Electricity bill
Hasmukh Patel, chief executive officer, FEA
We refer to a letter titled ‘Electricity Bill’ published in the media on Wednesday April 13, written by Manpreet Kaur. Firstly, we do not have an electricity customer known as Manpreet Kaur in our billing system.
Secondly, the Fiji Electricity Authority did not bill customers whose homes were badly damaged and still without power. Customers who had their power supply restored, their meters were read and billed accordingly.
Customers in Ba Town had their power supply restored around the March 10. We read those meters on Thursday March 17, and they were billed accordingly.
We believe
Epeli Rabua, Suva
We believe Ben Ryan and his Fiji Knights of the 7s realm can win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics!
There was no malice this time in their win over the goliaths of rugby, the New Zealanders and all who came before them. It was just an old fashioned thumping.
And yes, there were some hair-raising moments, but the simple belief in that “they could do all things in God, who strengthened them” was the motivating factor in their defeating all and standing tall in the aftermath of the third day at So Kon Po.
That the Fiji 7s team, came, saw and conquered all in Hong Kong and continued to praise His name in the glory of their victory, not only consolidated Ben’s and their belief, but ours also as a nation that in God’s name we trust and can win!
Now that we have the spiritual aspect of training innate in all our players, Ben has concentrated on the mental and physical attributes of training, imparting knowledge on laws of the game this is putting into effect their latent gladiatorial instincts and harnessing them in the 7s arena through their belief, that they are worthy champions!
Go for gold Ben, go for gold our Fiji 7s knights, we believe!!!
Equality for women and girls
Indar Jit, Navua
All human beings are born with equal rights. Equality between men and women means healthier, safer and just societies. While men and women are born equal, gender inequality still persists in our society.
The deep-rooted belief that women and girls do not deserve equal treatment underpins violence against women and used to deny girls and women fair access to education, health, employment, property and influence.
The failure to root out the prejudice against women and girls is one of the major barriers of progress and prosperity. Gender discrimination also breaches International Human Rights Agreement and Domestic Laws in most countries. We can see signs of progress. Women and girls are breaking out of the barriers which has held them for so long. Gender equality is increasingly understood to be major policy priority of the Government and its realisation is one of the Sustainable Development Goals.
In our country, we can see now that many of the women and girls have broken the barriers.
They are working from leadership jobs to cashier job in shops and supermarkets. A number of women are working as Ministers, Speaker of Parliament House, in the medical profession, in teaching profession etc.
Women and girls are proving that they are no longer dependent and behind the men. It is we mankind to understand that God has created this world.
Every human being born is born with equal rights. Discriminating and bringing inequality against our women and girls will harm healthier and safer relationships.
Day after day we go along reading that women and girls are becoming the targets of domestic violence, sexual assaults and rape. This sort of news neither reads good nor is it fair for our women and girls. Women and girls should be loved, cared and protected from all wrong doings and evil.
We must care for them and treat them equally.
Election call
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Delta, BC, Canada
The Supervisor of Election is reminding Fijians that we have reached the halfway point or two years of FijiFirst Government rule and that those who intend to be an election candidate need to be in Fiji for 18 months in the next 24 months.
Prime Minister Bainimarama and his FijiFirst team won the 2014 General Election by a landslide victory and I believe the whole nation thank God. Even those who did not vote for the ruling party, that our current Government has been consistent in its service to the people, even in the current crisis caused by severe Tropical Cyclone Winston and the flooding and threat of TC Zena.
The announcement of the $70 million rebuilding assistance is just one current example of the FijiFirst Government putting Fijians first.
Is there a law in our Constitution whereby the people can request for the next General Election to be scrapped because they want the current Government to continue its service delivery to the people?
One does not have to be a brain surgeon to predict that there will be another landslide victory for the FijiFirst Party, a bigger one, come the 2018 General Elections.
Imagine all the money and time saved if the people could just make the election call to allow the current PM and FijiFirst Government to continue moving Fiji forward without the hassles of a General Election, which they will win with a landslide victory anyway?
Mysterious force in Sevens
Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi
I applaud Ben Ryan and the boys for their rather capricious performance in Hong Kong. We almost lost two matches for playing risky games; we escaped the spear of Kenyan headhunters and released from Canadian gaolers. Some mysterious force was involved to let us off in extra time. Even the South Africans were put aside by the All Blacks.
Apart from that thumbs up for the tight defence and the new nickname bestowed on Savenaca Rawaca (the smiling assasin). Kitione Taliga was again the saviour of the tournament and we encourage Ben to keep on developing him.
Ben has made them feel special, and the country has recognised their performance, now we await Fiji Rugby Union and Vodafone to do their job and support them financially.
Go Fiji Go!
Justice be served
Ashneel J Prasad, Auckland, NZ
I knew Sofina Nikat. The 22-year-old mother of 14-month old Sanya Sakib, who has been charged for her daughter’s murder. We were in the same class. She was quiet, polite and always nice to other people.
And today I received a distressing news that Police had arrested her in Melbourne in suspicion of killing her own baby. I’m shocked beyond belief and really distressed about the whole ordeal. I’m just not ready to accept in my heart, that a girl I grew up with, and spent six years of my life in primary school could do something like this.
Maybe I could be wrong. Maybe she did kill her baby. Or maybe not. I just hope justice be served.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj