Time’s choice

AT the end of every year, Time, the prestigious weekly US magazine, announces the Person of the Year — someone who has had the most influence in affecting world events. In announcing Greta Thunberg as its person of the year, Time argued, “The politics of climate action are as entrenched and complex as the phenomenon itself, and Thunberg has no magic solution. But she has succeeded in creating a global attitudinal shift, transforming millions of vague, middle-of-the-night anxieties into a worldwide movement calling for urgent change. She has offered a moral clarion call to those who are willing to act, and hurled shame on those who are not.”

I think climate change is a dire threat and Thunberg provided a public service in calling attention to the threat. But I find it preposterous to assert that Thunberg had a unique, transformative impact on public opinion in a way no other person has.

Before she came on the world stage this August, concern about climate change was already very intense.

If you want to pick activists who have changed politics or made a unique impact on the country or the world, look at the millions of protestors in Hong Kong, who week after week and month after month put their lives at risk to champion democracy and forced the Chinese communist government to relent on an extradition law. The Hong Kong protesters were Time magazine finalists, and frankly in the course of history will be seen as the most influential activists of 2019.

Likewise, two other finalists — the US whistleblower and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are leading the way to only the third presidential impeachment trial in US history. The whistleblower unveiled the most egregious high crimes and misdemeanours in US history, revealing facts that otherwise would never have come to light.

Nancy Pelosi has skillfully managed the impeachment process, arriving at two tightly drawn articles of impeachment based on a set of facts Republicans have yet to substantively dispute. Revealing a corrupt president? Impeaching him?

Thunberg has heightened interest in climate change, but hundreds and thousands of scientists, activists and political leaders have been moving the public on climate change for years now.

When you want to talk about people who made a unique, indispensable contribution this year, I would choose the Hong Kong protesters, closely followed by the whistleblower and Pelosi.

These three are defending an endangered phenomenon at a critical time — democracy.

ARVIND MANI

Nadi into discussion at the Attorney-General’s Conference at Natadola’s InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa couple days ago. Hopefully sense prevails over the use of marijuana.

Medical marijuana and industrial hemp are two cannabis plant species that we seriously need to look into as we have the perfect conditions for continuous cultivation. Hemp which don’t produce enough THC to have an intoxicating effect is a species we should have been cultivating from 20 years ago. Sunscreen, milk, shoes, rope, clothes, soap, hempcrete, paper, protein powder, diapers, fuel, supercapacitors, CBD oil, are just a few of many products that is produced from hemp. Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum rightfully stated that many Fijians have a very shallow understanding of the use of marijuana and that there is a great need to understand it and its benefits. Most countries around the world have dealt with the issues and moved on in decriminalising its use and instead are taking advantages of its benefits.

But here we are, instead of using our youth to cultivate and earn from the great benefits of marijuana, we are sending these young productive men to prison?

The fact of the matter is that this marijuana issue will not go away and government is only throwing much-needed resources down the drain.

Not only is it strange but it’s rather ridiculous that one can get on a plane to another country and go eat and smoke at a marijuana restaurant, purchase, consume and return with medical marijuana, and purchase and bring back products made out of hemp, but it is still illegal here at home?

What baffles me the most is that we accept the legal deadly substances in alcohol, grog and cigarettes but we look at this natural plant that has great benefits very differently, and that is so because we are such gullible ignorant people who walk around with blinkers oblivious to the great potential before us.

Open the minds and let’s make the most of this great opportunity of marijuana products.

SIMON HAZELMAN

Rava Estate, Savusavu