Low allowance vs low wages

Wise Muavono,  Lautoka

The Opposition Leader said the allowance the Members of Parliament are getting now is difficult to work with.

How about the low wages that people are getting and finding it difficult to survive with? Huh?

The MPs vs average worker

Narayan Reddy,  Lautoka

At the moment a MP gets $50K and some allowances.

An average worker only gets $120 a week which is $6240 a year and he/she would be lucky to get any allowance. $50K is not enough according to the Leader of Opposition.

May I ask: If $6240 is enough for an average worker who pays even his/her own bus fare to work and MPs say that they don’t get enough, what about an average worker?

Who can they cry to? Sometimes I wonder why I voted!

What excuse?

Simon Hazelman,  Savusavu

The excuse from the Emoluments Committee that Parliamentarians not receive a salary hike because the country is still recovering from damages caused by Cyclone Winston is not only a very poor excuse but an unjustifiable one!

First and foremost, an increase must be justified by productivity – a quality that is obviously lacking – especially from the Opposition.

Secondly, both sides of the house ought to work together efficiently and reasonably in order to drive the nation forward in the best possible way, a function that hasn’t really existed from Day One!

Apart from this no other reason is good enough for nothing else justifies an increase!

With the never-ending poor attitude of Parliamentarians, particularly from the Opposition, a decrease would make more sense.

Isn’t it sad though that the only matter that both sides of the house will say ‘yay’ to is an increase in salary?

Incomplete road work

Mohammed Sabir,  Narere

Please Fiji Roads Authority, complete the incomplete road work at the roundabout next to the NIVIS Motors in Nabua. This incomplete work is a partial contributor to the early morning traffic jam.

Speed cameras

Damodaran Nadan,  Lautoka

Last week I travelled to Suva from Lautoka. It was good to that that most of drivers were being careful and hats off to the authorities concerned.

However, would the authorities also bear in mind it’s can be difficult to maintain speed limits.

For example, where it’s a 60kmph zone, the speed will fluctuate from maybe 57 to 63kmph. To maintain that speed limit the driver would need to keep his or her eyes on the dash board metre rather than on the road. I would request the authorities to have that flexibility of 3kmph to 5 kmph.

Furthermore, in my view, Government should consider increasing the national speed limit fromb80 kmph to 85 kmph.

Thanks LTA

Dorine Narayan,  Suva

I would like to commend the Land Transport Authority for its very efficient complaints line service. It’s for real.

Whilst driving in Suva few days ago, I came across a very reckless driver so I texted the incident to 582.

Within hours I received a call asking for further details and action that would be taken. Impressive indeed LTA, keep up the good work!

Local government reform

Saimoni Lutu,  Namosi

Our ebullient, hard working and tireless Minister of Local Government announced some time ago that local government elections would be held shortly.

So far nothing has transpired on this front. Has the good Minister overruled from above?

Whatever the reasons for the non-show elections, it is in fact a blessing in disguise. Think about it.

Barely two years ago the country went into a general election after being in the wilderness.

We are still learning the intricacies of the Parliamentary system and another election, local government or otherwise would be merely an exercise in buck passing let alone the high cost.

There is a better model which has been time tested.

This is the Corporate Type Structure which, as you would know, the private sector operates under quite successfully.

This time around, local governance should adopt the approach of managing the affairs by local technocrats recruited from technical experts from different fields through an open public solicitation like an Expression of Interest (EOI).

That would bring out the brightest and the best of Fijian brain power.

We still retain the title of Council. The Councillors however will be like the board of directors of a company: competent, experienced, visionary and incorruptible, much like Caesar’s wife.

RWC 2015: Sensational game

Vili Yaranamua,  Nadi

Let us go back to ‘memory lane’ this month September last year.

Do you still remember when Japan played South Africa in the Rugby World Cup?

Do you still remember their free flow passing, copybook tackling, courageous rucking and outstanding mauling?

Do you still remember those last final minutes when the ‘cherry blossoms’ scored that desperate try?

That was the greatest upset in the Rugby World Cup 2015. Oh! What a great feeling isn’t it?