Wisdom at Syria Park
Josaia Rayawa, Savusavu
I was so humbled to see the people of Noco do us all proud at the Rewa Day celebrations last Saturday.
What an amazing sight to behold the Hand of God at work. Profound and intimate words were uttered. Deeds were put into action. The outcome can only be described as a miracle of God that was waiting to be released from the Hand of the Almighty, all this time.
After 132 years, the descendants of the survivors of the fateful ship, “Syria” were received traditionally and the powerful exchange can only be described in the iTaukei setting as humbling. Devoid of any political interference, it shows that people can come together if they so choose too. Wisdom truly prevails in all those who have sought to bring it about.
We must now be committed to living out this example. We, no longer have to be a house that is indifferent and divided, but rather a house with its occupants, free to being different and diverse. Like a family we will fight and squabble, but we still remain united for therein lies our strength.
To paraphrase the words of Harvard & Christian Educator, the late Dr Stephen R. Covey “Our strength lies in our being different, not in our being similar”.
Proud to be a ‘kai Noco’ and proud to be a Rewan.
Churchill Park
Narayan Reddy, Lautoka
I had the privilege of seeing the upgrade work being carried out at Churchill Park, Lautoka.
It will be the best athletics, soccer and rugby grounds in Fiji when completed. I was surprised to even see the different field event grounds around the main complex. It’s so well designed and I can gladly boast that the people in charge of the ground and surrounding area have done a tremendous job.
I can’t wait to see the end result once completed. Thank you Lautoka City Council for the great work. Your efforts will surely be recognised once everything is completed.
National budget
Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi
The Opposition NFP and SODELPA MPs have criticised as usual our 2016/2017 National Budget as unrealistic and anti-poor.
They say government is overspending and claims our national debt stands at $5billion but yet they are asking Government to increase that figure, if I am reading correct from their motions raised.
It is very funny and interesting when one is listening to the budget debate after all the finger pointing from them; the Opposition are all asking Government to increase its budgetary allocations in some areas of the budget by the millions to amend and seeking a motion to vote for it. Realistically our Government can only work within their limits according to their forecasted and projected revenues.
After having all their motions defeated, they then turned around and voted against the very budget that will help deliver Government services to all Fijians. They lost it nevertheless but for the government to realistically increase the budget as requested by those Opposition MPs they certainly will be going over the roof.
Is that what these Opposition members were asking for?
I do sympathise with them when they claim our Government uses its numbers to bulldoze their way in Parliament. Of course it is a game of numbers and that is exactly according to the widely accepted mandated majority wishes and instruction from the people of Fiji. That is what they wanted and that is what they are exactly getting.
I have said it before in my many letters, the Opposition members will have to find a way in working cohesively with Government and learn to stop dictating to Government what it should be doing and not.
It will be a very daunting task for the SODELPA leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, to get his current MPs to change their attitude and mindset so that they behave professionally in Parliament and most importantly in their endeavour to get Government to listen. But as we all know and have come to accept, our Fijian Government has its own agenda to achieve as projected in whatever they can under the circumstances before the 2018 national election.
There is no other way for the Opposition MPs but to go with the flow as they can, but at the same time it can be very frustrating for them as witnessed through their many Parliament debates.
Dangerous precedent
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Canada
The court order in the hands of Police to demolish houses in the Navosa district built from money made in the sale of marijuana sets a dangerous and unfair precedent in my view. (FS 9/7)
We all know that the cultivation of marijuana is illegal and those found guilty will cop heavy fines and even jail sentences.
I have never heard that houses, vehicles and other properties in which marijuana cultivators invested their money in would be confiscated and sold or demolished. Is not the heavy fines and prison sentences enough?
We read of top people guilty of abuse of office and using public funds for personal use and while found guilty and served prison sentences, we do not hear anything of their properties being sold to recover the amount used.
If our law and the Police begin this line of action, then it is unfair to the marijuana cultivators of Navosa, who are being penalised twice for their transgression of the law.
What has the law and the Police done on the high ranking people who bankrupted the then National Bank of Fiji? Have their homes and property been confiscated, sold or demolished to recover money that was loaned from the bank?
If a woman gets pregnant after being raped, should the baby be aborted or killed when born because the rapist father broke the law and is now facing time in prison?
Our current Government believes that all Fijians are on a level playing field and that should include our laws to apply to all fair and square.