The Fiji Times » Opinion

Editorial comment – Let’s overcome fear and fight this

It is scary that seven out of every 10 pregnant women at Suva’s CWM Hospital are testing positive for COVID-19. The revelation was made by the head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the CWM Hospital Kelera Sakumeni. “The current situation right now we are seeing about seven out of 10 women that...

Letters to the Editor – August 2, 2021

The Sunday Times SOUNDS of rustling pages fill the air. Hooray! Sunday is back on track. Vinaka vakalevu to Mr Wesley and the team who made it possible. TESSA MACKENZIE Suva Welcome our heroes OUR national men and women rugby sevens teams deserve a heroes welcome for their splendid performances at the Olympics. While our men claimed a second gold medal, our Fijiana side deserve special mention as their...

Editorial comment – You make us very proud

There was so much to celebrate on Saturday night as Fijians lapped up the scenes at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, in the battle for the bronze medal. After a nail-biter semi-fi nal against New Zealand, the Fijiana were up against Great Britain to decide bronze medal winners. We were unfortunate to lose to the Kiwis. It was unfortunate that we...

Protecting our ecosystem – International Day for the Conservation of Mangroves

With July 26 being International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem, it offers an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves to the wellbeing of people, communities, and the natural environment. Globally, mangrove ecosystems are amongst one of the biologically diverse ecosystems in the world. They are critically important to supporting people especially those of coastal communities. They underpin the provision of goods and...

A good deed for our little champs – Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

It is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. August 2021 is a Childhood Cancer Awareness month with a difference in Fiji. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about major operational changes at WOWS Kids Fiji (WKF) which we have embraced since 2020. We know the reality that despite the pandemic, childhood cancer is not going away from Fiji. And we are fully aware...

Breaking the budget

Maths are not my strong suit, but oddly enough, I know some basics about budgeting. Not in your proper accountants’ sense, but how to operate on a budget. This is something to do with the presence in my childhood of the purse. Not any old purse, but a shabby green thing with a metal clip...

Letters to the Editor – Sunday, August1, 2021

A house for Jerry As D Sharma wrote in this column on Saturday I also echo the idea for a house by the Government to our champion Jerry Tuwai. He deserves better but we can settle for a house at least. Whilst writing this note I read out loud to my family members who overwhelmingly...

Editorial comment – Gather the courage to fight the virus

The revelation that 64 COVID-19 patients are currently on oxygen support while three patients are on ventilators will raise some concern. It brings home the reality that we have a very dangerous virus to deal with. Health Ministry chief medical adviser Dr Jemesa Tudravu said on Friday that 332 COVID patients were currently admitted in...

The magnificent 7s

What a truly historical and passionate evening it was for our brave and talented players as they stood strong and firm defeating all opponents who tried to lay siege to their gold medal aspirations. It was an uplifting experience to witness this Olympics rugby 7s event as it unfolded when Fiji went through the entire...

Super performance: A win like no other; one to unite all Fijians

Yes we did it again. We are now the Olympic champions for the second time. It was a super performance from a super team. Against the backdrop of COVID-19 coupled with unprecedented challenges, we once again stood our ground and made it to the pinnacle of sevens rugby on the planet. Emulating the success of...

Keep private data safe – The psychology of cybersecurity

Building secure information systems is all very well and good, but if you really want to keep your private data safe, the best way is with an understanding of how people think. It’s a truth of war from ancient times no matter how formidable your defenses, no matter how thick your city walls or how...

Ways to boost your immune system- fighting off diseases

Helpful ways to strengthen your immune system and fight off disease How can you improve your immune system? On the whole, your immune system does a remarkable job of defending you against disease-causing microorganisms. But sometimes it fails: A germ invades successfully and makes you sick. Is it possible to intervene in this process and boost your...

Letters to the Editor – Saturday, July 31, 2021

Winning styles Couldn’t help contrasting the different gold winning styles used when looking at Ben Ryan’s winning brigade in Rio in 2016 and Gareth Baber’s giant slayers brigade. The Rio team displayed artistry, elegance, sophistication and class as they weaved their silky way to outclass a very, very, classy Team GB. Tokyo was different. The...

