Voices for the voiceless
CONGRATULATIONS on reaching 149 years of existence. For an organisation to be in existence for 149 years and be a force for good in its field is a testament to good leadership and having the right people. It reveals that the organisation does not rise and fall with its leaders but thrives and flourishes in its rich work, culture and environment. You have never stopped reinventing yourself and over the years you have understood your readers and have adapted to the times. I particularly like your online paper but it doesn’t stop me from paying for a print. The feel and smell of a new print goes well with a good breakfast. Congratulations and may you continue to flourish as you give voice to the voiceless. SAILOSI NAEWE Naduru Rd, Nausori
Party coup COLIN
Deoki’s confidence in the new party coup installed Australian PM Scott Morrison is premature if not misplaced (FT 03/09). Mr Morrison is a fellow right wing traveller of the deposed PM Malcolm Turnbull and his rival candidate for the PM’s post Peter Dutton. They are all birds of the same feather: anti-climate change (pro-coalmining), anti-trade union (pro-big business and big banks) and anti-refugee and asylum seekers. He is part of the ruling mob responsible for reducing foreign aid to developing countries. Scott Morrison and his ruling mob have done serious damage to Australia’s international reputation. Many Australians (including Liberal party supporters) can’t wait for the next election to kick them out. In his opinion piece I believe Colin Deoki betrays his own anti-Labour and pro-Liberal right wing leanings. RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, Australia
Alcohol production
THE banning of alcohol and other liquor production in Cakaudrove using customary laws (FT 03/09) poses the question of the application of Western laws to everyone. All come under the same law, don’t we? AMENATAVE YACONISAU Palm Drive, Delainavesi
149 years on
WOW, our number one newspaper The Fiji Times has turned 149 years old. The cover page of yesterday’s The Fiji Times was a beauty. And 149 years of hard work, dedication and the strong will and determination to provide readers with a newspaper which is worth the read I believe has made The Fiji Times gain admiration and respect. Known to be the guru of media ideals and impartial reporting, the legacy and proud history of The Fiji Times continues to reach out to thousands locally and overseas. The Fiji Times may be criticised but I am so proud that it does what it is supposed to do and that is report news in a fair and transparent manner. This is exactly what readers expect from a newspaper company and I am glad that The Fiji Times has not been fazed to lose its reputation and dignity and for this reason I prefer The Fiji Times. I took time to read The Fiji Times 149th anniversary lift-out and I was emotional reading our readers views about The Fiji Times, which has kept growing bigger and better. The photo of the old The Fiji Times office would have also brought many beautiful memories of the struggles that The Fiji Times has gone through when the tides of time continued to change against them but I am pleased that our newspaper has survived and continues to survive. On behalf of my family, I accord a big vinaka vakalevu to The Fiji Times for being part of us. Indeed we have placed our trust in The Fiji Times which is simply the best. Cheers The Fiji Times! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Bank in Navua
LAST year I wrote a letter to this column regarding the fast developing centre namely Navua and the dire need of having at least a commercial bank operating within this centre. Most Fijians visiting Navua would definitely say that Navua is a town for the many shopping centres and small businesses such as barber shops, bakeries, service stations, restaurants, canteens, video shops and pharmacies that are in operation with a municipal market and public convenience. In addition are the various government departments that are stationed around the centre such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Namosi and Serua Provincial Council offices, legal aid, land transport and some others. Nevertheless, to this date there isn’t any single bank operating in Navua and many people have to travel as far as Pacific Habour or Suva to do simple bank transactions or loans which cost them time and money. I therefore, on behalf of the people of Navua would again like to humbly request our Government and banks to consider the hardships faced by the people in this area regarding this matter and respond urgently by opening banks in Navua. KOSITATINO TIKOMAIBOLATAGANE, Vuninokonoko Rd, Navua
Baka trees
TREES that have taken many, many years to grow and mature, man is destroying in one fell swoop! In this age of global warming surely we all know how important it is to keep and sustain our beautiful trees especially as they were landmarks. With all the land available surely man could have farmed in harmony with these beautiful trees rather than destroy them? What a sad example man is setting, how does this go towards helping Fiji shine. SANYA CATHERINE GAIN Lami
Way to go
WAY to go The Fiji Times, 149 years in Fiji that’s more than a milestone. So much has happened in 149 years and if I had to do research on Fiji, it would be The Fiji Times that I would turn to for information. Reliable and trustworthy. When I look through old copies of The Fiji Times dating back to the 1960s I see pictures of Lautoka that were once grassland. Today the places are full of homes and roads. And I see pictures of the Hibiscus Festival as it was back then. I even found pictures of myself and my family. When I lived in Mulomulo, each time I would go into Nadi Town, I would buy the day’s paper and look for past days’ editions. I would go home and of course my canefarmer mates would know that I had come back from town and The Fiji Times would be with me. They would come bearing hand pounded waka and just like today with people on their gadgets during grog sessions in Mulomulo it was silence disturbed every so often with the sound of The Fiji Times pages being turned and the soft call of Taki. There was a time when I didn’t go to town for two weeks and when I went to the shop there were four of my mates sitting there looking at a few pages of The Fiji Times. I was glad that I would get to read the paper. When I sidled up to them I noticed the date was three months earlier. When they looked up, (long story short) one of them said, “It’s the news reh.” Three months old and The Fiji Times was still interesting. And yes they gave it to me, it had the crossword and at home I sat and read it. Interesting 149 years ago and still interesting even if the news was three months old. Congratulations The Fiji Times on your 149th anniversary. ALLEN LOCKINGTON Kava Place, Waiyavi, Lautoka
Pen and paper
IT is said that if you want to change the world, take the pen to paper and record everything. Underlined word is “change”. Perhaps there are those who do not want a “change”, hence no pen and paper allowed. MANOJ LAL PATEL Drasa Ave, Lautoka
Rural electrification
FOR future governments solar energy is the way to go before EFL reaches the inability to supply situation. DAN URAI Lautoka Still going strong 149 years old and still out every day. Happy Birthday The Fiji Times! NISHANT SINGH Lautoka
Bringing order
DEAR Narayan Reddy, your intentions are honourable for the Environment Ministry; but let the status quo be. We do need to save the environment, pronto too, agreed, but it will take time as we took our time destroying it. It will also take patience, curious care and most of all intelligent attention. For the way it’s done in the world of theatre, idea is to change the settings or the costumes; certainly not the actors or the directors. Sa kila? MANOJ LAL PATEL Drasa Ave, Lautoka
Big issue
THE soot from the Fiji Sugar Corporation is becoming another big issue for the residents of Lautoka. Can the environment department please look into this? With plastic bag levy and environment levy charged on people, it is only fair for the environment department to get its acts together. JOHN BROWN Drasa Vitogo, Lautoka
Controlled bath
CAN that boso levu fella from WAF reveal to the public his bath frequency schedule? Never mind, I am now opting for dry cleaning. That’s one way to conserve that tasteless yet precious commodity. NISHANT SINGH Lautoka
Response time
MR Narube has asked for an investigation into police response time after a house raid in Colo-i-Suva ( FT 04/09) just after they were praised in Savusavu. DAN URAI Lautoka
