Income and the press
Struggling to survive
AS it is, Fijians are already feeling the pinch of inflation in their struggle to survive regardless of their income levels.
With the bus fares and prices of flour, bread and biscuits increasing this coming Friday the burden will become heavier.
Last week I read about a family of Kalekana settlement in Lami who was already sacrificing a meal a day to survive within the weekly income of the family’s sole breadwinner.
There are thousands of similar Fijian families who are enduring similar or worse scenarios in order to survive. This struggle to survive is very much real.
Times are such that we have to weigh our needs and wants carefully.
Fijians did not suffer much during the pandemic in terms of putting food on the table as they are doing now.
If one has a roof over his head and food on his plate thrice daily than he is very lucky.
There are many who pray daily for either or even both. Let us include these unfortunate ones in our daily prayers, especially during meal time grace.
DINESH KUMAR
Raviravi, Ba
Defending freedom
SEASONED writer John Kamea was at his usual best as he wrote a solid piece titled “Defending freedom: Journalists the true unsung heroes of society” (ST: 08/05).
I agree with John that the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day provides the opportunity to spare a thought for journalists who operate under authoritarian regimes, under restrictive laws and in a climate of fear.
I also agree that the threats to the freedom of journalists and media workers grow each day and I personally feel that this must be addressed.
The worrying trend, as pointed by John, is that the state of media freedom has depreciated throughout the world, but despite these threats and interference, journalists and media are encouraged to be fearless.
John had a powerful reminder, “May 3 is not just a day to attend cocktails and toast over beer. It is a day that reminds governments, politicians and civil servants of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. Furthermore, it is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.”
Thank you John Kamea for the powerful piece.
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Balgovind Rd, Nadawa, Nasinu
Fiji coups
MOST strangely, she only recalls the coups of 1987 and 2000?
What about the coup of 2006, honourable Minister for Education?
I guess some memories can be very short-lived these days. Selective remembering, they call it. Or will 2006 be most offensive, to some?
Or do I stand very corrected? RONNIE CHANG
Martintar Nadi
Truth telling
I AGREE with A-G Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum that one of the fundamentals of good leadership is “the leader’s ability to be able to only speak the truth” (ST 8/5).
Since the 2006 coup the people of Fiji have, time and again, witnessed leaders being economical with the truth as captured so succinctly by Professor Wadan Narsey in his article in The Fiji Times of May 7.
RAJEND NAIDU
Sydney, Australia