Sugar industry, take a rest
Stale air from Nissar
JAN Nissar of NSW should stop bombarding the people of Fiji with his stale old air of complaint about the competence of the new government ( FT 7/1/23 ).
The fact of the matter is that the people Fiji wanted change after 16 years of authoritarian repressive rule and finally got it in the recent elections.
We know as a sychophant of the ruling FijiFirst party Jan Nissar is hurting because his favoured party is in power no more.
Casting aspersions on the new government will not change anything. It is a government ready to serve the people as their servant, not their masters. The latter was the oppressive leadership style of the Bainimarama-Khaiyum government. Jan Nissar should do himself and us a favour by taking a rest. Vacegu mada!
RAJEND NAIDU
Sydney, Australia
Sugar minister
HONOURABLE Charan Jeath Singh, the new sugar minister is a success story.
He is a trained pilot but runs his family business through a chain of supermarkets in the North, West and Central divisions.
He is also a sugarcane farmer. Therefore, whether he smiles or not he knows what exactly he wants, he wants positive results.
The sugar minister has acted swiftly by appointing the Sugar Board and is now touring the country to meet the stakeholders. Fiji Sugar Corporation has a great Sugar Research Station at Lautoka. The minister has met the workers there and I am sure he will come to grips with the issues involved.
The research station has a very vital role to play and the new minister is fully aware of this.
The new sugar minister has already spoken about the type of new sugar mill to be established at Rakiraki.
A modern mill to extract juice and to transfer to Ba or Lautoka mill for processing into sugar.
The sugar industry used to be the backbone of our country until recently. However, in recent years sugar production has fallen below average. Lack of attention to the sugar transportation system and other factors has led to a decline in productivity. It needs to be revitalised. I wish the new Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh and all stakeholders success in uplifting this vital industry.
DEWAN CHAND
Donu Place, Namadi Heights, Suva
Free Fiji
ONE look at the letters that are published now in the letter-toeditor pages tells you Fiji is indeed free at last.
I believe a lot of those letters would never see the light of day if the Bainimarama-Khaiyum government was back in power.
And we all know why.
RAJEND NAIDU
Sydney, Australia
Women’s interest everywhere
I REMEMBER a quote by Shamima Ali of FWCC few months ago in social and mainstream media when we were preparing for our 2022 General Election and I quote “People asked me why do you get so involved in politics — just stick to women’s issues.
“When democracy, human rights and rule of law are threatened, it gets worse for women. So it is our interest as women, our place is everywhere”. Unquote.
I felt ashamed and disgusted to label myself as an iTaukei man, after reading Ms Ali’s story in your F/T 28/12/22 (Pg. 3) about the memories which haunts her for the rest of her life and something that will not be forgotten easily.
JIOJI M CAKACAKA Tadra-Votualevu, Nadi
Humble pie
ALFRED, Lord Tennyson in his poem Morte d’Arthur wrote: “Old order changeth yielding place to new and God fulfils Himself in many ways lest one good order should corrupt the world.”
Therefore, we need to appreciate that in nature nothing ever remains the same.
All institutions, all relationships and all living things must die to make room for new ones.
Thus life continues to bring forth new species with new vitality and new exuberance.
History tells us that empires have risen, ruled and then perished. Dictators have risen, ruled and perished. Cultures have risen, ruled and perished.
The constant evolutionary process of nature cannot be stopped by mankind.
Social media has become a very powerful tool and ordinary people put it to good use.
There is absolutely no escape from this.
Therefore, those who want to rule must wake up to this reality and eat humble pie if they have to.
DEWAN CHAND
Donu Place, Namadi Heights, Suva