Maintaining discipline, staying focused
Fiji’s march towards gold begins tonight with a date with the mighty Samoans followed by Kenya and the Cape Town champions New Zealand. Barring upsets, we will meet the USA in the quarter-final and Australia in the semi-final.
Should we fall to the Wallabies in the semi-final, we will, based on current form most likely face New Zealand in the bronze medal match which will decide our fate as far as the series is concerned.
Generally speaking, the five teams standing in our way are Samoa, Kenya, New Zealand, USA and Australia.
If Fiji qualifies as runner-up from Pool A, it will most likely meet England in the quarter-final and South Africa in the semi-final.
Our situation is very clear. We need to focus on one match at a time and keep ourselves disciplined at all times.
Just one high tackle or tackling a player in the air can spoil our party if we are not careful.
It has already happened in the past and we all know that history has a very bad habit of repeating itself.
We were leading New Zealand by 10 points heading into the last tournament in the 2006-07 series. We needed to reach the semi-final to clinch the title however we fell to Wales in the quarter-final handing over the title to New Zealand in the process.
We have a lot of faith in Baber and the boys and know that all who choose to cross our path this weekend will be conquered.
Go Fiji, go.
Bring back the gold!
Shad Alfaz Ali
Navua
A great leader
SO sad to hear the news of the passing of the Tui Noco.
A great leader of his calibre would be a real challenge to find.
History has been created by him for accepting descendants of the girmitya as Luvedra Na Ratu.
We will always be grateful to you sir for this great acceptance.
You will always remain in our hearts and the respect for your humanism characteristics would never diminish.
Who says you are gone? You are still among us through the love and affection for our existence.
Rest in peace my Ratu and be rest assured that we will be law-abiding and responsible citizens.
You will be remembered in the history of girmit although it is about 140 years.
Dhirendra Prasad
Lautoka
Best wishes
When one has the right tools, we can also expect him not only to do the right job but also to do the job right. Now that we have the right players, the expectation is also that they should be able to do what we expect them to do well on the ground.
Best wishes and good luck to the Flying Fijians in their game against Manu Samoa. Looking forward to watching you create that rugby earthquake today at the ANZ Stadium. We will all be there to support you!
Joeli Naleca
Natabua, Lautoka
Thank you
A few times I had travelled by bus from Nabua to Valelevu (Nasinu) and during these morning bus rides I was amazed by the police officer who controls the traffic movement at the junction of the Kings and Ratu Dovi roads close to Manohan Complex.
Anyone travelling towards Nausori in the mornings will never miss the sight of this gentleman’s skills, professionalism and attitude towards his work in traffic control.
He braves the central weather be it the usual wet weather or sometimes hot weather.
His confidence and dedication is very much commendable.
In addition, I would like to say the biggest vinaka vakalevu to all the policemen and women around Fiji for their hard work and commitment in securing our communities apart from the various roles they play in society.
The Fiji Police Force has continuously reminded us that a solid community partnership is the most effective mechanism to achieve this.
Thus, let us all continue to support our police officers in their pursuit for a better Fiji.
Have a blessed and safe weekend.
SPENCER ROBINSON
Suva
Minimum wage
Many people are talking about the minimum wage, whatever the amount may be, to be raised.
According to a reference book I’ve been reading, the area you may live and work in could determine if you are OK financially or not.
If you get $500 a fortnight net and you live in the heart of Suva, and you pay rent, electricity, water and you pay for travel, you could be struggling.
This is if you have a family of three schooling children and a wife who stays home.
If you live in the rural area far from town and earn $500, rent will be lower, you could have a backyard garden, you and the children walk to school.
You’d be smiling.
Some of us will get $2.63 p/hr, some will get $30 per hour, some will even get paid more.
Many people cry out to be paid more, we all want to be paid more.
Whatever your circumstance, you don’t get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value of work you are supposed to bring to the hour.
Anyway, these are some things I was thinking about, having lived and worked in Suva and in the rural areas, earning the same pay.
Oh and I lived in government quarters away from Suva and that made a huge difference.
Allen Lockington
Kava Place, Waiyavi, Lautoka
Title chase
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team just needs a third place finish at the Paris 7s this weekend to win the 2017/2018 World Sevens Series.
The team is in the first place with 167 points and a third place finish will earn them 17 points and will take their total tally to 184 which gives us the series title.
