Relief work rubbish
John Davon, Sigatoka
The Opposition Member calling out “rubbish” in Parliament – I wonder, if he was describing the Opposition! From my viewpoint that is exactly what they are.
Never any intelligent input and are always against anybody who has something intelligent or constructive to say. Come 2018 perhaps the rubbish will be put out and collected
Lawful deception
Epeli Rabua, Suva
As the FijiFirst Government continues its Parliamentary sessions, we the citizens of Fiji are once again witness to ‘lawful dictatorship’ in its full context.
Fiji One TV audience as an example; Government decreed that Digicel could buy Sky Pacific, however, they could not broadcast Fijian material on its Fiji One channel.
This channel although being transmitted by Sky Pacific, is a free-to-air channel. You do not have to pay Sky or become a subscriber to view this channel.
Now the majority of Fijians in most sub-urban areas, villages and islands cannot watch anything on Fiji One. And Fiji Broadcasting Commission TV cannot provide this service.
The Great Council of Chiefs is another example. The Prime Minister continues to say it is a waste of time.
Under the Native Land Trust Board’s original laws and regulations, ALL land in Fiji belong to the chiefs.
These, have been shared out amongst the different provinces, villages, tribes, clans and society in today’s Fiji. Today’s modern Fijians own land through the benevolence of our chiefs.
Each and every day we read and pay the price for disregarding the chiefs’ magnanimity.
The steep increase in rape, robbery, spousal abuse, drug abuse, you name it and there is no end or a decrease in sight!
Even our Parliament sittings have been shortened to allow the Government people to have more free time to read about the increase in crime and do nothing about it.
Just minimum wage
Frank Shaw, Lami
I refer to Father Kevin Barr’s article ‘Wage Rate’ (F/T 17/2/16). If the basic needs poverty line in Fiji is $4.50 as Father Kevin pointed out then the union should not agree to a national minimum wage rate of $2.32. By doing so they would be betraying the workers of this country.
A Just Minimum Wage Rate (JMW) should of course be at least $4.50 to allow workers to meet their basic needs. (I’am beginning to wonder whether Cyclone Winston was punishment for the new minimum wage rate considering that ‘defrauding labourers of their wages’ is one of the four deadly sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance (James. 5;4).
The other three being ‘ Oppression of the poor, will for murder and the sin of Solomon.’
I believe there should be a Wages Support Fund (WSF) set up because some employers may not be able to meet the Just Minimum Wage. Money for this fund should be got from taxes on high income earners.
There should also be a maximum wage rate set. Salary paid in excess of this amount should be heavily taxed (90 per cent) and credited to the Wages Support Fund; there should also be a 50 per cent tax levy on all business profits sent out of the country and should also be channelled to Wages Support Fund.
Over time this fund can be used to meet a dole system for the unemployed.
Workers should be encouraged to buy shares in the company they work for. (Microsoft pays billions of dollars annually to its employees under this scheme.)
If the workers are shareholders in the business they would work more honestly and diligently to ensure the company makes a profit. There would therefore be less industrial strife.
Finally there are many other companies overseas who are only too willing to invest in Fiji so Government has the upper hand in deciding the wages and conditions of employment for our workers.
GCC and 2018 elections
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Canada
We do not have to be a brain surgeon to figure out why the SODELPA parliamentarians made a petition to reinstate the Great Council of Chiefs the other day.
They know very well that the current FijiFirst Government won a landslide victory in the 2014 General Elections, which implies that Fijians had accepted the abolition of the Great Council of Chiefs among others promoted by SODELPA.They also know that as the Opposition, they do not have the numbers and nearly everything they present in Parliament was outvoted.
So two years before the 2018 General Election, why bring up this issue of reinstating the GCC now?
From the arguments of the SODELPA parliamentarians, one could feel that this is where they begin their 2018 election campaign.
They want to paint a picture that our iTaukei chiefs, whom we hold dear in our respective vanua, are being deprived of their high status and relegated to being a commoner, and that the current Government is to be blamed.
I believe this issue and other divisive ones appealing to the iTaukei will be continually repeated in Parliament and its rejection will be used to preach in the next election campaign that the FijiFirst Government is anti-iTaukei and should not be re-elected.
In the last 10 years where we have been functioning without the GCC as a body, has a poll been conducted among our chiefs to see if they themselves want a GCC and be part of the decision-making process of Fiji?
GCC or no GCC, chiefs will remain chiefs to be loved and respected in the leadership of its people.
Fuel for athletic performance
Sukha Singh, Labasa
In sports one certain thing is you can’t win all the time. Feeling the body before, during and after a game is very important. I am sure the Fiji Rugby Union has someone who looks after the players fuelling needs.
But next time if the players feel de-energised just give them a few spoons of glucose.
Don’t grumble
Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi
Everyone seems to be going through a hard time after the ravages of Tropical Cyclone Winston.
Telling them to be strong is like comforting people with ropes around their necks to rejoice and everything will be okay.
Life seems to be getting harder especially with people whose source of livelihood were damaged.
Prices are going up and nothing is going down.
Responsibilities seem to be increasing in the vanua, church, and the Government.
Friends, relatives and friends disappoint with a ‘me first’ attitude and some are even heartless to help.
On top of this there are sub-standard houses everywhere despite the promises it seems to be an elusive dream.
The chance for a good education looks gloomy with the damage done.
As Christians we comfort ourselves with Paul’s letter to the Romans that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ.
Paul knew the power of adversity to embitter and defeat our spirit.
But we are not to grumble (didi) as he warned in Corinithians1; 10: 10. Our true source of security is up there and not in trying to influence the climate.
Plant vegetables
Wise Muavono, Lautoka
With the drastic increase in vegetable prices, Allen, I suggest you uproot those yaqona plants at your backyard and plant vegetables.
Unless you planning to have yaqona leaf soup.
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