Cattle farming

Election timing

THE timing of the election is right on the edge clashing with the holiday season. No matter what, please people, plan out your holidays but do go and vote.

This election every vote is precious. Remember it’s now or never...make use of those powers in your hands.

Time for change is near. Time for a better Fiji is near above all time for freedom is near.

With NFP/PA, our people will be able to “feel at home”.

No more two-man rule is going to instil fear in our people. Our people are smart and know how the change can come.

Remember, this election is not about me and you, not about any other racial grouping. This election is for a our country as a whole.

Let’s change this country together.

KIRTI PATEL

Lautoka

Distractions around us

WITH the many distractions, around us today and the many unnecessary attractions, to draw us away, we need to stop and be still, away from the noise each day,

to find solitude and real peace,

that’s hard to come by these days.

EDWARD BLAKELOCK Admiral Circle,

Pacific Harbour

Thank you FRA

I MUST thank FRA for its effort in the up keep of our roads in the country.

I must also thank the FRA’s grass cutting subbies that keep the road reserves well trimmed. But I am equally disturbed to see the amount of rubbish that is so visible after every trimming (only) by these FRA’s subbies.

Driving for one or two minutes out of each town and city I always see wrappers, plastic bottles, and takeaway boxes etc., that is ever so visible. No one can deny the fact that it’s been thrown by daily bus users.

I know for sure it will be rather impossible to educate our people against pollution because it’s in their DNA and their upbringing, but I call on the good CEO of FRA to please include in the scope of works for the subbies to please rake the grass that’s cut including the collection of the rubbish. A SHARIFF SHAH Savusavu

Moral position

LISTENING to our political party leaders I believe they are not in any moral position to tell other political candidates of their ability to be in politics. I suppose political leaders should look into the mirror of hypocrisy before demeaning and discrediting other candidates.

AREKI DAWAI

Suva

Mental health crisis

FIJIAN Physiotherapist Serina Kuruleca’s comments in The Fiji Times ‘Fiji’s Mental Health: A Ticking Time Bomb’ (FT 27/11) is alarming with wake up calls for all concerned.

There may be many factors linked to mental stress or anxiety. This could be due to COVID issues, climate change, job loss, drug and substance abuse and struggle to live a decent life. In some cases, older people are also mentally stressed from loneliness or isolation from various changes in living styles in this modern world.

The awareness programs by the health authorities focusing on mental health stress management will be a way forward for the prevention of suicide.

Mental illness does not make you weak, the fight with it makes you strong.

“All stress, anxiety, depression is caused when we ignore who we are, and start living to please others.” - Lauren Fogel Massey.

Mental health first. TAHIR ALI

Hamilton, New Zealand

ACCORDING to the article referred to in The Fiji Times (18/11/22), it was believed in 1985 that “cattle farming was introduced to Fiji by Christian missionaries in the early 1830s, during the colonial period” and that “at that time, cattle were only owned by early missionaries and by the European estate owners”.

There are a number of inaccuracies here. First, the colonial period began in 1874, long after the early 1830s. Second, at that time there were no European estate owners, and likewise no Christian missionaries except for the three Tahitians on Oneata, who had no cattle.

However, it is true that cattle were first introduced in the early 1830s, and we now have a detailed account thanks to the journal of the American Captain John H Eagleston, preserved in the Peabody and Essex Museum, Salem, Massechussets. Briefly, Captain Eagleston was a trader who visited Fiji a number of times and became friendly with some chiefs of eastern Fiji, in particular Ro Cokanauto of Rewa.

In June 1834, he invited this chief and four of his retinue to accompany him to Tahiti, where they were entertained by Queen Pomare. Just before they left, the Captain bought six calves as presents for his friends in Fiji.

On their return, two were formally presented to Ro Cokanauto on the 24th August as the ship was anchored off Nukulau, then taken to Rewa. Although not recorded in the diary, it is probable that two more were given to Tanoa, the Vunivalu of Bau, or his young son Seru Cakobau, and the last two were presented to Roqiqi the Tui Macuata at Vunirara, his residence at the time. There they flourished and after a few years Roqiqi held a solevu so his people could come and admire, and presumably taste, this novelty. This gathering is preserved in oral tradition as the solevu ni bulumakau mai Vunirara.

PAUL GERAGHTY

USP, Suva