Why should we go for the third place finish when we can win the Paris 7s and win the HSBC series?
Fijians all over wish to celebrate this moment!
Either first, second or third we win the series.
Cheers Fiji.
Gulsher Ali
Lautoka
Magic and more magic
If I remember quite correctly the words by one of the running commentaries at the London 7s, the semi-final between Fiji and Scotland, correct me please … the words “…magic, magic, and magic” was repeated.
I was in awe too. All the best, you amazing bouquets!
Joji O Toronibau
Labasa
Guns and roses
Perhaps the song titled above by Lucky Dube is most apt for us today. Have a listen or just simply read the lyrics. My… my! For the island paradise we live in… Albeit, I stand corrected.
MANOJ LAL PATEL
Drasa Ave, Lautoka
All the best
I would like to wish our great 7s rugby team all the best in Paris. I am positive the boys will create history and be the winner of this year’s trophy.
Go Fiji go.
Nardeo Mishra
Suva
Developing players
I don’t mind the thrashing of the Fiji Warriors by the Argentine XV 75-15 due to lack of defence and attack.
It can be 200- nil but at least we are developing local rugby players from the Skipper, Vanua, and Farebrother competitions.
Look at the national side, all overseas players! Someone looks good at the cost of Fiji rugby.
Amenatave Yaconisau
Palm Drive, Delainavesi
Employment market
Education will only assist eradicate poverty if the curriculum is linked to the employment market. Otherwise we may have a pool of educated but unemployed youths.
Dan Urai
Lautoka
Naduva’s landing
His winning try has safely landed our Fiji Airways Fiji 7s star Alusio Naduva a nomination by World Rugby as one of the three “don’t crack under pressure” moments in the World Sevens Series.
Many more safe landings to be seen by the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s stars. Best wishes Naduva.
Gulsher Ali
Lautoka
Rugby mix
What a weekend of rugby! Test matches plus the Paris 7s!
There will be lack of sleep and non-stop mix for rugby enthusiasts. That fellow in Kava Pl will definitely be pounding the kosa.
Very soon he will be eating the kosa. Areh go Fiji go.
Wise Muavono
Balawa, Lautoka
Paper coffee cups
The World Environment Day this week has been a catalyst to create awareness in how we manage, control and use plastics as this global concern is a serious threat to the environment including the fragile oceans.
The main focus was the plastic straws and the pledge was taken not to use it.
It is pleasing to note that our nation is right at the top to champion the universal issue of the environment pollution and looped in the schools to implement and integrate responsibilities so that the goal congruence are met.
We also need to develop a measure of performance that will monitor our discharge rate of the abuse and notify us of any improvement of how we handle our waste.
I believe this is a controllable issue and we have the influence and the responsibility to eliminate the threat.
While we are focusing on the pollutants that are visible another threat has emerged in the form of the paper coffee cups.
Coffee consumption is on the increase worldwide and in Fiji we have witnessed a few of the global giants operating and offering the customers the hot beverage in the said type of the cups.
Disposable paper coffee cups are lined with polyethylene, a type of plastic. This coating prevents the cup from turning to mush while there is hot beverage inside but it also means these cups can’t be easily recycled due to the waterproof nature.
Besides their difficulty to recycle, paper cups also pose a sustainability issue. Normally we are misled to believe that the coffee cups are paper which has biodegradable qualities and breaks down in the environment without any adverse effects. Between the walls of the paper coffee cups there is a thin shield of plastic large as the palm of your hand constructed tightly and bonded to the paper making the cups waterproof and therefore able to contain the hot liquid.
This is not visible to the naked eyes as the plastic pieces are embedded into the paper.
The walls of the paper coffee cups are often lined or coated with plastic or wax to prevent liquid from leaking out or soaking through the paper.
The plastic lids of the coffee cups also have the same negative effects.
I believe globally there are a few facilities that could separate the plastic from paper and the technology to do that is still in the infant stage and very expensive to set up a plant.
I believe it is estimated that we in Fiji use about 5000 cups a day and that ends up in the land fill or disregarded unintentionally causing adverse effect to our beautiful country.
I believe the leading coffee outlets should revert back to traditional use of the ceramic cups if the beverage are consumed inhouse that could be washed and reused.
This may incur a slight cost but will give a huge contribution in the sustainable development of the planet and be in line with the World Environment Day message.
Satish Nakched
Suva
