Dr Fong and Dr Sahukhan, you both are the most compassionate doctors I have ever seen.
Grateful thanks to you and all the dedicated frontliners keeping us safe.
You all deserve a medal come Fiji Day!
NORMAN YEE, Martintar, Nadi
Important issue
I met some former Fiji Airways workers, who had their work contracts terminated, in Savusavu yesterday.
One very important thing I noticed is that some of these former Fiji Airways workers were actually sending money back to their families in villages.
Some of those workers are well looked after by the extended families who once were helped.
Life in the village is good for those who supported the extended families, but I can’t say the same for others.
COVID-19 also affected some families in the village who were helped by those who used to work in the tourism industry on Viti Levu.
JOHN BROWN Bua
Alert, vigilant
The increase in positive cases overseas and the six weeks lockdown in Melbourne Australia, underlines the need for us to be always alert and vigilant in our social behaviour, the threat for us is always a resurgence in transmission, so we still need to continue to adhere to our remaining restrictions, the three cases testing positive while in our quarantine facility, must be contained to ensure it does not over-stretch our local capability, let’s continue to work together to prevent any further overseas viral invasion, to prevent it from spreading here as a local transmission.
EDWARD BLAKELOCK Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Happy crushing
I believe Fiji’s largest sugar mill in Lautoka will start crushing this Friday.
All gangs belonging to this mill will start their harvesting a day earlier.
The FSC is optimistic of recording a good production of sugar this season.
Of course all depends on the efficiency of the mill and the farmers’ ability to harvest and send the cane to the mill without any delay, and finally favourable weather will make things better.
There is a significant increase seen in the people planting various types of vegetables throughout the country at the moment and I would say what a turn around this has been.
It seems everyone who once were running away from the agricultural sector are now coming back.
I don’t think there would be any shortage of cane cutters now that a lot of people are jobless due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is advisable that sustainable farming should continue even if the pandemic is gone.
Some very rewarding lessons have been learnt while going through this pandemic which is proving disastrous for mankind.
Let’s till available land and remain focused as help will come from our Heavenly Father one day very soon.
Happy crushing!
SURESH CHAND Nadi
Traffic jams
As a daily commuter from Davuilevu to Suva City, I must commend the terrific work of officers of the Fiji Police Force on our roads.
Every morning, we encounter traffic jams and sometimes these queues are as early as 6am.
While nothing looks to improve with the congestions, the work of our police officers are really a factor in allowing traffic to at least flow, especially at the intersections and lights.
It is heartening to see these officers putting up brave faces to bring smiles on thousands of drivers and passengers daily.
What is even more pleasing is that a good number of these officers seem to be new graduates and they are doing a good job in manning traffic at our busy junctions.
You are managing your work smartly and in a very professional manner, and when it rains early in the mornings, your rain jackets make you more attractive.
You brighten our day by risking your lives by standing on some of the busiest cross roads of the Nausori- Suva highway.
Vinaka vakalevu to the Fiji Police Force.
DEWAN D. GOUNDER Maya Crescent, Davuilevu
Stay safe
STAY safe as the second phase of COVID-19 is blasting Fiji again.
JAHEED BUKSH Korolevu, Sigatoka
How many
MAY I ask how many FRA teams are doing road rehabilitation around Fiji?
ALLEN LOCKINGTON Kava Place, Lautoka
Locate dad
WITH reference to the article “Grandma stretches income from selling candies to feed 7 children” (FT 07/07), I suggest the authorities locate the father of the children and make him take responsibility for his children.
VIJAY P. MADHAVAN Borron Rd., Suva
Students’ lunch
IN this needy time, the Ministry of Education is coming up with no plans yet for students’ lunch, especially those who are affected badly and are left without proper meals.
I believe this is where freebies would come in handy.
KIRTI PATEL Lautoka
Empty stomach
FIRSTLY, I would like to thank Sangam Fiji for providing free lunch at all the Sangam schools.
Secondly, what would other schools do if students are not bringing their lunch because their parents are unemployed? Hope no one is studying with an empty stomach.
AMOL KUMAR Lautoka
COVID-19 reaction
CONGRATULATIONS to Fiji Prime Minister Bainimarama and his team for overwhelming concern and untiring efforts to control this deadly virus.
Now is the time to work towards nation building and reviving the economy.
Let’s learn from yesterday, live for today, that will take us closer to a better tomorrow.
God bless Fiji.
TAHIR ALI Hamilton, New Zealand
Soccer sponsor
I BELIEVE the Fiji FA should look for new sponsors instead of sitting and waiting for a review of their current sponsorship.
I believe it simply shows how genuine the sponsor is regarding the development of soccer in Fiji.
The pandemic should not be a reason.
KHALID AHMAD Suva
Garbage truck
This is in response to Sukha Singh’s letter which appeared on FT 06/07.
The garbage compactor truck donated by the Embassy of Japan is being fully utilised by the council covering the whole of the outer wards of Naseakula and Vatia as well as the extended areas as far as Seaqaqa township areas.
It is not used within the main CBD areas.
Deployment of this truck has freed up council’s resources and manpower to the extent where we are now able to place more effort and emphasis on ground maintenance and long-term town clean-up and beautification of the town as a whole.
DOREEN ROBINSON Special Administrator – Labasa/Savusavu
Obituaries and death notices
IT is indeed a worry when reading the obituaries of people each day in The Fiji Times of so many are passing away at a surprisingly young age!
In fact, the average age of the majority of those who are passing away I find to be in their 40s and 50s; way too young and well before their time!
Each time I read an obituary of someone who died young, I often wonder if the members of their family ever thoroughly questioned the reason for their loved one having passed away so soon and if so, if they went further to learn how they could stop other family members from meeting the same fate?
Certain illnesses fall upon members of the same family due to genetical reasons, however, most illnesses these days are spread due to the passing on of the same unhealthy lifestyle.
In such cases it’s due mostly to what people eat and drink, as family members tend to consume the same things and live the same unhealthy lifestyles.
I will never forget the words of my grandfather who lived to a grand old age of 107 years.
Born in 1897 in the 19th Century, he lived through the 20th Century, and died in the 21st Century in the year 2004.
He said, “One’s life is what one makes of it! Only the toughest and the smartest will be blessed with long life. Look after yourself first before anything else and eat, drink and exercise in moderation.”
My grandfather lived a regimental life in that he ate three light meals a day at specified times of mostly fish and greens.
He would work in his garden and copra plantation for 2-3 hours before breakfast and return for another 2-3 hours of work in the mid-afternoon.
He rested between the hours of 10am-2pm each day when the sun was at its hottest and he was always in bed by 7.30-8pm to rise before the crack of dawn the next day.
My grandfather lived a simple life without ever getting admitted into a hospital, never visiting the dentist, and never needing glasses to read.
He bathed in the creek which was on the family property and drank the water from it.
Towards the end of his final years he mentioned several times that he had lived a long enough life and was ready to go and when he finally did, it was indeed a pleasure for the family to print the obituary of a man who had lived through so many years of a great life, had seen so many generations and had passed on so much wisdom!
In having lived so long, my grandfather left behind an example to us of how life can be so enjoyed in all of its simplicity and lived to its fullest!
So strive to live long!
SIMON HAZELMAN Rava Estate, Savusavu
