Fijian victim in Malaysia
Patricia Kailola, Suva
Thanks for not letting us forget about the young Fijian lady in gaol in Malaysia.
In our (Pacific Dialogue’s) human traffi cking awareness sessions I always tell people the story of the young lady from Nakasi, and every time it grieves me.
Her circumstance epitomises human traffi cking: how it uses innocent people, has no feeling, milks the victims for all it can and discards them when there is no more to draw from them, is deaf to victims’ cries and does not see, or shrugs off, the victims’ misery.
Thank you to staff of the Fiji High Commission in Kuala Lumpur for continuing to attend the needs of one of us. Human rights or not.
Minimum wages perspective
Nardeo Mishra, Suva
The unions want the minimum wages to be $4 but I would say $5.
Does not matter what we want but what is reasonable wages and how much the companies can afford to pay should be the factor to determine the minimum wages.
I am all for better conditions and wages for our workers but we have to be very careful not to push more people into unemployment. Do you know that in Australia unreasonable demands by the unions is closing factories everyday and they are moving overseas because they can’t afford it to keep a profitable operation.
Unions should be looking for the companies who are still not paying the minimum wages and take them to task or report to Labour Department.
I know the employees, employers and the unions want to work together to see that no one is disadvantaged in anyway and everyone gets a fair go.
Mother’s Day privilege
Sachida Rao, Nausori
Blessed are those who celebrated Mother’s Day with their mothers around. A lot of gifts must have been offered to the mothers, a sumptuous lunch served, a lot of love given to the mothers.
Do remember all mothers deserve the same for all year round. The pain of not having a mother is only felt when she is gone forever.
Not rebuilding churches
a blessing
Amenatave Yaconisau, Suva
The Prime Minister’s request that people rebuild their own churches destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Winston is a blessing in disguise.
It reminds me of the Lord’s request to David after the end of enslavement to the Egyptians II Samuel (5-17)
In return God promised to David a few things in return for building him a new house.
Amongst other things he promised he was going to make his name great. Also he and his offsprings were going to rule in Israel’s kingdom forever.
He will cut off his enemies and wicked people will not oppress them. David responded asking God if that is the usual way of dealing with man. For people who will rebuild their churches remember the above promises.
QVS link
Savenaca Vakaliwaliwa, Delta, BC, Canada
Congratulations to the letter of the month winner Amenatave Yaconisau and to Neelz Singh the winner of letter of the week.
Thank you Fiji Sun for this new initiative which will surely draw and encourage more readers, to write and express their opinion in this column.
The other daily has been doing the same for some years now, but winners are congratulated but their pictures are not taken or printed for readers to put a face on the name of the letter writer.
And speaking of putting a face on a writer, I believe if I met Mr Yaconisau in Suva, I would walk right pass him as my memory still has the face of a slim, handsome young man who first attended Queen Victoria School, before becoming a die-hard red fire.
I believe he was in my “Mighty Midgets” team of 1975, which was undefeated but lost in the finals at Buckhurst Park because of bad refereeing.
Now if I meet him in Suva, I will simply say, “Bula Amena, remember me, this is Narube.” He may freak out with unbelief, if his mind still remembers the slim guy with spectacles during his years in QVS.
Human rights or not
Tukai Lagonilakeba, Nadi
Every time I hear or read of something very horrible that has happened, I will ponder on the issue for quite some time and ask myself, is it a Fijian citizen’s human rights to go and murder anyone. Or to rape, sodomise and ultimately kill, a drunk driver kills two passengers, a mother kills her newborn, a grandfather rapes his granddaughter, arson suspect is family member, a man punches his brother to death, three burnt to their death, car plunge kills four, cocaine and marijuana traffickers, passenger bus tumbles and kills.
The list goes on; never ending. It is the trauma, fear and the loss of one’s life and livelihoods created by these perpetrators which will never be compensated for but leaves a lot of questions that needs answers.
These criminals are defended in court to be given a second chance in life by a defence lawyer or through the Legal Aid Commission after serving their sentences, but how about the innocent victims traumatised for the rest of their lives?
Our 2013 Constitution seems to be more lenient towards punishing these perpetrators than the relatives and families of the victims, but can someone from the Attorney-General’s office please explain in the national interest on what right does the victims have relevant to being compensated for the damage and loss without having to pay for a lawyer or can the state pay the victims for these perpetrators wrong?
These criminals’ negatively impact our economy and society but can the victims use the Legal Aid Commission to take up their respective cases. There is something definitely wrong with our laws; even animals do have their rights protected, but why have we done away with corporal punishment and the death penalty? They are the best deterrent.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj