Rubbish collection
Conan Hatch, Nadi
Litter collection facilities are virtually non-existent in semi-rural/semi-urban and squatter areas.
For example, on some of my visits to the Nadi Back Rd areas, I have seen that residential properties are quite small and so home owners are reluctant to dig a large hole in their compound to bury their household rubbish. And with no rubbish collection made available by the authorities, their rubbish ends up in drains, on beaches and anywhere outside these properties.
I am certainly not excusing people’s lack of care for the environment but no one wants to keep rubbish in their own back yard or close to their homes. Nadi Back Rd is only one example.
There are hundreds of similar areas around Fiji and all their rubbish would add up to thousands of tons of garbage. I have been on rubbish picking and clearing teams but they are only very short term fixes. We need a co-ordinated and sustained approach to this issue.
So rather than harping on and on about the rubbish epidemic in Fiji, why don’t the councils and Local Government Ministry start setting up a proper rubbish collection system for these areas. The urban areas are mostly covered well enough by the local councils.
Maybe the advisory committees in each area can be empowered to make arrangements with some of the cost charged monthly to households and the rest paid out of the local Government or Environment Ministry budget.
Say it as it is
Simon Hazelman, Savusavu
The increase of NCDs throughout our nation no doubt stems from our unhealthy diets and lifestyles.
The excessive consumption of harmful carbonated and alcoholic beverages is evident and it’s getting worse.
Our society is being bombarded through all platforms of advertisement of these unhealthy beverages and it continues to go unchecked, mercilessly and without any consideration to the harmful effects it has on our bodies.
It’s about time Government puts into immediate effect a policy to manage such gross promotions.
I suggest for every advertisement made by these companies and for every product produced, that it be made legislation that the harmful effects of the product be made known to consumers and the information included in the advertisement and printed on the product label.
Time we wake up! Stop commercialising our bodies!
FEA subsidy
Nirbhay Singh, Labasa
To date there is no response from the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) after the Consumer Council’s request of disclosers on this issue; almost three weeks now.
Secretly we see a re-printed detailed bill’s outlining these queries rectified in new bills.
Come on FEA, the Consumer Council is awaiting your comments on my earlier request that was: FEA’s clarification is sought where in the bill it states that you ought not to exceed on daily usage of 3.12units and will not qualify even if you are within limit.
Under Domestic Category it only states not exceeding 95kWh and nothing more.
How would consumer know where to draw the line and monitor usage when only bigger picture reference is given as 95kWh?
This is misleading information as far as FEA’s billing tariff category at the back of the bill details outline.
Coke games
Floyd Robinson, Nasinu
Is the turf at the ANZ National Stadium cooling down or warming up?
Whatever ones views, excitement and anticipation to the Coca-Cola Games is almost reaching boiling point.
Athletes cannot wait to get on to the tracks, and participate in field events. One looks forward to surprise performances as well as records broken. Can Natabua High School and Jasper Williams Secondary hold on to their titles as defending champions? Only time will tell, but for now, many athletes and fans cannot wait any longer.
Sewer leak
Narayan Reddy, Lautoka
Can the authorities concerned please look into a sewer leak at Marlow Street, opposite Tilak High School in Lautoka?
The raw sewer has been leaking in drains and even onto the main road. Many school children use that road daily and the water from the drain connects to Vunato.
The villagers of Vunato use that river daily, catching fish, crabs and even swim in the same river. Wake up Water Authority!
Community outreach
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Canada
Thank you, Josaia Rayawa, for your letter titled ‘Less of Us is More of Him’, urging Christians to not only preach Christ but for the community to see Christ in our response to their needs (FS 24/4).
The letter had my undivided attention because I am just about to complete translating the third quarter 2016 Sabbath School Lesson titled ‘The Role of the Church in the Community’.
This lesson contains practical Biblical teachings of God’s mercy and justice in the Old Testament and His desire for His chosen people to reflect the same in their communities.
The bulk of the lesson is about Christ’s community outreach, where He mingled with the people, desired their good, showed sympathy, ministered to their needs, won their confidence, before bidding them, “Follow Me.”
The last two lessons teaches us practical ways of reaching out and meeting the needs of the urban communities in these last days, and the divine instructions of what we should be doing while waiting for Christ’s return.
I recommend this lesson, which will be available soon on-line, to all Christians and churches, and together we can impact our communities by adding value to their lives and they in turn thank Christ who is reflected in you.
Virtual reality
Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi
So good and heartening to read in the Fiji Sun another new original initiative by the Minister for Education, National Heritage Culture and Arts.
Mahendra Reddy in taking e-learning another notch outside of our country’s main urban centres to those in rural and maritime Fijian students who would not have afforded a visit to our only Museum in Suva.
Virtual Museum is a great idea and an excellent learning tool, a very smart concept. It is inclusive, a level playing field for all citizens, accessible, affordable and available upfront to our school children for as long as they have a set of computers with internet access.
For those students who have to travel in groups to Suva from schools in Rakiraki, Naitasiri, Tavua, Ba, Tailevi, Lautoka, Nadi, Nadroga and Navosa, Yasawas, Kadavu, Lau, Taveuni, Malolo group, Lomaiviti and Vanua Levu, this is God-sent and a blessing for these children. There schools and parents realistically do not have to fundraise for their travel costs to Suva.
For these stakeholders to be able to see and learn first up artefacts relevant to their country’s past directly from the Fiji Museum and read their respective descriptions at the same time, it will rekindle their interests and bring joy to them including adults from their respective communities. This is about ownership, knowledge, power, information, it is their right and is progressive.
This will create in them a sense of patriotism, love and respect for their country where they will now be able to visit the museum online and research.
I am sure three quarters of our Fijian population who live here or abroad have never visited our own Fiji Museum in Suva let alone they don’t even know if one exists. However, I am certain they will be proud to do so now with a press of a button online.
Vinaka vakalevu Mr Reddy, the majority Fijians fully support and also await your office decision to quickly fast track and implement that important positive schools pledge for the sake of our future Fijian generations.
It is a move in the right direction, Mr Reddy.
Mosquito repellant
Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu
There seems to be a war over which repellent is the best.
This has happened after the most popular and most purchased brand ‘Goldeer’ seems to be out of stock in retail shops.
There have been a lot of choices to make in trying to decide which one is next in line after ‘Goldeer’. Some people have their own choices and there are those who intend to use the electrical repellent.
It seems the mosquito repellent is part of our daily lives and there have been sleepless nights without the repellents. The most ignored once are the smelly ones and secondly the ones that don’t do a good job.
There is one best way to reduce the mosquito population – by cleaning your area daily and destroying all breeding grounds.
This awareness has been advertised regularly.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj