Rights, mitigation project
Appreciating our parents
CHILDREN’S right is important and so does respect towards our parents and elders.
I grew up in a strict Christian family and was never really allowed to “have fun” like most kids. While my classmates would skip class or meet their boyfriends at a game centre after school, my mother would wait for me after school every day to pick me up and take me home.
But when I became a teenager, I started to “kind of” rebel and I did bad things such as skip religion classes to hang out with my best friends at the back of the school hall or ditch school (once) to go to my best friend’s homestay and cook Kimchi and spicy noodles.
During my sophomore year at university, my friends and I compared and joked about how we used to get the hiding for breaking the rules.
Compared with the kids nowadays, they have the privilege of being made aware of their rights and to be vocal about it.
However, some have taken these rights out of context. I was very surprised when my younger sister jokingly told my mother that she can’t hit her or spank her because that’s child abuse and my mother will be violating her rights.
Then I thought to myself if my sister, who was 10 years old at that time, could use that as her defence, then I am pretty sure others have done the same. Rights weren’t formed to be used as an escape plan or a shield to defend a person’s wrongdoing.
Rights come with responsibilities. Now that I am an adult, I finally understand why my parents were strict.
It wasn’t because they hate me. In fact, they did whatever they can to protect me and help me stay on track to reach my goals. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have been able to finish high school or even step foot in university.
MONICA AGUILAR
Suva
Flood mitigation
THE much anticipated Nadi River flood mitigation project, we are told (FT 07/10), will be implemented in three phases over a four-year period, commencing next year.
I recall that this project is largely based on a JICA study undertaken more than 20 years ago, but was not implemented mainly because of the funding required. There was also no consensus reached at the time, on issues such as river diversion and possible town relocation.
It would seem that these issues have now been sorted out and that the project will finally get off the ground at last –– albeit in three phases. Phasing the project’s implementation seem to be a practical and logical approach in view of the total estimated total cost of the whole project, which is close to $400 million.
As a consequence each of the three phases will be separately funded and implemented by three different funding agencies, namely a JICA grant, ADB loan and the Fijian Government itself and possibly other funding agencies as well and in that order we all look forward to the implementation of this project and hope that in four years’ time, we will see the end to the annual flooding problems faced by Nadi Town and the surrounding delta area.
Just a thought. It would appear to me that the third phase, the watershed management portion, should be implemented first, before the other two phases.
That would be more logical because any developments and infrastructure built downstream during the other two phases, would be at the mercy of soil and vegetation brought downstream from the soil and riverbank erosion upstream, if the watershed management part of the project was not undertaken first.
Anyways, that’s my layman’s view on this much awaited project. EDWARD BLAKELOCK
Admiral Circle Pacific, Harbour
I’M proud of the way our boys bombed out of the RWC and I believe despite being scorched by the Dragons in a dramafilled battle, the Fijians won hearts for putting up a brave fight.
Fans had been waiting to see this type of performance from Fiji — the outrageous off-loading, cohesion, the big hits, and good communication. The Flying Fijians showed urgency and I feel that had Fiji beaten Uruguay the structure would have been somewhat different.
Perhaps the fact that the boys knew that their place in the quarters was hanging in the balance had taken the steam out of the Fijians and slowly they allowed Wales to pile points.
The result means that the unbeaten Dragons are through to the quarters where they are likely to face France after seeing off Fiji in a fascinating and attritional battle though Fiji’s interest came to an end, after their bizarre defeat at the hands of Uruguay.
The first half was hugely entertaining as the Six Nations champion was 10-0 down and then took a four-point lead.
Wales then conceded a penalty try and the panic button was switched on but crucial mistakes, two yellow cards, and missed tackles by Fiji allowed Wales to take charge.
Furthermore, after the battle was over Wales coach Warren Gatland said that it was tough and that Fiji had some wonderful individual athletes who really tested the Dragons.
Before the kick-off, Gatland had paid Fiji respect by making only two cosmetic changes to the line-up.
Fiji coach, John McKee, on the other hand, said he was impressed with the way Fiji played and that the boys went away with heads held high after Wednesday night’s performance.
Finally, like many other rugby fans it was pleasing for me that our boys finally had an opportunity on the world stage to show what they were capable of.
Ironically, Fiji will now be relying on Australia to get a result against Georgia, so that we can finish third in the pool and earn automatic qualification for the 2023 tournament. Our RWC campaign is over and a thorough analysis must be carried out to determine what went wrong as we had a strong team management and one of the best prepared sides.
Heads must start rolling and preparations for 2023 must start honestly. As I conclude, I say a big vinaka vakalevu to the players and management!
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM
Nadawa, Nasinu