Rugby U-turn

Sexual offences stats

DOES it ever concern you as a father and a good citizen of Fiji the monthly reports on sexual offences released by the ODPP, committed by us men on our women and girls in Fiji?

Is there really a need for a men’s crisis centre when most perpetrators of DV and sexual offences in Fiji are men and boys?

If statistics show that 2 out of 3 men in Fiji have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from a female intimate partner in their lifetime, then I will concur with the idea for a male crisis centre in Fiji as shared by some writers a few weeks ago, which I currently do not agree given the current violence against women in Fiji are among the highest in the world at 64 per cent?

I believe not a single month in the past six months where we have less than 10 survivors? It’s usually 20 plus survivors and above. Aren’t you concerned at all of these MSOD especially to all Fijian men out there, whether at community level, church and vanua/traditional level?

What are we going to do about it?

JIOJI M CAKACAKA

Tadra- Votualevu, Nadi

Will to live

LIFE is really precious and life is for living. I am really encouraged by the “will to live” of a lupus survivor, Niko Rabuku. (FT 14/06) As the saying goes, “when there’s a will, there’s a way.” Being diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and enduring to tell its tale is bravery in itself.

Very few people are spirited enough to survive life-threatening illnesses. Leave alone testifying their survival stories for public knowledge. Lesser people may be aware that lupus is a disease and it does exist in Fiji. It is an autoimmune disease that attacks a person’s own immune system.

According to the Lupus Foundation Fiji (LFF), the youngest person in Fiji diagnosed with lupus is a six-year-old. There is no known cure for lupus but its symptoms are usually treated by anti-inflammatory and antibiotics.

Thanks to Wata

Shaw of The Fiji

Times for sharing Mr Rabuku’s story to motivate others who may be battling yet trying to survive other similar life-threatening diseases.

Life is for living and it depends on every individual how we choose to live – either as a warrior or as a worrier.

DINESH KUMAR

Ba

Global hegemony

I REFER to Ravind C Naidu’s letter (FT 14/6) titled “Global hegemony”.

PRANIL RAM Votualevu, Nadi The letter is to the point in describing the true colour and agenda of the Americans all over the world under the guise of assistance to other States.

So I go back to the point I made in an earlier letter to the editor that the Americans are not necessarily a friend of Fiji and neither is China our enemy. Both have their own ways of doing business around the world.

It’s for us as a State to understand and choose what we want and from whom.

By the way, Mr Naidu’s choice of some words, although correct in an academic environment, could be replaced with more descriptive and easy words so everyday readers can read through uninterruptedly and understand easily rather than revert to dictionaries or google guru.

I guess some readers may be just skipping these uncommon words with “da da da” than continue reading.

I have picked up the following words which could be replaced for easy reading by a majority of the readers;

■ Plausibly;

■ Gleaning;

■ Eclectically;

■ Floundering;

■ Quagmire;

■ Impetuous;

■ Imbroglio;

■ Apotheosized;

■ Besmirched;

■ Putatively;

■ Quintessential;

■ Brazenly;

■ Pyrrhic;

■ Internecine;

■ Beseeching;

■ Poignantly;

■ Ostensibly;

■ Hegemony;

■ Enigmatically.

AJAI KUMAR

Nadi

Picture: FILE Fijian Drua flyer Vinaya Habosi makes a break during their historic Super Rugby Pacific win over the Melbourne Rebels. THE recent proposition by Australian rugby to end their Super Rugby contract in 2023 with New Zealand teams could open doors for more Fijian teams. Though, Australian rugby union may not be as competitive as their Kiwi counterpart, however, as expected the lucrative Australian sports market could easily sustain this domestic competition. Additionally, the inclusion of Fijian teams could spice up the whole competition and greatly benefit the development of rugby in our country. Our maiden Super Rugby season had been great with some success and perhaps it’s time to strongly lobby for a new approach like this to at least provide some subtle hint to break the All Blacks dominance.