the same thing, telling the public if they need help in regards to any drainage problems or rubbish, to contact them.
They gave the assurance that they will carry out the work at any cost to keep all surroundings neat and tidy.
Now SCC workers entered our compounds and cut about five trees and left all debris and rubbish behind.
I had contacted both the council people and the staff members concerned, also sent e-mails in March and July but it all fell on deaf ears and so far nothing has been done.
SCC says if the public do wrong things in regards to rubbish they will be fined.
Now SCC has done wrong, so who is going to fine them and what action can I take against SCC.
Well, can the authorities look into this and rectify the problems.
Pastor R Naidu
Suva
Unsafe speed
New signs have been erected on the Queen’s Rd, increasing the speed to 80km into the village of Votua.
Signs posting a reduced speed of 50km into the Votua Village have been removed.
Why has this been done?
The 80km speed is dangerous and is creating a deadly potential for accidental loss of life for those that live in the community and for tourists visiting the area.
The road through this strip of road can not be driven safely at the 80km speed.
The road leading into the village curves, winding into a tight turn by the bridge, where in the past a bus rolled over because of excessive speed.
I have witnessed speeding trucks, buses, and cars flying through the village as if they were on a freeway.
I have seen cars spinning out of control, smashing into telephone poles, crashing into ditches and running off the road into my fence and property.
I have kept photos of those accidents as evidence.
Beyond a reduced speed limit to 50km, speed bumps need to be installed to limit those drivers that will not slow down.
There have been numerous requests over the years to the provincial office from the Votua Village and also by myself as a past business-owner in the community to the Public Works and LTA.
However, no action for speed bumps have been taken. Recent requests noting the new dangerous speed limit has had no response
Immediate action is needed to reduce this 80km speed and speed bumps installed to prevent loss of life.
I plead with officials that can assist to do so as soon as possible, before we have a fatality. Residential areas should have a speed limit of 50km.
Phylis Gandy
Korolevu
Quick Views
Ebola caution
EBOLA is causing havoc in some African countries. I am wondering whether measures are being taken to prevent it entering our region.
Ajay Singh
Lautoka
Market shed
SEEING all the different coloured and size tarpaulins at Namoli green, you would think it’s the tent city in Haiti. Really becoming an eyesore. Still no sign when the construction of the Lautoka market permanent shed will start. I’ll have to ask that fellow Allen, he might know.
Wise Muavono
Lautoka
VAT issue
FORGIVE me if I am wrong but I thought everyone pays VAT not only the rich. If I am correct then I pity the people listening to a political party on the campaign this week.
Seresio Druguta
Levuka
Strange world
RECENTLY I was condemned for a show of kindness that I rendered to a person. Man, what a strange world we live in!
Joeli Naleca
Suva
Worthy pick
ASSETS and liabilities are the best determining factors for me to pick the right person to vote for irrespective of what party he or she is from, what their manifesto is or what they have done so far. With an average earning of $100k for the last 30 years, if your real assets are only worth a mere $40k, how can you be entrusted to handle billions of dollars of public funds.
Sukha Singh
Labasa
Political visit
WHEN can we expect political party candidates showing their faces at Kuku? Will it be before election or after election? Don’t worry we will not raise road conditions.
Shamal Chand
Kuku Bau Rd
Nausori
Party symbols
YES, the number-based voting system is puzzling indeed. Can the Supervisor of Elections kindly offer a rational explanation as to why we did away with the party symbols? Like the good old fashioned way, placing your tick next to the party of your choice would have been a cakewalk for thousands of already confused voters.
Nishant Singh
Lautoka
Ban RKS
I BELIEVE RKS should be banned from playing rugby. I believe what it did is totally wrong. Country pride comes before school tournaments.
Ashneel Prasad
Lautoka
