Fiji’s historical ships
Thank you John Kamea for your article “Fiji’s historical ships” on Page 6 of yesterday’s (12/12/19) The Fiji Times.
The article not only gives insight into the manner of sea transportation at a given time in our history in the Pacific but also add commendation to our beloved The Fiji Times for keeping such a very important information and picture in its archives.
The beautiful photo of the ship Matua shown anchoring in Suva ignites my joy unspeakable.
The joy is reliving in memory the unforgettable journey as deck passengers on the Matua, of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby XV team which toured Tonga and Western Samoa in 1964.
I still believe that vomiting and being seasick on the deck of the beloved Matua is far better than surfing the huge waves at Cloudbreak, Tavarua.
Pita K. Nacuva, Tamavua Ward, Suva
Electricity bill
A friend moved into his new house and was supposed to go and change the ownership and pay the deposit for billing purposes and reconnection.
He does and one day later he rings to check if power had been reconnected.
The conversation went like this — “Hello, I’m just checking if power to (house number and account number is given) has been reconnected?”
EFL staff: “When was power disconnected?”
Reply: “Yesterday, I just bought the house and there is a change of ownership and the previous owner has closed the account and the power was disconnected. I have paid the deposit and filled the necessary forms for reconnection.”
EFL staff: “Have you checked if the power is reconnected?”
Reply: “I am at work and just checking if it’s been reconnected.”
EFL staff: “Is anybody at home to check?”
Reply: “If someone was at home I wouldn’t be calling to check.”
EFL staff: “Gimme a second. Sorry, sir, I can’t verify if the power has been reconnected or not.”
Reply: “What about the team that goes around reconnecting, give me their number and I will call and ask them, I did everything yesterday.”
EFL staff: “Sorry, I don’t have their contact and I cannot verify if power is connected or not..”
Reply: “OK.”
Hangs up and calls me.
Sobo!
Allen Lockington, Kava Place, Lautoka
Rate arrears
Simon Hazelman’s letter that the rate arrears accumulated during the period we had elected councillors is without basis.
Please get your facts right.
This Government, since it took power in 2006 and did away with elected councillors in 2008 and so have been in control for 11 years.
I wonder what their administrators were up to during this time apart from hiring more workers and at the same time subcontracting council work.
Also in the case of Nadi and certain other councils, charging special rates when there was no special project in the pipeline.
I believe this collection must be credited to ratepayers accounts for the coming year with interest as it was an unlawful deduction.
Dorsami Naidu, Nadi
Road carnage
Sadly, ever-so-insensibly and needlessly, our roads have claimed two more lives.
We may never know if the traffic accident at Nabukavesi, between the Capital City, Suva and the township of Navua, could have been avoided.
Did defensive driving skills apply to prevent massive impact that totally destroyed the private vehicle?
Tough questions must be asked.
Answers must be properly given.
More than enough has been said over and over again.
These warnings have become so repetitive that it appears our drivers have become “immunely numb” to their responsibilities behind the steering wheel.
Every vehicle on our roads is a potentially lethal and destructive weapon.
Good, sound working brains are prerequisites to sound, courteous, responsible and law-abiding driving habits.
There is no more room on all our roads for bad drivers.
Speeding and drink-driving, coupled with arrogance and complacency, remain public enemy number one on Fiji roads.
No drop policy must apply, forthwith.
Deterrent fines and mandatory immediate suspension of driver’s licence must apply.
Silly, irresponsible, careless and dangerous drivers must be taken off our roads.
All drivers, with a minimum three bookings in quick succession, must answer and show cause for driver’s licence suspension and/or immediate revocation.
Traffic court cases are time-consuming and waste of valuable financial and human resources.
It is now very timely to review drivers’ records and “pull up” all repeat offenders.
I believe justice must be swiftly delivered.
Ronnie Chang, Martintar, Nadi
Hot weather
HIGH temperatures, high humidity, hot concrete.
The heat can be more than just uncomfortable.
Your wellbeing could be compromised.
The culprit: Dehydration.
My advice is increase your water intake.
Anthony Sahai, take note my boy!
Wise Muavono, Balawa, Lautoka
US impeachment
WATCHING the house judiciary debating articles of impeachment on CNN (12/12) brings some respect back to democracy and the rule of law.
