Our roads, a national shame
When a former PM says: “The state of our roads is a national shame” then that’s a real shame (‘Was the FRA a mistake?’ by former PM Mahendra Chaudhry FT 23/1).
He says also “The Ministry of Economy and the FRA Board must take responsibility for the extremely unacceptable state of affairs revealed in the WB report”.
Will anybody take responsibility?
That’s the big question.
Rajend Naidu, Sydney, Australia
Dialysis treatment
I just hope our good Government provides the above free.
I can’t see any reason why it cannot.
Sharif Shah, Savusavu
Limitation issues
Mareko Vuli made an interesting point in his letter “Violent Protests” (FT 23/01) while referring to the recent Capitol Hill protests in Washington.
He mentioned that, in comparison with the freedom and first amendment rights in the US Constitution, – which he said were without any caveat – the human rights and freedoms enshrined in our own 2013 Constitution had a caveat provision at the end of some of its provisions.
This stated that these enshrined human rights and freedoms in our Constitution, can themselves be limited by a limiting law, to the extent that is considered necessary.
He further added that “clearly our constitution-makers did not trust us to exercise our freedoms responsibly”.
On the margin of that point, I would like to humbly mention that in our previous constitutions, a provision was specifically added at the end of some of these provisions, to say that these limiting laws can themselves be limited, to the extent that is reasonable and justifiable in a free and democratic society.
While these were not particularly specified under each provision in our present Constitution – as it had been in the past – the overall riders enshrined in Sec. 3 (1) and Sec. 7 (1) (a) in the Constitution, is of relevance here and adequately addresses this.
So in essence then, the limitations mentioned herein, have their own limitation riders and is not absolute, nor without limits, so to speak!
I would like to thank Mr Vuli for highlighting the issue, as it gave me an opportunity to also mention an often “forgotten” constitutional provision.
Edward Blakelock, Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
TSLB programs
Apparently, the decision by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board (TSLB) to review national priority areas has been labelled a hasty decision which itself requires a review.
When will TSLB tell us why they made this hasty decision to review national priority areas?
Mohammed Imraz Janif, Natabua, Lautoka
Two scenarios
On February 20, 2016, STC Winston, a Category 5 cyclone, was the strongest of all so far that overwhelmed our island nation.
More than four years later, STC Yasa, another Category 5, revisited almost along the same route.
After going through most of the videos, photos, information, etc., regarding the aftermath, it was usually noticed in almost all scenarios, respective government ministers and the PM bonding and integrating with the heavily affected communities.
They were always at the “frontline” of all the devastation pictures either distributing aid supplies or chatting with the locals.
In Koro Island, Tailevu North, Ra Province and Vanua Levu to mention a few.
Their commitments were so strong as they were victims themselves.
At that very sad period, with respect to the damaged villages and settlements, the ministers and PM were seen as encouragement, saviours, friends, comforters and above all good governance.
However, on the other side of the coin, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe the opposite was witnessed.
I believe all the heavily affected Fijians either directly or indirectly within the path of the pandemic were abandoned.
It was like they contracted leprosy.
The respective ministers and PM were totally out of the picture.
Only to be seen from a far.
I am of the opinion that both of the cyclones and the pandemic were beyond our control.
And yet, different addresses were clearly visible from the Government.
Are we all Fijians?
Are we under the same government?
Maybe some are more vulnerable than others.
Only the PM and his administration have the answer.
Success is to be measured not so much about the position one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
Samu Silatolu, Nakasi
