Don’t tell us, show us
Careless drivers
THE timely alerting news on road safety by The Fiji Times with concern to save lives is part of our living for all roads users (FT 5/2).
There are numerous causes of road accidents but careless driving tops the list. This is a major concern for the authorities.
The best prevention is to use your common sense at all cost.
Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer.
Speed kills!
TAHIR ALI
Hamilton, New Zealand
Nature’s way
WEATHER lore says that when hornets nest up in the trees, there will be no strong winds for the next two to three months, even during the traditional cyclone season.
Be careful and observe closely, though. If the nest is empty, the colony has hightailed to someplace safe because they have sensed a wind of change sweeping in.
A few hornets may be seen hovering around the nest. They were either out hunting when the colony elected to vacate, or they just chose to ride it out, hoping against hope that their dear queen will return soon.
That is nature’s way. Sounds familiar, isn’t it? SAMU RAILOA
Nadi
Protect women!
ASSISTANT Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Sashi Kiran called on Fijians to protect women. She made a solid statement, “Domestic violence is such a huge challenge that almost all the places that I go to, women tell me that they don’t feel heard either by the police department or by different service providers”.
By FRED WESLEY
Ms Kiran highlighted the needs for NGOs, relevant stakeholders and Government to work together to make positive changes for females in Fiji. This is apt, considering challenges faced by women in terms of discrimination, gender inequality and domestic violence.
Everyone must work together to reduce the disparity and existing gaps in order to reach new heights. We will be celebrating International
By FRED WESletters
FIJI 7s team’s lacklustre lethargic performance and subsequent loss 19-24 to the US, in extra time, in the 5th place semi final leaves a very bitter taste in many of us. In short, Fiji’s performance to date, in this 2023 HSBC 7s series, is not something many fans are proud of.
It appears, other teams have learnt from us and made big strides. Uruguay is a force to reckon with, in my view.
I beg our 7s team to please improve 100 per cent in the remaining four tournaments.
Fiji deserves much better. Please stop telling us all. Re-assuring words are cheap. Show us. RONNIE CHANG Martintar, Nadi
Man in the middle
WHEN a referee makes a blunder in his decision; for example if he overlooks a forward pass or fails to see a knock on, then his assistant should be able to point that out to the referee right there and then, especially when both teams are tied.
Incidents of players who are receiving yellow cards must be closely scrutinised. Was the contact really
Women’s Day on Wednesday. Let’s make a commitment to make a safe and better Fiji for girls and women. Reducing domestic violence should be the utmost priority! RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
Panic button
IS it time to push the panic button?
I think not, but judging over the illegal neck area or did the opposing ball carrier intentionally lower himself to cop the tackle on his neck?
If your team cops yellow cards by playing against the same opposing team at two successive tournaments then alarm bells must be ringing loud now.
Was it the referee’s fault, who second guessed it, or was it the player who caused it, or is it a new ploy employed by the opposing team to hoodwink the referee into deeming it, maybe falsely, as a yellow card? WAISEA NAVURUVURU Naisoso, Nadi by the recent performance of the Fiji 7s team. However, there is certainly cause for concern.
If I were to gauge the Fiji team’s performance over the recent past in comparison to Argentina, I would give Fiji a rating of five.
It is obvious that teams like Argentina have learned the tricks of the trade from Fiji and are beating us at our own game.
Heck, the Argentina Pumas are stalking and treating the likes of the South African Blitzbokkes as guanacos striking lethal blows to their collective necks.
It may be time for a revival not seen since the 1990 Hong Kong 7s final Fiji played against New Zealand.
Down 0-10, the audacious flick above the head, followed by a between the leg pass by Noa Nadruku and the galloping Tomasi Cama run to catapult Fiji to that 22-10 win may be the metaphorical elixir Fiji needs.
Fiji 7s needs to rediscover the vision and unpredictability that it used to be feared and revered for in yesteryears.
It is about 17 months until the Paris Olympics, so it is not all lost. As my old coach used to say, get your A into (G)ear.
#TosoViti
PRANEET SINGH Sacramento, CA
Fishing in the creek
FISHING in the creek now, is such a chore.
Now the ladies have to wade through the garbage like never before. Where’s that pristine creek of days back then?
Now all you have is a stagnant pool that really reeks to high heaven!
EDWARD BLAKELOCK Pacific Harbour
Intelligent gentleman
READING Jan Nissar’s letters for a while now indicates that he is the smartest letter writer of The Fiji Times.
His writing as dictated by his intelligence whereby he very ably discredits other intelligent writers is extraordinary.
Had there been any other person of his calibre he/ she would have gone “tight lipped” by now. But you have maintained your ideocratic intelligence and ironical stance.
You have labelled us Fijians “grog dopey”, yet we are publishing and reading your letters regularly. Undermining others’ opinions and discrediting us is your inborn (probably) philosophy which we readers continue to admire. Keep up your spirit of discrediting us writers with dedication.
Without you and your senseless opinions The Fiji Times will not be better in this column. Keep on writing senselessly and we will continue to read the same with common sense. DHIRENDRA PRASAD Lautoka