Agriculture, statistics
Interest in agriculture
LATELY the Government had shown a lot of interest in the agricultural sector and the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and as well as the Minister of Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum have been hitting the road here on Viti Levu showing their support for the under-rated ministry within their FijiFirst Government.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said that Fiji had an opportunity in its agricultural sector and has potential as well. (FT 16/10).
I totally agree with Mr Sayed-Khaiyum that Fiji had an opportunity in its agricultural sector especially when COVID-19 hit Fiji, however, the Government was so busy focusing on the tourism sector instead.
I believe every effort the Government was making during COVID-19 was focused on the tourism sector especially on how to bring back tourists to Fiji as fast as possible, therefore, the move for ‘Bula bubble’ and many other bubbles. Where are the bubbles now?
I believe the Government has come to its senses and realised that it will take some time for the tourism sector to bounce back and the bubble talks are not working, hence now the focus on agriculture.
I am adamant that if COVID-19 was no more and borders were open and the tourist sector was back in business, there wouldn’t be any emphasis shown by the government on the agricultural sector as it is doing now. KOSITATINO TIKOMAIBOLATAGANE Vuninokonoko Rd, Navua
Statistics day
WHY is World Statistics Day something worth celebrating? We are living through a data revolution. It is changing our world. Our choices as individuals are increasingly informed by more and more complex sources of data.
Statistics is a way of collecting, analysing, interpreting, presenting, and organising data. Applying statistics to larger groups of data gives a general overview of issues, including scientific, industrial, or social problems for both local and overseas country.
Businesses are making decisions drawing on diverse and sophisticated information systems. Governments are making laws and reforming public services with an ever widening evidence base at their disposal. But how well equipped are we to be confident and competent in this world of data?
I think there are reasons to be positive.
In jobs ranging from journalism to government policy-making, the demand for training in statistical literacy is increasing — fuelled by examples, such as data entry for elections office or stock taking in a local supermarket, show just how much better you do your job if you have these skills.
“We need to ensure that everyone is counted, especially the most poor and vulnerable. No child’s birth shall remain unregistered. No incidence of disease, no matter how remote the location, shall remain unrecorded. We need local statistics to ensure that every child has access to education and we need global statistics to monitor the overall effects of climate change,” said Ban Ki-Moon.
That same data could also give us the means to hold accountable those in positions of authority in government, business or elsewhere — ensuring that they too are both respecting our personal data and using better statistics to make better decisions in the interests of our future prosperity.
Today is World Statistics Day — better statistics, better decisions, and better lives. Something worth celebrating on 20th of October.
NEELZ SINGH
Lami