Dan Urai, Lautoka
Medical help
I WAS at Fiji’s medical vessel the MV Veivueti yesterday which is docked at Veitari opposite Fiji Meats.
Doctors and medical personnel are on board doing very much welcomed and appreciated operations.
A chap was stretchered out, presumably to be transferred to the Lautoka Hospital for further attention and/or recuperation and observation.
He was loaded into an ambulance and lo and behold, some men standing there were asked to push start it (ambulance).
My mind went wild thinking what if the vehicle was bringing a critically ill patient and at some isolated spot they have to stop for something or other and the engine goes off.
What then?
The ambulance usually has the driver, a nurse and the patient.
Allen Lockinton, Kava Place, Lautoka
PM rotation
DID I get that right (FT 11/12)?
The Minister for Defence is away at a climate conference in Madrid, while the Minister for Agriculture, Environment & Waterways is elevated to Acting PM in charge of the Defence.
What, pray, is the rationale?
Christopher Griffin, Perth, Australia
Pothole course
CAN Land Transport and Fiji Road Authority come up with a plan to include “pothole basic knowledge” in defensive driving courses?
The abovementioned will give a fair idea to motorists, especially new drivers, about what to do while going through potholes.
Now the abovementioned can save costly damage to vehicles and also prevent unwanted accidents.
Shamal Chand, Kuku Bau Rd, Nausori
Young Thunberg
SWEDISH 16-year-old Greta Thunberg has been named Time’s 2019 Person of the Year.
She becomes the youngest ever recipient.
Most people are wondering, what for?
Mohammed Imraz Janif, Natabua, Lautoka
Let’s go Fiji, go
COME on Fiji, it’s that time of the year and still a lot of keyboard warriors are still ripping it into the players and management alike, yet a few months ago the very same boys were the toast of the nation.
I’ve said it time and time again, this is our team, this is our Fiji, we are either with them or against them, so keep your negative comments to yourself and let’s keep that banner blue up high, for come the weekend this Fijian who is living overseas will hoist it high win or lose — he will continue to support the boys.
So come on Fiji, let’s all wear our colours on Friday and maybe the dailies could capture it to show the boys in Cape Town that all Fijians are behind them as they chase the cheetah off the field.
Go Fiji, go!
Lawrence Wara, Santa Rosa
Ruthless defence
I’M happy that 7s coach Gareth Baber has admitted that they played badly in Dubai and that our boys were ready to show some improvements this weekend in Cape Town.
According to Baber the players had let themselves down and were challenged to play better this weekend.
The performance of our 7s side in Dubai reminds me of the scenario last year where our boys finished fifth and then bounced back to win the Cape Town 7s.
Baber has also admitted that ruthless defence will be the key in Cape Town against the hosts and the USA Eagles and this is essential if we are to come out from the ‘pool of death’.
Baber also said that the boys need to get ruthless and tighter in terms of defence, and take control of games.
I’d love to see our boys make those big hits below the shoulder as we had seen last season and I am hopeful of seeing a big change in the performance of our 7s team this weekend.
Win or lose, Fiji at heart!
All the best boys — please be humble, be good ambassadors and rise to the occasion!
Toso Viti!
Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam, Nadawa, Nasinu
Support Fijiana
THE discussions on our national sevens team’s performance in Dubai has been under the microscope leading up to the next tournament in Cape Town.
Unfortunately, many have failed to acknowledge reality.
Our women’s side, the Fijian, did much better than our men’s side despite receiving less support and attention in the build up to Cape Town.
All in all, let’s not forget to give recognition and support to our Fijiana side as they reached the quarter-finals.
Floyd Robinson, Toorak, Suva
Player contracts
A CORRESPONDENT mentions that both men’s and women’s sevens players have been contracted.
Excellent.
However, in terms of the men’s contracts, these should be discipline-based, with pay deductions made for yellow and red cards.
Fiji cannot win games with one, sometimes two players in the bin, especially against the top teams.
Good discipline is just as essential as good defence.
If Fiji fails to qualify for the quarter-finals, they are always going to get tough draws in the following tournaments.
Allan Loosley, Tavua
