PM’s crowd
Sukha Singh, Labasa
I would like to thank Surend Lal for replying to my letter on the PM’s visit to Labasa where he states that I was mesmerised by the PM’s visit to Labasa. Later he says no one was interested in the PM’s speech. At least he could have said only Sukha Singh was interested in the PM’s speech.
As for the PM’s magnetism it is growing stronger by the day whether we agree or we don’t.
Responsible citizen
Pranil Ram, Nadi
On Sunday, while making my way to Nadi Town, I saw rubbish lying all over the place.
It was the same place where the Bula Festival had ended the previous night. It was surely an eyesore. I believe everyone has a duty to be a responsible citizen. Unfortunately, not everyone seemed to take this responsibility seriously. As far as I know these are common sights once an event of this nature has ended in our beautiful country.
I also strongly believe that it is also an opportune time for authorities to place bins at appropriate places and display suitable messages. However, I could not see this present anywhere on the ground.
As we all are aware littering is a common problem in Fiji and at times like these it is appropriate for authorities to create greater awareness. Advocating for a pollution-free environment may do no good until we start practising this in our society.
I only wonder when this type of sight will become a thing of the past. In fact, to be a truly responsible citizen sometimes we must go out of our way to do things which help our society by giving a little of our time and effort for the greater good.
New multi specialty hospital
Dr Joel Trazo, Nadera
The Fijian Government is trying their best to improve the country’s health services.
In my opinion, it is about time to plan a Fijian Multi Specialty Hospital and improve and decongest the CWM Hospital in Suva.
At present the hospital is congested not because of its load, it is because of its old structural plan. The front and the back is always full of cars because it was not designed to be a big parking lot, although the back has a big space which can easily be refilled for a bigger parking space or add another building to decongest the hospital.
The hallways are narrow, waiting areas are inconvenient. The SOPD waiting area is in the hallway.
The waiting areas are an obstacle in case of an emergency like fire. I’m not sure if they are OHS compliant. Are we ready to have a new multi specialty hospital?
Video ref
Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu
It was very exciting and interesting to see referees of the Deans quarterfinals at the ANZ stadium referring to the big screen when a decision cannot be made with the touch judges.
It’s not only bringing the game of rugby to another standard but it has reduced tension of school rivalry over decision by referees.
It would not have been the same in the other grounds but as for the main games the tickets were worth every cent paid for it.
With the Churchill Park in Lautoka nearing completion hopefully they will install a big screen for this very purpose.
The rugby crazy ground of Lawaqa Park should have this idea on their minds as well.
As for Saturday quarterfinals it was great to hear the crowd cheer after the outcome was screened and at stages of the game the players were urging the referee for a video replay.
We hope all the best for the players and referees in the future of the game of rugby.
Sugar reform
Timoci Gaunavinaka, Nausori
The current debate on sugar reform amazes me.
It appears that Biman Prasad and Mahendra Chaudhry are both blaming Government for the decline in sugar production suggesting that it is caused by many farmers leaving the industry.
Yet they both agree that the highest cane payment per tonne ever recorded was done by the Bainimarama government between 2008 and 2015.
If the highest price of cane per tonne in the industry’s over 100 years history has been achieved but farmers still choose to leave the industry then this simply suggests that there are better options beside cane farming today that may have not been available to farmers many decades ago.
Look at our Minister for Education for example. He was a son of a cane farmer but has chosen to become an academic then became a parliamentarian and now a Minister.
Are we going to crucify him for failing to follow in his father’s footstep and continue as a cane farmer?
Or are we going to criticise the previous SDL, Labour or SVT governments for not throwing enough incentives then to keep people like Mahendra Reddy to continue planting sugarcane?
To have such expectations defeats all logic and is ridiculous.
The current upsurge in our economy has opened dozens of doors that were closed for many, many decades in various fields of entrepreneurship. Some former cane farmers have followed this path and have thrived.
Because of the policies of the Bainimarama Government, many hardworking children of cane farmers now have easy access to higher education that was not available to them before.
They are no longer denied scholarships just because of their ethnicity. When these children join the workforce and earn decent jobs, many of them would never want to see their father still toiling the land.
This may be seen as a downfall to the sugar industry but it is a plus to our progress as a nation.
To have a sustainable sugar industry does not necessarily mean maximum production. Like any industry, we can triple our current production rate and still collapse or run at a huge loss.
But by increasing the sugar ratio per tonne of cane is undeniably a move in the right direction.
We must always remember that we are competing with countries that plant sugar canes on hundreds of thousands of hectares of flat land with airplanes to spray their farms and machines to harvest and plant their cane. This makes the threshold of sustaining our sugar industry very small.
In light of this factor, it is therefore vital and practical to have a centralised control where the government runs the whole system in harmony instead of having multiple controllers.
Our sugar industry cannot survive if it has a left hand that sometimes does not work in unison with its right hand resulting in huge losses under the pretext of democracy.
Public health hazards
Christopher Griffin, Perth
Serious matters arising in the international media should be of concern to Fijians.
Three examples: cancer causing asbestos found recently in Australian ceiling panels made in China; the EU’s likely forthcoming ban on glyphosate a cancer-causing pesticide manufactured by Monsanto; the negative environmental legacy left by Australian mining corporations.
Each bears on the long term health and happiness of Fijians.
Some years ago the Fijian press reported asbestos turning up in various local structures, including old water pipes.
Glyphosate which enters the food chain is widely used in Fiji. And Australia’s mining mess sheets back to lax environmental legislation.
Someone, including public authorities and journalists, should investigate.
Inspiring message
Joji Toronibau, Tunuloa
Viewing Sundays Fiji One news, I was quite mesmerised by what I heard through the news about the nine kilometre road upgrading project in Natewa Bay/Tunuloa area and the Korotasere stretch.
This to us in this neglected stretch, is an inspiring message.
For too long school children had to walk, wade and sail across the seas for education, sick senior citizens to health clinics plus economic trading activities difficult to face daily.
In addition to these, there are no television receptions except if you can purchase Sky TV and no Vodafone/Digicel reception as well.
We deservedly want Police presence as well on wheels at times to lessen illegal activities.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj