The Fiji Times » Opinion

Editorial comment – Let’s consider our role

The revelation that the Fiji Police Force has discovered illicit drugs more lethal than methamphetamine being produced locally is a major concern. In fact it must initiate discussion at all levels of society. Any suggestion that this is produced locally will prick at the very heart of society, and draw fear and concern. Where are...

The 2021 Madang roads ruling

THE National Court of Papua New Guinea made a landmark court decision on Saturday, January 30, 2021, by ordering the Madang Provincial Government, the District Development Authority, and the Urban Local-level Government to fix the roads in Madang Town. The orders prescribed the specific financial contributions and administrative responsibilities of each level of government, including...

Letters to the Editor: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Babasiga Lions reign The sea of red marched home with smiles as the Babasiga Lions beat Suva to win the Pillay Garments Champion v Champion series. The Lions scored through the golden boots of Marlon Tahioa and veteran Taniela Waqa. On Friday night, Suva was lucky to have opened scoring in the early minutes of...

OPINION: Chance for a different future

The crises at the University of the Pacifi c (USP) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) have seriously eroded the fragile bonds that hold the dream of Pacific regionalism and solidarity together. USP is often portrayed as a shining example of Pacific regionalism. Established in 1968, it has enabled many Pacific Islands citizens to obtain affordable tertiary education that would otherwise not be...

Editorial comment: Handling the drug problem

The revelation that a seven-year-old student is the youngest person in Fiji to have been found in possession of marijuana will come as a shocker for many people. The Fiji Police Force Drugs Unit officer-in-charge, Assistant Superintendent of Police Anare Masitabua made the revelation in an interview during the community policing symposium at The Pearl...

Letters to the Editor: Monday, February 22, 2021

Hostile road conditions Apparently, rocket science can enable a robotic vehicle to make a historic touchdown on the Martian surface this week, to drill and retrieve soil samples. (FT20/02) However, that same rocket science, still cannot enable the road authority to make a less than conspicuous man-managed landing on our roads, dig and analyse the...

Editorial comment: A reminder about Mother Nature

As day broke on this date back in 2016, we had just come off a night of horror and terrifying experiences. Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston went past us in a blaze of fury and power. Until that day, and night, no one had felt the power of a Cat 5, or Category 5 cyclone. Winston...

OPINION: Helping APTC graduates migrate to Australia

Despite the fact that the Australia Pacifi c Training Coalition (APTC) is meant to promote labour mobility, and despite the desire of most of its students to migrate, few of its graduates have actually moved to Australia for work. APTC’s most recent efforts to promote labour mobility have focused on semiskilled jobs in Australia under the Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS). What has been overlooked...

Letters to the Editor – Monday, February 22, 2021

Hostile road conditions Apparently, rocket science can enable a robotic vehicle to make a historic touchdown on the Martian surface this week, to drill and retrieve soil samples. (FT20/02) However, that same rocket science, still cannot enable the road authority to make a less than conspicuous man-managed landing on our roads, dig and analyse the...

A reminder about Mother Nature

As day broke on this date back in 2016, we had just come off a night of horror and terrifying experiences. Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston went past us in a blaze of fury and power. Until that day, and night, no one had felt the power of a Cat 5, or Category 5 cyclone. Winston...

Perils of the highway

Nothing like road tripping to get in some adventure and excitement, spiced with some dread and dismay. Face masks were back by order in Sydney because of random outbreaks of COVID-19, which is not much fun for someone with breathing troubles. It is one of the conditions currently keeping me from returning to the islands...

Letters to the Editor – February 21, 2021

Player discipline Poor player discipline stood out like a sore thumb as players continued to be sent to the sin bin during the second leg of the FRU Super 7s Series. The match officials identified some illegal and dangerous tackles that need to be addressed so that our players are trained to adapt to laws...

Editorial comment – The discipline factor

National 7s rugby coach Gareth Baber has no qualms about what he expects from members of his squad. Leave aside the expected requirements such as fitness, pace, talent, size and the willingness to work as a team. There has to be discipline. All the other factors will come together and nicely deliver the goods when...

Power plants of the Pacific – The original vegan

What is the original diet? Every herb that yields seed and every tree whose fruit yields seed, the trees of the garden, the trees above the ground that yield seeds. The original diet. Interesting that nothing below or under the ground was instructed as food in the original diet. This is really something to seriously...

COVID-19 pandemic – When will it end

Bula readers and happy Saturday to you during this fine month of February. We have now been in a period of curfew and lockdown for almost one year and unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be any let up for the year 2021. There were periods last year of hope when some felt by January 2021...

The future of USP – Biman: Deportation was morally wrong

The whistleblowing vice-chancellor at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Professor Pal Ahluwalia, has described the illegal deportation of he and his wife, Sandra Price, as a “surreal” experience. Many would agree that the inhumane and immoral deportation has plunged the tertiary institution into the biggest crisis of its 50-plus-year history. The ensuing standoff...

Letters to the Editor – February 20, 2021

Front page headlines Bravo, kudos and hats off to the people’s newspaper, the people’s favourite and our number one — The Fiji Times for capturing some very hot and rock-solid news. The Fiji Times has once again gained people’s respect, trust and admiration for the courage taken to report news that is genuine, credible and...

The art of confusing people

Health and education are two social pillars dear to our hearts. The two issues have dominated the news headlines in the last few months. In watching the show, I saw the FijiFirst government put on a brilliant display of the art of confusing the people. Lives in danger The loss of life of a wife...

How bureaucracy stifles initiative

ON April 20, 2017, a group of 110 drivers got together and registered a co-operative company to operate long distance private car services within Fiji. They were hoping that by registering a company they would be able to run their business legally without harassment from the Lands Transport Authority which has been imposing heavy fines...

Editorial comment – Let’s talk about meth

The revelation that five men are in police custody after they were arrested in Suva for allegedly being in possession of white substances believed to be methamphetamine is interesting. The five, aged between 29 and 44 years, were found with zip lock plastic bags containing the substance. Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu reiterated that...

Talk about issues – Focusing on an interesting spectacle

FIJI was treated this week to the unedifying spectacle of the Prime Minister on the verbal loose. Not that it hasn’t happened or been seen before in our nation. But this was different. It was a totally wild and unsubstantiated attack against a woman of academic repute by none other than our national leader. Why?...

Letters to the Editor: Friday, February 19, 2020

Professor Pal I would like to know if Professor Pal Ahluwalia has made the most front page news this year. Anyway, I met him last year just before Guru Nanak’s birthday celebration. I saw him in Labasa, shook hands with him and told him my name. He told me to come to the Sikh temple...

Editorial comment: A reminder for us

It’s encouraging to note that we do not have any new cases of COVID-19. That was the word from the Ministry of Health in its update on February 17. According to the statement, it has been 16 days since the last case (a border quarantine case) was reported. We do not have any active cases...

Letters to the Editor – February 18, 2021

Positive role models This week’s Kaila! newspaper had wonderful write-ups and colourful pictures on the schools’ prefects induction ceremony. More schools will be having their induction ceremony this week and next week, and our school prefects looked smart and elegant with their prefect badges. These days becoming a school prefect is a mammoth task, considering...

Editorial comment – Heartbreaking report

It’s when you read such heartbreaking reports like those on Page 3 today that one can get emotional about house fires. We must be vigilant always when it comes to fire safety, in fact that should be the frame of mind we carry when it comes to safety issues and tips. It does not matter...

Talks to resume Pacific travel

By ANDREW BLACKMAN & HAMISH WYATT Across the world — including here in the Pacific region — countries are now beginning to look at how to ease travel restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. As vaccines roll out, international travel begins to resume between Australia and New Zealand and...

Opinion

24th February

Letters to the Editor – February 24, 2021