Letters to the Editor: editor@fijitimes.com.fj
Overseas choices
THOSE in other teams have made their choices, and that we can only be proud of our own players.
And I totally agree with this statement. Yes, they doing great and we feel proud that they are Fijian by birth, but some have even lost their Fijian citizenship according to their overseas residency status.
Encourage and praise those who are still involved in the Fijian team. Brag about their achievements, no matter how insignificant it may seem, and they will be encouraged to do much better because their own people know them and talk about them and praise whatever they do.
Leave the scolding to the team coaches and officials.
RENE LAL
New Zealand
Big hearts save
Maciu Malo's story (FT 8th May) of a family helping two homeless children may not have been news without its cross cultural interest and the current media regulatory aim of encouraging positive stories about Fiji.
Cross cultural integration was actively suppressed in Colonial times and the impact of this practice has lived on far too long in the institutional aspects of Fijian society. Despite this, for many ordinary people living in Fiji the reality is that culture is a difference, not a barrier; and has been so for generations. Examples of deep and lasting friendships, mutual support in adversity, living as caring neighbours and working together for the betterment of Fiji, between people of different cultures, can be found wherever you care to look. And despite the original overt and more recently covert institutional obstructions and social resistance, cross cultural families have thrived. It is not unusual that these families have a "dual culture" status because they are accepted as family on both sides of the "cultural divide".
So, although this story is an uplifting and worthy one in its own right, it is a little sad that it should be newsworthy because cross cultural kindness is perceived as being so new and rare.
RINA SINGH-KRUGER
Nadi
Mail decline
The article "Decline in global mail impacts Post Fiji" (FT May 9, 2012), is indeed a global problem brought on by the age of internet communications.
The world is now a smaller place thanks to the impact of the internet. Many people, though, still use "snail mail" regularly, particularly on major holidays like Christmas, Easter, and birthdays
I have a pet peeve: stuff being stolen by workers at some of the post offices around Fiji.
This is a felony in many countries and thus a deterrent, maybe it is in Fiji too, but I guess that didn't stop the people bent on stealing things from articles addressed to people in Fiji.
I would imagine this has not helped Post Fiji's reputation at all.
Most people I know now ship freight home rather than lose stuff to postal workers.
I understand that locally mailed articles, within Fiji, also go missing on a regular basis.
Post Fiji is going to have to restructure to stay in business, but they also need to reassure the public that the days of thieving postal workers is a thing of the past.
I would hate to see the day the post office stops delivering mail on a regular basis, my grandchildren will miss their mail!
JANE FONG
Suva
Class size
I say yes to smaller classes. Being a product of Lautoka Chinese School in the early 1970s, I experienced first-hand the advantages smaller classes have for its students
I was uprooted from a village setting when my parents were transferred to Lautoka for work and had to attend Class One the week after at the above mentioned school. The only English words I knew were "my name is Reapi" if I was asked, "excuse me madam/sir, may I go to the toilet please" if I needed to, and could count to a 100 plus I knew my ABC.
My teacher then was Mrs Ratnam and our headteacher was Ms Samson. They took me under their wings and in the confines of a classroom that only had 13 students, I and my classmates flourished.
Each teacher had two classes to teach as we were housed in the same classroom separated only by the teacher's table but the smaller number of children per class granted the teacher the opportunity to spend quality time with slower students and allowed them to catch up.
There were 25 of us in the two classes (one and two) and I remember distinctly that in that year there were only eight students in Class Eight. The number in our class was maintained right up to when we reached Class Eight and it is a pleasure to reminisce how we all felt every year when the school scored a 100 per cent pass in the then Secondary School Entrance Examination.
Academic competition was very strong and very healthy and if we had to take a vote for smaller Classes per teacher I would vote, aye!
REAPI NAYACAKALOU
Nadi
Shopping preference
Please do not waste your money on ghee. Just buy butter and heat it.
I prefer eating 500 grams of butter daily after drinking six ounces of alcohol.
SUKHA SINGH
Labasa
'Best movie'
JUST last week I got a chance to watch the The Avengers at Village 6 Cinemas after much hype about its international promotions and ratings. And to my expectations, the movie was the best movie I have ever seen. Everything about it was just awesome, from the acting, graphics, action scenes and the dialogues were breathtaking and not to forget the comedy.
It was dubbed the most anticipated movie in Hollywood and it delivered what was expected of it. It has already broken box office records just after its release around the world. It has gone into making the highest opening weekend grossing of all time beating the two previous movies which held this position. Even Hollywood critics have described it as the biggest and the best movie in Hollywood history so far.
So I urge the public, if you haven't watched this movie, please do watch it because you never know when you'll get a chance to watch a movie like this.
VISHAAL KUMAR
Suva
Road request
The condition of some of our roads appear to have gone from bad to worse. I drive from Ba to the Nadi International Airport every day and it takes me much longer now to reach my destination. The number of potholes seems to be multiplying daily.
