Resilient vegetable
Floyd Robinson, Nasinu
Having recently purchased vegetables at the Lautoka and Suva municipal markets, I note that there is a decline in supplies.
Increased price tags are attached to the vegetables. However, there was one vegetable which appeared resilient having withstood the down pours and strong winds associated with Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.
For some reason the ‘bhaji’ or ‘moca’ remains abundant in supply and is sold at reasonable prices.
It might be a small plant but stood tall even though a number of other vegetables were battered if not destroyed in the wind and rain.
More importantly, at a time when food security is a stake, the ‘moca’ or ‘bhaji’ offers much value.
Love the vegetable and when prepared with a touch of a recipe from Vanua Levu, one simply cannot get enough.
Where to invest
Sukha Singh, Labasa
The Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) just paid out $100,000,000 to 85,000 members.
FNPF should think about investing in electricity, food and nightclubs.
Sky Pacific
Ronald Welsh, Pacific Harbour
Sky Pacific at the moment is Sky Pathetic.
Apart from having a technical problem of some magnitude it also has THE DRUM.
This precedes all programmes, Woomf Woomf, Woomf Woomf, ad nauseum, it is also present during all programmes whenever there is a pause.
It interferes constantly.
I would never have imagined a professional transmitting organisation to be so amateurish. I sincerely hope that all problems and the Drum will be rectified when Sky is taken over on the April, 1.
PS: The dates a worry. April Fool’s Day!
Conjunctivitis
Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu
Conjunctivitis is a bacterial or viral affection on the inner eyelid which causes blood vessels to become inflamed resulting in eyes appearing reddish or pink.
It has been around for some time now and is spreading like wild fire among Fijians because we tend to socialise a lot.
Everyone is affected – children, teens and adults; and looks unstoppable once it starts. People, the way to prevent this contagious disease from spreading is to stop visiting friends or relatives for the time being until it is safe to do so.
Natural disasters
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Delta, BC, Canada
Allow me to give my two cents opinion on the subject discussed in the dailies by Korina Waibuta and Reverend Akuila Yabaki regarding the statement “Natural occurrences such as cyclones should not be attributed to God or acts of God” extracted from Reverend James Bhagwan’s sermon.
We all agree that God is in control and He knows everything that happens in this world.
Does this mean that He is the one who orchestrates natural disasters? Definitely not!
Read the Book of Job and we will find that God allowed Satan to use nature’s elements but not to take away Job’s life.
Satan has one aim and that is to destroy humanity before they could repent, but God being in control turns the tide and uses natural disasters and other calamities in life to give us a wake-up call and get right with Him.
Our relationship and standing with God will reveal where we stand on the question if natural disasters are an act or judgment of God or not.
‘A Team’ appointment
Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi
The Government armchair critic, Dan Urai, had raised his concern on March 28.
Again, this time, contradicting himself on a baseless fact to which he is good at just so to prove his inability to appreciate the developments with its truth of which he is oblivion to what is positively happening daily around him.
For the information of Urai, Fiji’s ANZ Bank chief executive officer (CEO) is the chairperson of our Public Service Commission (PSC) and through him an overseas company was specifically appointed and tasked by Government to oversee the interview process from those applicants who had registered their interests for all the PS (Permanent Secretary) positions as advertised in our local media.
All those former Permanent Secretary terms were to expire early March 2016 and Government saw it fit to appoint an independent consultant panel to conduct and oversee independently the interviews and recommend to the PSC the best most suitable highly qualified candidates.
Accordingly the PSC chairman will then present their recommendations to the Minister for Public Service who will in turn make known the PS appointments to Cabinet for their endorsement which is normal government business.
For the sake of transparency, past and current governments including that of the 1999 Senior Chaudhry-led Labour government to which Dan was a critical part of will from time to time appoint such independent consultants to carry out specific tasks in the nation’s best interests.
Almost all current Permanent Secretaries are new appointments to their respective Government ministry’s but are certainly the best most highly qualified thus the tag ‘A Team’, and why not.
I’m personally saddened by the fact that Dan Urai did not personally submit his interest for the same as he would have been subjected to such high level scrutiny by those specialist panels of judges whereby he can personally appreciate why he will not qualify in such circumstance.