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Opinion
Letters to the Editor – Friday, February 3, 2023
Up through the ranks! Reading Napolioni Likuveiqali’s story as the acting principal Customs officer border Lautoka brought alight memories of Allen Lockington, who was also a Customs officer, and had a distinguished career. Napolioni, who...
Editorial comment – Raising standards
The revelation that our public health system is not as it should be, should inch out concern. In fact we should be concerned as a nation. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said Fiji’s public health system was “plagued” with crumbling infrastructure and overworked staff. He said this during an event at the Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital...
2nd February
Letters to the Editor – Thursday, December 2, 2023
Stay strong, last long! Renowned Fijian academic Professor Steven Ratuva had a timely message for the coalition Government, “Stay strong, last long”. He added that it was imperative the coalition Government stayed “strong, resilient and lasted” because it had great implications for the future of Fiji’s democracy. I read his message and then pondered about...
Editorial comment – Violence on the home front
It is good to know that Minister for Women Lynda Tabuya and her ministry are working on the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls. The aim is to help eradicate domestic violence. In fact any effort or campaign to fight this should be encouraged. It’s not going to be a stroll...
1st February
Editorial comment – A united front
We need to be watching what we eat! In fact, the food we eat could be a factor in whether we contract diabetes, a non-communicable disease, and maybe even some forms of cancers. Public health physician and epidemiologist Professor Nigel Unwin drove through this message as part of an effort to determine the causes of...
Letters to the Editor – Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Rugby rookie on the rise Karl Tenana and co-commentators could not stop heaping praises on our rookie Batirerega and one of them said he is “all arms and legs”. Solid debut by the rookie and he should be the new star. Give him a few more games and tournaments. No fancy ending when he scores...
31st January
A decade of Greg’s life lost – When he woke up in 2017, he thought it was 2005
Greg Harvey woke up one morning in August 2017 thinking it was 2005. “I was in a panic because I thought I was going to be late to uni,” Mr Harvey said. Mr Harvey could not remember the past 12 years of his life. “Then I noticed the house all looked different. We’d had the...
Letters to the Editor – Tuesday, January 31, 2023
We need big, powerful men A big request to the selectors of the Fiji men’s 7s team. Please look for bigger physical, robust and powerful men who can compete in rucks and mauls and win turnovers and break the opposition defence. The current team is so full of small and lean players. There is an...
Editorial comment – Health care system
It is encouraging to note that attention is now focused on our health service. Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu said any help extended by the community and private sector would be welcomed with open arms. He spoke about assistance and health care delivery. There was a need for a co-ordinated effort, he said, in terms...
30th January
Aunty Va calls it a day – Counselling for the past 28 years
She has decided to call it a day after being a counsellor for almost three decades. Originally from Serua Island, Vasemaca Naverebalavu Natoga has been counselling people with different issues for the past 28 years. Being the second eldest in a family of three boys and three girls, she had a very strict upbringing with...
Letters to the Editor – Monday, January 30, 2023
Our national hero AFTER many articles I read so far a hero picture of the late Allen Lockington has been etched in my memory. People, who knew him by his works, have paid tribute through the social media and especially in Letters to the Editor. I was surprised how an ordinary man can do so...
Editorial comment – Important lessons
New Zealand are through to the Under 17 World Cup in Peru. They defeated New Caledonia 1-0 to get a ticket for the top competition. New Caledonia are also going to Peru as the second top side from the competition. It wasn’t an easy path though for the Kiwis who defeated Fiji 4-1 in their...
29th January
Letters to the Editor – Sunday, January 29, 2023
Congratulations new acting police chief CONGRATULATIONS to the new Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew on his well deserved appointment after being a career police officer for 34 years (FT 28/1). The people of Fiji can look forward to the rebranding of the police force as the protector of the people and their right...
Editorial comment – Boosting the Drua
It was hot in the Western Division yesterday. The sun turned out in all its glory in the early part of the day. Then the skies opened up in the afternoon. That’s when the Fijian Drua took on the might of the Melbourne Rebels at Prince Charles Park in Nadi. It was a trial match...
28th January
Parasite infection – Cats, raw meat and pregnant women
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled microscopic parasite called toxoplasma gondii. Clinical signs in cats Most cats infected with toxoplasma gondii show no signs of disease. Occasionally, however, a clinical disease called toxoplasmosis occurs, often when the cat’s immune response cannot stop the spread. The disease is more likely to occur in cats...
Cybersecurity shocking data breaches
Cyberspace continues to dominate our privacy issues and as reported by Techrepublic.com and others, data leaks affecting both personal and professional data grew in 2022 and will continue into 2023. Huge data leaks impacting millions of users occurred in 2022, such as the WhatsApp leak and more recent Twitter leak exposing more than 200 million...
Improve accountability in the ‘mataqali’
If we want the iTaukei to improve in the running of business and contribute more to the national economy, we have to ensure that the mataqali becomes accountable to its members in its operation. In the traditional social structure of the iTaukei, there are units such as confederacies, vanua, yavusa, mataqali, koro, tokatoka, family and...
A true patriot of Fiji
Allen Lockington lived a life that touched so many people and it’s hard to know where to begin. He is the man with a generous nature who has left us to live among angels in heaven. A man who did the nation proud. Someone who always thought about his fellow citizens and a champion of...
Petty-minded agitators – Treating democracy with disdain and contempt
Late Thursday evening, through an extraordinary Gazette notice, Speaker of Parliament Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu notified the people of Fiji that the FijiFirst parliamentary Opposition member Dr Mahendra Reddy’s seat was now vacant. Dr Reddy resigned only four days after standing shoulder-toshoulder with former Attorney- General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum while he dished out one of his usual...
Allen Lockington – man with the golden heart
Allen Lockington, who had a heart that touched thousands of people, left a legacy that will be hard to fill. He will be accorded a King’s funeral in his beloved city today. Expect a massive crowd at the Girmit Centre today as Fijians will converge to pay their last respect to a legendary writer and...
A true inspiration – Allen our local hero
Bula readers! This week we received the sad news that our local hero Allen Lockington passed away. I wrote an article in May of last year about this individual who was compassionate, caring and a true son of Fiji. Here are some excerpts from my assessment of this hardworking social worker who had received so...
Rule of law – Maybe a time for Aiyaz to reflect
Breakfast they say, is the most important meal of the day. But last Wednesday it was possibly also the most dangerous. Because that’s when many people were likely to be reading The Fiji Times and choking over their corn flakes. They could have been reading more pontification from the former Attorney General about “constitutionalism” and...
Letters to the Editor – Saturday, January 28, 2023
How much more time AFTER a series of poor performances and results in the World Rugby Sevens Series, I have just one question to ask Fiji rugby fans and officials; how much more time does Ben Gollings deserve as the head coach. It is no doubt that coaching the greatest sevens playing nation is one...
Editorial comment – Week of events
The suspension of Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho, and the head of the Fiji Corrections Service Francis Kean yesterday continues what has been an eventful month so far. They were suspended by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere on the advice of the Constitutional Offices Commission. As they await a Tribunal hearing that will deliberate on...
27th January
30 years in a story – ni-Vanuatu women relate their struggles
ON August 30, 1992, three ni-Vanuatu women were on a plane back home to Port Vila after attending a workshop in Suva with grassroots women from across the Pacific region. Three days later, the Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) was born. These three remarkable women were Merilyn Tahi, the co-ordinator of VWC until February 2021, Elizabeth...
