Destination Fiji
Simon Hazelman,
Savusavu
Recently, an Australian family group of 54 held a wedding at an island resort in the Mamanucas. They had booked for a five nights’ stay and planned the wedding a year in advance.
To their horror, upon arrival, not only was the resort in a shocking state, but they quickly came to realise that several pictures depicted on the resort’s website did not appear as advertised!
To make matters worse, general service was astoundingly poor and there was no presence of senior management throughout their stay.
The experience for these prominent business owners, many of whom own pubs, clubs and dining areas in Sydney, has left a very bitter taste for Fijian tourism in general, so much so that the majority of them have vowed never to return!
Now we all know that the majority of properties out in the Mamanucas is nowhere near as bad as this, but the damage this particular resort has caused will certainly put a dent on Fiji’s tourism marketing efforts.
Fiji tourism is merely a speck compared to other tourism destinations worldwide and such inconsistencies are not helping to bridge the gap!
The question that needs to be asked is how can we take control of the handful of poorly managed resorts and hotels that continue to advertise falsely and have poor to no good general service?
For Fijian tourism to benefit as a whole, a high consistent standard of general service must exist as a whole!
Letting the inconsistent few go, is allowing damage to Destination Fiji!
Congratulations Lautoka
Ashneel J Prasad , Auckland, NZ
Congratulations Lautoka soccer team for winning the Battle of the Giants tournament.
Congratulations to the coach, players, their families and mostly the fans. It comes as a pleasant surprise that my home team should win the B.O.G after 31 years. Being a hardcore Lautoka team fan, I couldn’t be any happier.
Having said that, in my opinion all the teams played a bazaar level of soccer. And then people wonder why Fiji soccer never improves. Nevertheless, Ganna power eh?
Soccer standard
Wise Muavono,
Lautoka
FFA will you ever improve the standard of soccer in the country ?
It is becoming a joke.
Liberty of the press
Amenatave Yaconisau,
Suva
Comments made by one of the major media outlets that it shall maintain the liberty of the press. Nothing could be further from the truth.
But it depends on the motive and purpose it criticises and the way it presents itself to the public.
Whether it maintains justice and integrity is another issue.
It does not have much competition and they have all the means to disseminate as they want.
There are many things that we need to manage otherwise we’ll do it for us to make it more acceptable.
I’m not anti-media, but it just needs to tone down people’s opinions that agitates communities and religion.
Mother Teresa
Samuela Kailawadoko, Nadi
Mother Teresa of Calcutta to become a Saint F/S September 4 – “For me to be a saint”, writes Thomas Mertons in New Seeds of Contemplation; “means to be myself.”
Therefore the problem of sanctity and salvation is in fact the problem of finding out who I am and discovering my true self. He continues; trees and animals have no problem.
God makes them what they are without consulting them, and they are perfectly satisfied.
With us it is different. God leaves us free to be whatever we like. We can be ourselves or not.
Therefore, there is only one problem in which all existence, my peace and my happiness depends on, to discover myself in discovering God.
If I find Him, I will find myself and when I find myself I will find him.
Mother Teresa wanted to not only do something beautiful for God, she wanted to be something beautiful for God.
LTA scam
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Delta, BC, Canada
It is good to read that two Land Transport Authority officers have been given leave while the authority investigates the scam involving LTA officers accepting money to issue a driving licence to applicants who want the easy way out (FS 4/8).
We also read that driving school instructors are involved as it is their connection with the LTA driving test officers which opens the door for these sorts of cases of corruption.
I laughed when I read on Thursday, a 17-year-old female learner, who had passed both her written and practical driving tests, was rejected by the senior official in charge because she was too young and too short.
It is good that the learner went to the Police as these are the type of situations corrupt officers in power use to demand money etc, if the applicant is desperate to receive a driving licence.
The Police, in saying that this was not the first case, calls for a thorough investigation of LTA, which means that all who have been asked to pay money and those who actually paid should voluntarily come forward to help out in the investigation.
Vinaka Nakelo
Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu
The vanua of the Rara o Nakelo has once again proved themselves for the traditional ceremony they performed at the welcoming of our 7s heroes from Rio at the National Stadium in Suva.
It is the second occasion for the vanua of Nakelo, firstly the welcoming ceremonies for the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key earlier this year and now to this occasion.
They might not have the favour of Ben Ryan being a kai Nakelo, but they were the first to give him such an offer.
While the vanua of Serua offered him a piece of land, the vanua of Nakelo offered a taste of their delicacy the “Sovu ni Borete”, which Ben had to try and feel what a real Fijian is like.
The vanua of Nakelo are well known for their normal speaking, but of a different meaning and content that could get people from elsewhere confused.
The tikina of Nakelo consist of 13 villages, Nauluvatu, Namuka, Waikete, Naluna, Vutuvo, Nakaulevu, Muana, Visama, Tumavia, Vadra, Nasilai, Vaturua and Naimalavau.
Vinaka vakalevu Nakelo na veiqaravi. (Thank you Nakelo for the service.)