Serving Fiji with music!
Tukia me pauta
“TUKIA me pauta,” but please no talcum powder. “Tukia na kosa,” when there’s no fresh yagona. That’s only for the hardy boys, who really have no other choice. One thing is clear,
“Na draki liliwa qo”! “kanikani” for sure.
EDWARD BLAKELOCK Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Putin’s legacy
AREN Nunnink (F/T 16/6) brands my letter as polemic whereas I believe; I had just stated some of the historical facts leading to the current war in Ukraine.
To unravel his surmise, I barely watch TV and certainly not Russia Today on FBC2.
However, I do have a penchant for reading mostly on geopolitics and foreign policies.He mentions that Russia expanded into other countries but ignores that fact it was invaded five times by western nations in recent history.
It was the Poles in 1605, Swedes in 1707 and French in 1812 followed by Germans twice in 1914 and 1941 all through the plains of Ukraine.
Before the USA’s nascence, British colonised nearly the whole world.
Remember the Great Game and the forceful and brutal occupation of the Indian subcontinent for about 200 years.
They plundered and stole wealth to a value of about 45 trillion dollars of the current market price as calculated by prominent economists. So, where was USA then?
They are the same people. USA was colonised by the British.
Let’s adhere to the facts and make it interesting to our readers.
I have plethora of materials to disclose but will preserve it for the later rounds.
Enjoy the ride.
RAVIND CHANDRA NAIDU Tuatua Branch Rd, Labasa
Oscar winner
MATTHEW McConaughey achieved what no American politician has in decades.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey stood at the White House press lectern and spoke about the Uvalde shootings.
He eulogised the victims of the attacks in Texas on May 24, which left 19 students and two teachers dead, and 17 others wounded.
He held up photos of some of the victims.
McConaughey, 52, did not shy from the grim details of the shootings.
He spoke of how hard it had been for the undertaker’s cosmetologist to prepare the tiny bodies for open-casket viewings, so awful were their exit wounds.
He argued for changes to gun regulation: background checks, and raising the age of sale on AR-15 assault rifles.
“I’m here today,” McConaughey implored, “in the hopes of applying what energy, reason and passion that I have into trying to turn this moment into a reality.
“This moment is different. We are in a window of opportunity right now that we have not been in before, a window where it seems like real change — real change can happen.”
In just 21 minutes, McConaughey managed what no American politician has achieved in decades: a genuinely bipartisan appeal to the American people.
The contrast between the actor’s fluency and President Biden’s bumbling on the subject was dramatic. McConaughey is more charismatic than Biden. He has a more expressive speaking voice.
His address was eloquent without lapsing into Hollywood showmanship, angry but not histrionic and charming but not at the expense of its power.
As with any compelling speech, McConaughey had the effect of prompting questions in the audience’s mind which he then went on to answer.
Why was he, Matthew McConaughey, here? Because he had been to the White House to speak with President Biden about gun control.
Why had he been invited? Because he was born in Uvalde, where his mother taught kindergarten less than a kilometre
I WAS thrilled as Shraddha Dass, who is married to music Guru Sattvik Dass, featured in yesterday’s the People column, and I thank The Fiji Times and Navnesh Reddy for highlighting the life of the learned Shraddha Dass who added a feather in her cap after she graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Hindi Literature during University of Fiji’s graduation.
Via the People Column, she shared her musical journey, which was filled with love, emotion and passion.
Mrs Dass, who is originally from Madhya Pradesh, India, started learning Indian music at the tender age of four, as she was encouraged and supported by her parents and siblings.
She also learnt kathak dance and received training in vocal music.
Her husband, Sattvik Dass, who also takes keen interest in music, described their matrimony as ‘Marriage of Music’ held with ‘great pomp and ceremony’.
Mrs Dass has a wealth of experience as far as performances are concerned and she performs on air.
She challenged those who speak Hindi and those eager to speak it to continue learning the language because language gave us our culture, our traditions and our true personality.
Well said, Mrs Dass! Thank you for being an inspiration! Thank you for the story, Navnesh!
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM
Nadawa, Nasinu from Robb Elementary school, where the shooting took place. More than that, McConaughey who has never declared a Republican or Democratic allegiance, could speak without the whiff of partisan politics.
In as far as it’s possible to be all things to all Americans, McConaughey is it.
He is a Hollywood actor but also a beloved son of Texas. A surfer who golfs. A committed Christian family man, with a wife and three children.
The speech was not McConaughey’s first brush with politics.
In 2016, he spoke at the University of Houston with a wholesome, straight-talking message. Democrat vote: perhaps a hint at his other political leanings.
“Do my gifts fit into being effective as a politician? Good question. Because
I’m not historically a politico,” he said.
“I’m a folk-singing philosopherpoet who has a gift for storytelling, inspiration.
Why can’t our politicians be like him? Is it wishful thinking on my part? Perhaps but one can hope, right? ARVIND MANI
Nadi
Sugar industry
THE new sugar cane crushing season seems to have begun.
As you move around now, you see trucks and rail carts transporting the harvested cane to the mills in the West.
This is the usual sight when crushing resumes every year.
I believe Lautoka Mill is the first to start crushing this season and soon crushing will also begin at other mills, as well.
Unfortunately, the industry was now left with only three mills as Penang mill was lost to TC Winston in 2016.
However, this government’s decision against rebuilding the Penang mill was not a popular one.
For the long-term sustainability of the sugar industry, I believe, we need to have enough factories and not otherwise. Every government coming in so far have indicated their willingness in saving the sugar industry at any cost.
For this to happen they must be seen taking every step that was positive.
In my personal view restoration of Penang mill was important as it would save the huge expenses incurred due to the absence of it. We are borrowing to survive anyways so what’s wrong we took out a bit more to be able get the Penang mill back.
Let’s hope something happens in this regard in the future. SURESH CHAND
Nadi