War and election
Putin’s legacy
READING Ravind Chandra Naidu’s long polemic against the USA in Tuesday’s The Fiji Times suggests that he has been watching too much of Putin’s propaganda channel “Russia Today” on TV Station FBC2.
European countries know Russian history and Putin’s ambitions only too well.
Putin has likened himself to the tyrannical Russian emperor, Peter the Great, who expanded Russia’s territory after wars with Sweden, the Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey) and Persia (modern Iran) in the early 1700s; all long before the USA was founded.
European nations are grateful for America’s protection, support and intervention in the Russian onslaught against Ukraine.
They know only too well about Stalin’s reign of terror in the late 1930s; Russia’s occupation of East Germany after WWII; Russia’s brutal invasion of Hungary in 1956 and of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
Without the billions of dollars of aid already provided by America, the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine caused by Putin would have been far greater than what we have already seen.
Putin will most likely go down in history as “Putin the Butcher” or “Putin the Poisoner” rather than for any type of greatness.
AREN NUNNINK
Hooper St, Savusavu
Time will tell
I WISH to take this opportunity to respond to one Vijay Maharaj’s letter FT (2/6/2022). But first let me ask Vijay whether he is a Fiji citizen or permanently residing in Australia. I have a habit of not responding to people who have left Fiji whom I call deserters who live and enjoy the comforts of their developed and affluent states and have the audacity of scrutinising internal political affairs of Fiji.
He says that I am the new mouthpiece of Fiji. With the same token he now has effectively confirmed that he is an old mouthpiece of NFP. What’s so sinister about being a mouthpiece. Fiji is a democracy and anyone and everyone is free under our constitution to support or be affiliated with any political party of their choice. That is our democratic and constitutional right.
I believe you are blindly following Biman. I believe Tupou Draunidalo and Charan Jeet Singh resigned from NFP because of Biman’s poor leadership. Have you read or listened to Dr Mere Samisoni’s maiden speech in Parliament a few weeks ago. You must read it because it was meant for your PAP/NFP leaders.
Read the Fiji Sun also Vijay on your former NFP president’s comments about FFP’s leadership, policies and governance.
Let me also inform you Vijay that Rabuka is a public figure now as he is officially being given the approval to contest the general election and therefore people are entitled to know about his whereabouts and people he is being associated with and the political comments he makes so that they can decide whether he is the same Rabuka, or a genuinely changed man. He also must inform the nation of the purpose of his overseas trip as any responsible public figure would do. He was a former prime minister of Fiji in case you have a memory loss Vijay. He is now enjoying full retirement benefits including pensions and transportation fully funded by the current administration. He has even said that he was now ready to lead the nation. His recent statement where he was heard saying that he will cut civil servants’ salaries and changing his statement the very next day exposes his poor leadership qualities and flip flop politics. He has been making a good number of contradicting statements during the last couple of years.
FijiFirst, Vijay, has demonstrated a firm, bold and a decisive leadership where all its MPs are united and rally behind its leader who has given us stability and inclusiveness. I won’t be surprised if Lynda Tubuya in the not too distant future rocks the boat again in her bid to take up party leadership. She is capable of stirring things up. Time will tell. So just fastened your seatbelt Vijay and enjoy the drama.
TARUN TIKARAM
Lami