Editorial comment – United we must be

The numbers are spiralling out of control. We have far too many positive cases and far too many deaths reported daily. In fact by the time we sit back and ponder on this frightening scenario, many of us will actually know some of the positive cases. That’s just how small the area of infection is,...

A discussion about Bill 17 of 2021

Earlier this month, the government, in the middle of its annual budget process, introduced a Bill (‘Bill 17’) to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act (TLTA) — the “iTaukei Land Trust (Budget Amendment) Act, 2021”. It has met with strong protest from many chiefs, the Methodist Church and some members of Parliament, including SODELPA main...

Letters to the Editor – July 30, 2021

Well done KUDOS to little Jerry and his gladiators for a historically golden accomplishment. Well done team Fiji!. Hats off to head successful coach and mentor Gareth Baber for moulding a deadly and a winning combo. As a symbolic gesture and appreciation, I hope our good government bestows Gareth with the chiefly title of Ratu...

Great achievement

As successful national coach Gareth Baber contemplates his future on his way to Europe, we are left to savour a great victory at the pinnacle of world sporting events. The Los Angeles Times reported that while in another sign of the reshaped TV landscape, ratings for NBC’s telecasts of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo...

Letters to the Editor – Thursday, July 29, 2021

Defensive strategy I believe the defensive strategy implemented by Baber is great and working well. The players have adapted well to this structure as they have been spot on with their tackling. Most interestingly, the players have been tackling within the rules of the game and maintaining their discipline. That’s the way to go, if...

PNG’s highest budget deficit ever – But that’s a good thing

Large budget deficits are normally a worrying sign. But there are occasions where they are justified. 2020 was one of those occasions. Papua New Guinea’s deficit was already scheduled to be its largest ever. Then the COVID-19 pandemic ripped a deep hole in the budget and the economy. The recent release of PNG’s 2020 Final...

Editorial comment – Our game, our gold

Fireworks lit up the night sky in the Capital City as Fijians lapped up the 27-12 victory over New Zealand for our gold medal win at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. What a beauty! After that jittery start on Day One, against Japan, Gareth Baber stayed true to his guns. He was never moved!...

Protesting students sent home

In 1984 the Navuso Agriculture School board suspended 120 students who went on strike to protest against what they termed was a lack of action on their grievances. This report was published in The Fiji Times on April 11, 1984. The students received a circular from the school board saying that all students boycotting normal...

Letters to the Editor – Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Scintilating performance We bounced back in emphatic style and proved our critics wrong. With mediocre performance in the first two pool matches there were already some negativities perpetuated on social media. But less did they realise the fact, that it is 7s rugby and we can always regroup and come out firing in the next...

Navy turns 46

The Republic of Fiji Navy celebrated 46 years of service on July 25 marking an important milestone for the military agency. In his anniversary address, Fiji Navy Commander Captain Humphrey Tawake said since its inception in 1975, the Republic of Fiji Navy has a rich history in the defence of Fiji’s maritime boundaries. “As we...

Editorial comment – Unity at home

You could hear cheers and screams of joy yesterday around suburbs of the Capital City, Suva. There was a feeling of excitement. You could sense it in the air. That happens every time our national 7s team plays anywhere in the world. In the top fields of 7s rugby, the national side attracts attention every...

A solution looking for a problem

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has issued a very long, 30-paragraph defence of the iTaukei Land Trust (Amendment) Bill. But I am not sure he has really got to the point. The aim of the law change, he says, is to speed up the backlog of mortgage consent applications at the iTaukei Land Trust Board. Once this...

Not if but how – Foreign workers on Australian farms

In 2006, under pressure from the Pacific to introduce a seasonal worker scheme, and under pressure from Australian farmers to address labour shortages, the Howard government introduced the second-year backpacker visa. This gave working holiday makers on a one-year visa a second-year visa if they worked in a regional area for three months. The policy shift was both transformational and immensely damaging. It...

Letters to the Editor – July 27, 2021

Nervy start IT was a nervy start from our players against Japan in the first pool match in Tokyo. Having the favourites tag, combined with added pressure to defend the gold medal, seemed to have overtaken our performance for some time. But we bounced back and almost pulled it out of the fire. When the stakes are really high, this is the level of competition expected at...

Opinion

Letters to the Editor – Tuesday, August 3, 2021