While trying to reach our destination safely and on time, avoiding all potholes, I come across some ruthless and heartless drivers who think they own the road. They overtake on bridges, bends and even double lines. It becomes really frustrating when on one hand you try to avoid all the potholes to minimise damage to your vehicle and on the other hand, you have to be so vigilant and careful of these dangerous and careless drivers.
My sincere request to the authorities is to please speed up the process of fixing the roads and I also appeal to the Land Transport Authority and the highway patrol to keep a look out for these drivers who are becoming a nuisance on our roads. They should be taken to task and penalised for breaking the rules.
VINEETA NARAYAN
Ba
Very serious
The consumer watchdogs better start taking Allen's "greasy sausage" and Niraj's "excessive skin" portions seriously and send someone to check. Real health risks.
I'm serious, seriously.
DONALD SINGH
Beijing
Common heritage
To my yaca in Beijing, China, as a Fijian and a huge fan of the national sevens team, I just want to remind him that people will look at things differently.
We rejoice differently and sometimes bask in someone else's glory. However, if that person is a Fijian, let's rejoice with him or her no mater what country they play for.
Why not be happy about our Fijian heritage.
Donald Chan
Lautoka
Happy tax
Fiji should have a happy tax day. It will be a day of work and people will work twice as hard and it will be tax free, just one day.
How much tax is collected in one day?
ALLEN LOCKINGTON
Lautoka
Happy fan
I am so happy to read in The Fiji Times (10/5) that Fiji One will be showing the best and toughest rugby league match in the world, (State of Origin).
Thank you Fiji One, you will be showing a game on Sunday and it would be great if you would also show one or even both of the Friday night matches live.
There are a lot of NRL (National Rugby League) fans in Fiji and also youngsters interested in playing rugby league could learn from regularly watching matches that are of top quality.
Thank you again Fiji One.
BILL BELO
Suva
Important thing
Someone once said that getting things done is not always what is important.
There is value in allowing others to learn even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively.
My very best wishes to the Fiji team for the last tournament of the 2011-2012 IRB HSBC Sevens World Series in London.
I hope that you will achieve the unexpected this weekend.
JOELI NALECA
Suva
Sausages and skin
ALLEN'S sausage published in The Fiji Times on May 7 and Niraj's overlapping skin problem that was published in the same newspaper's edition of May 9 obviously need the Ministry of Health's immediate attention.
R. BROWN
Suva
Smoking away
THE Fiji Bitter Fiji FACT has already started with the first round of matches held at Lautoka's Churchill Park last week.
I would like to raise my concern on the issue of smoking in public places. I went to watch the first round of matches and I wasn't able to enjoy the matches as I had expected because most of the time I had to cover my nose to avoid taking in cigarette smoke passed out by people smoking all around me and eventually I ended up having bad headache and a cough.
I would like the authorities concerned to look into this matter seriously and impose fines on those people who tend to violate the rule of no smoking in public places. I think there are laws governing this, aren't there?
ASHNIL PRAKASH
Lautoka
Really disappointing
It's really disappointing and shocking to once again, witness the actions of some senior Raiwai players during last weekend's Easter Volleyball Championship. It's really beginning to frustrate fans and players, and tarnish the development and reputation of the sport in our country.
The Fiji Volleyball Federation with the assistance of the Suva Volleyball Association have worked extremely hard to secure sponsorship with the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation and I commend them for their efforts. This sponsorship will assist the federation financially in supporting volleyball associations around the country. This sponsorship, most importantly, will support the organising of tournaments, to develop and identify talents, and also allow our young men and women an opportunity to show their talents during matches.
I urge the management, officials, parents and supporters of the Raiwai Volleyball Association not to take these matters lightly and join efforts in encouraging good sportsmanship and discipline among their players. There are other means of voicing frustrations and complaints by teams and players. We will only reap the benefits of what we sow; if teams want to win then they must train hard, run the extra mile and maintain discipline.
Our women and children are our strongest and loyal supporters, and they were once again present on that day to show their support. What message are we sending the little children in condoning such acts? That such behaviour is tolerable, in games?
Whatever decision the Fiji Volleyball Federation takes regarding the unfortunate incident, I hope they will have the long-term interest of the sport at heart, and most importantly the importance of imposing harsher penalties so such practices are not repeated.
SEMAIMA LAGILAGI
Suva
Shark support
Dive Tropex Tokoriki is writing this letter to add our support to the Fiji Shark Sanctuary Campaign with the move to create a shark sanctuary in Fiji's EEZ (exclusive economic zone).
We strongly support this for the following reasons:
* Economically shark finning brings little monetary gain to Fiji whereas shark-related tourism adds many millions of dollars annually;
* Shark finning is entirely unsustainable and the removal of an apex predator has a proven negative effect on the health of the marine ecosystem. This has both an ecological and economic impacts;
* Sharks have great symbolic importance to indigenous Fijians; and
* The successful implementation of a shark sanctuary, if disseminated correctly, will bring huge positive worldwide publicity to Fiji.
We very much hope that The Fiji Times can lend its weight to this wonderful cause.
WILL and ALEX
Tokoriki PADI 5 Star Dive Centre