Letters to the Editor: editor@fijitimes.com.fj
Footpath thanks
ON behalf of all the children, parents and everyone of the Caubati Housing area, I would like to take this opportunity to kindly thank the Housing Authority and the Nasinu Town Council and Housing Minister Colonel Samuela Saumatua for our new footpath that is now partly completed.
All schoolchildren and parents who use the once rugged footpath can now walk happily to and from school, work or church with clean shoes. We also thank the hardworking workers who are still working on the path. Vinaka vakalevu.
ELIMI MARAWA
Nasinu
People in need
I AM writing this letter to let the public know how some of the people in need during the height of the floods behaved.
Nadi Muslim College opened its gate as an evacuation centre but after the people left, beer bottles were found in the prayer area, the school canteen was broken into, classrooms were broken into and many more.
It appears the "in need" people were not actually in need but the flood was just a reason to enter and steal or damage the property, especially defying religious aspects like drinking beer at the holy place.
People need to understand that if someone is helping them, then their responsibility is to use the facility accordingly and when leaving, ensure it is exactly in the same condition as when they came on the first day. But in this situation, it's the opposite.
I thank Nadi Muslim College for opening their gates in times of need and hope the people who took shelter build up some common sense with respect to others' religion and behaviour. I also hope the relevant authorities will raise awareness among those people in this regard.
This is my own opinion hence, I am not sure if this has been raised officially, but it is sad to see such incidents.
KUNAL PRAKASH
Nadi
ID theft
IDENTITY theft is a reality.
This issue needs to be made known to our beloved children whether they be in primary, secondary or a tertiary institute.
I was amazed to find out in the last two weeks, a Form Three student from a prominent school in the Sigatoka area was being persistently asked by the subject teacher for the student to provide the required TIN and bank account number together with the bank account name.
The above details in any western country is part of an individual's identity, which if falls into the wrong hands, whether it be intentional or not, could result in irreparable damage to the individual concerned.
If there is a subject being taught which requires TINs and bank account numbers and other bank detail, then I totally agree with it in order to educate the children. However I would like to recommend that the TINs and bank account details should be dummy numbers and details used only for teaching purpose and not the actual details of the children concerned as it is part of their respective identity.
Let us protect the personal identity of our beloved children of Fiji. On the same token, give our children the best education possible.
JOSEPH CHONG
Nadroga
Discount taxi fares
WE are in receipt of the discount taxi fares which was highlighted by the president of Lautoka Taxi Operators Association, Hari Narayan, and would like to correct him where he said that this only applied to people with disabilities (FT 30/3/12).
Now this is completely wrong as under the Deed of Agreement signed with the government it is clearly stated that the 20 per cent discount is for disabled persons, senior citizens, and those persons receiving food or family assistance from Ministry of Social Welfare, provided that these persons are certified and issued with relevant identification cards by the relevant agencies. The discount rate is only valid for a journey up to 20 kilometres.
During our last annual general meeting here in Suva, we all had agreed with the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare that we would abide by the Deed of Agreement and will continue to use the same old ID cards in taxis until the new ones are replaced.
All these have been clearly highlighted and passed on to everyone through the media coverage ever since the introduction of the new taxi fares and we will not tolerate wrong messages being passed on to the members as little knowledge is very dangerous.
We would request him to read the Deed of Agreement first before making any public statements as two wrongs do not make a right.
With this note we are requesting all taxi operators and the users to consult our head office for any future clarifications.
VINCENT SINGH
President
Fiji Taxi Association
Health concern
Because of floods, many health woes will be greatly affecting those who are careless with hygiene. There will be waterborne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea, leptospirosis and also in some places, dysentery.
People should heed advice that all drinking water is to be boiled and hands washed before and after eating meals.
Because of the conditions that will arise in such weather, it is the responsibility of each individual to ensure they and those dependent on them keep healthy. People shouldn't eat dead livestock and damaged goods for example rice, flour, sugar and other necessary basic food items. Refrain from eating sea or river food in particular that may be poisoned which can jeopardise the health of many.
Boiling all drinking water can prevent such diseases but not all. Wearing safety and protective clothing while attending to livestock and farms should be taken in consideration as leptospirosis will be a major health concern now in Fiji.
The onus is now on people to consider their health so they should not contract any sickness.
Mosquitoes also will increase in numbers after periods of heavy rain and dengue fever is likely to spread in parts of the country. So please take action now before it is too late to save someone's life or yours!
AMRIT NARAYAN SINGH, Nausori